Ohio PRIDE is a major gift campaign developed by Ducks Unlimited to secure new Life Sponsors and upgrades to support waterfowl conservation. Through this program, donors can choose to restrict their dollars to Ohio to fund wetland conservation in DU priority landscapes.

The Ohio landscape has been tremendously altered. Just 150 years ago, wetlands comprised nearly 20 percent of Ohio’s total land area. More than five million wetland acres, including a diverse mix of coastal wetlands, small isolated basins, and riparian corridors, supported tremendous concentrations of waterfowl and other wildlife, and helped maintain the balance of ecosystem health. Today, only 482,000 wetland acres remain in Ohio. Extensive drainage and filling for agricultural and urban development have claimed more than 90 percent of Ohio’s original wetlands. Much of the remaining wetland habitat is highly fragmented and degraded, offering little value to waterfowl and other wildlife.

Despite Ohio’s high rate of wetland loss and degradation, there is great opportunity to protect and enhance existing wetlands and restore thousands of acres of drained wetlands. DU has developed conservation programs to protect and restore habitat that have the greatest impact on waterfowl and other wildlife. But wetland conservation costs money and that’s why we need you! Your PRIDE gift will be matched several times with federal, state, and other partner dollars, increasing the value of your donation and its impact on conservation programs in Ohio.

With the support of our members and donors, DU has been incredibly successful at turning grassroots dollars into habitat on the ground. Your contributions leave a legacy on the landscape to ensure that future generations have the same opportunities we enjoy today. To learn more about Ohio PRIDE, contact your Regional Director or Major Gift Chairman.