The on-the-ground conservation work of Ducks Unlimited offers a variety of natural climate solutions across North America for individuals, agencies, foundations and corporations seeking to reduce and/or offset greenhouse gas emissions. Our programs contribute to long-term mitigation through preventing emissions, drawing down additional atmospheric CO2, and reducing emissions associated with various management activities. These nature-based solutions also support climate adaptation strategies by providing resilient landscapes and corridors for species movement. Functional and resilient natural systems support healthy and sustainable communities for people all across the continent.
While known for our extensive work with inland wetlands, DU delivers conservation in many land types across the North America, including:
Grasslands: grassland restoration, grazing management, and protection of at-risk grasslands
Forests: reforestation, hydrologic alterations for forest health and regrowth, avoided conversion
Coastlines: coastal restoration, coastal protection, sediment utilization, mangrove regrowth/protection
Agriculture: cover cropping, reduced tillage, nutrient management, livestock integration
Our programs are built on a solid foundation of science and provide an array of co-benefits in addition to carbon reductions, including supporting biodiversity, improving water quality, replenishing aquifers and stabilizing coastlines which creates increased storm resiliency.
These additional outcomes offer multiple benefits to align with sustainability principles. As an accredited land trust, we also have the unique ability to secure and monitor nature-based climate investments with instruments like conservation easements, helping to ensure permanence.
Partnerships for Natural Climate Solutions
DU works with a wide range of partners, including other NGO’s, state and federal agencies, private sector companies, local municipalities, and vested individuals to deliver projects that are ecologically, economically, and logistically relevant. We consider the geographic relevance of business operations and supporting supply chains, and areas of interest, such as communities of concern. We have worked with multiple third-party verifiers and consultants to achieve quantified sustainability goals. We offer a variety of pathways to quantify and verify natural climate benefits from robust empirical estimates conducted by DU scientists to full independent third-party verification.
DU has vast experience in formal carbon offsetting and voluntary markets. We operate the largest grassland carbon portfolio in the U.S., having helped co-author methodologies, and generated the first-ever grassland carbon offsets under both the American Carbon Registry and Climate Action Reserve.
For more information about formal offsets or Natural Climate Solutions provided by DU’s conservation work, please contact us at ecosystemservices@ducks.org
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