A magnificent diversity of breathtaking landscapes is the hallmark of America's Pacific Northwest. Residents treasure and protect their natural heritage, including hunting, other outdoor recreation and enjoyment, and the quantity and quality of water. Ducks Unlimited is actively engaged in this region, working to increase water-use efficiency while restoring wetlands and other waterfowl habitat.
People and ducks flock to the Pacific Northwest in large part because it is home to some of the most spectacular terrain in America, including estuaries, seasonal wetlands, and floodplain marshes. However, significant wetland habitats have already been lost and, as human populations soar, the demand for water increases, putting even more pressure on those wetlands that remain. DU's Wings and Wetlands Initiative seeks to build on conservation efforts in this important region with your support.
Building A Sound Future
Washington, Oregon, and Idaho are home to some of the most important wetland complexes in the West. From the Puget Sound, where more than 80 percent of wetlands have already been lost, to the Southern Oregon/Northeastern California (SONEC) area, which serves as a massive gathering place for migrating waterfowl, and on to the extensive floodplains and marshes of the upper Snake River basin of Eastern Idaho, including Henry's Fork Watershed, Ducks Unlimited is collaborating with government agencies, Native American tribes, and private landowners to deliver habitat restoration, enhancement, and protection.
As part of long-term initiative goals, DU will develop strategies to offset coastal habitat loss from sea-level rise in critical migration and wintering areas for hundreds of thousands of ducks, geese, and swans. Conservation staff will also address water shortages and unreliable water supplies and delivery systems to ensure and maintain flood-irrigated habitat to meet waterfowl needs each spring.
DU's Five-Year Plan for Wings and Wetlands
Ducks Unlimited is seeking charitable contributions of $2.3 million to achieve our conservation goals in this region. Your charitable support will enable Ducks Unlimited to conduct important science, public policy, and outreach efforts, as well as conserving the breeding habitats important to waterfowl that utilize wetlands in this region. DU's research and evaluation efforts are the foundation upon which our direct conservation programs and our policy and outreach work are based.
Washington, Idaho and Oregon enjoy a close connection with Canada that has been strengthened on the wings of waterfowl. Birds move freely across the border during spring and fall migration and during winter months, in search of an ever-shrinking food supply. Farther inland, dry valleys such as the Okanagan and Columbia provide natural corridors for birds moving north and south to their breeding grounds in northern Canada and Alaska.
Habitat loss and water use on both sides of the border mean there will be no safe havens until we conserve what remains. That's why Ducks Unlimited is working to ensure protection of the precious breeding grounds on both sides of the border, reducing the need for restoration. A gift to DU's Wings and Wetlands Initiative will benefit not only conservation projects here, but also work being done in Alaska and on Canadian breeding grounds. Ducks Unlimited has been working across North America since 1937 to ensure a strong future for the continent's waterfowl and for waterfowl hunters. Birds don't recognize borders and neither do DU's conservation efforts.
Wings and Wetlands at a Glance
Five-Year Initiative Goals (FY 2012-16)
Habitat Delivery: 3,439 acres
Public Revenue: $37.3 million
Philanthropic Revenue: $2.3 million
Total Revenue Goal: $39.6 million
Initiative States:
Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
Conservation Focus:
It's impossible to overemphasize the Wings and Wetlands Initiative area's importance to migrating and wintering waterfowl, with a wide diversity of landscapes providing food and habitat for millions of birds each year. DU's focus here is on conserving wintering and migration habitat, as well as providing exceptional breeding grounds by restoring or enhancing lost or degraded wetlands.
Cross-border Conservation
Waterfowl are a continentally shared resource, and Ducks Unlimited has worked across North America since 1937 to ensure a strong future for ducks and for waterfowl hunters. By contributing to DU's Wings and Wetlands Initiative, you will be supporting important waterfowl habitat conservation in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, as well as the breeding grounds of the Western Boreal Forest of Alaska and Canada, where the vast majority of birds are produced before beginning their journey to the wintering grounds of the Pacific Flyway.
Wings and Wetlands Needs You Now
Your gift to Ducks Unlimited is invaluable, and it is truly the greatest contribution you can make to secure the future of wetlands and waterfowl. Every dollar you give to Ducks Unlimited is leveraged multiple times to create a conservation impact far beyond your initial gift. In addition, we invest at least 80 cents of every dollar received in our conservation mission. Start making a difference right now for waterfowl, outdoorsmen, and future generations of wildlife and people by making your gift to DU's Wings and Wetlands Initiative. Help conserve key wetland habitats in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon with your gift today.
Don't wait.
Call DU at (360) 885-2011 today to speak with fundraising staff in your area.
Make an online gift.
Download a printable PDF for this initiative