The future of North America's ducks is written on the prairies. Often called the “Duck Factory,” the Prairie Pothole Region supports more than 60 percent of the continent's breeding ducks in many years and is Ducks Unlimited's highest conservation priority. Yet the landscape faces mounting pressure. Across the region, an estimated 50 to 90 percent of prairie wetlands have been lost or severely degraded, while 60 to 90 percent of native grasslands have disappeared.
Meeting that challenge requires vision, long-term commitment, and investment in both habitat and the institutions that protect it. Ducks Unlimited recently recognized three conservationists who have built a legacy of habitat restoration and protection that is shaping the future of the prairies. Through their generosity, James C. Kennedy and David and Margaret Grohne have helped permanently protect more than 500,000 acres of North America’s most important waterfowl breeding habitat.
At a dedication ceremony in September, DU renamed its Great Plains Office in Bismarck, North Dakota, and its prairie conservation program in honor of James “Jim” C. Kennedy, chairman emeritus of Cox Enterprises and chairman of the James M. Cox Foundation. The newly named James C. Kennedy Center for Prairie Conservation will serve as a hub for DU’s prairie conservation efforts, advancing research, habitat restoration, landscape-scale protection, and partnership-driven conservation across the United States and Canada. DU also announced that its Coteau Ranch, a premier research and demonstration property, has been renamed the Grohne Coteau Ranch in recognition of the extraordinary conservation contributions of David “Dave” and Margaret “Marg” Grohne.
Kennedy first engaged with Ducks Unlimited in the early 1970s, when he responded to a newspaper advertisement and joined a local DU chapter in Atlanta, Georgia. What started as volunteer service evolved into a lifelong dedication to wetlands and waterfowl conservation. Today, Kennedy is DU’s largest individual donor. Over approximately 55 years of service and support, Kennedy has helped advance conservation in North America’s most important landscapes. This commitment has had a significant impact on waterfowl habitats in the Boreal Forest and Mexico, although the prairies, Gulf Coast, and Chesapeake stand out the most.
Kennedy’s footprint has always gone beyond financial contributions. As the founding president of Wetlands America Trust (WAT), DU’s land trust, he helped establish conservation easements as a cornerstone of modern habitat protection. His leadership helped WAT grow into one of the nation’s largest land trusts and strengthened an approach that remains central to DU’s work today.
“Jim Kennedy’s vision has left an indelible mark on Ducks Unlimited and on conservation throughout North America,” said DU CEO Adam Putnam. “The naming of the James C. Kennedy Center for Prairie Conservation reflects his extraordinary commitment to protecting the Prairie Pothole Region, his unwavering belief in the DU mission, and his enduring commitment to ensuring conservation succeeds through science, stewardship, and partnership.”
The scale of Kennedy’s prairie legacy came into especially sharp focus in 2024, when Cox Enterprises announced a $100 million gift to WAT in his honor. Dedicated to conserving prairie wetlands and grasslands across the United States and Canada, the gift has already helped protect nearly 100,000 acres in the Prairie Pothole Region, including areas that support some of the highest densities of breeding duck pairs on the continent.
“Conservation is ultimately about leaving something better for those who come after us. Ducks Unlimited has demonstrated for nearly 90 years that lasting conservation is achieved through collaboration and a commitment to science-based solutions,” Kennedy said. “I am grateful for this honor and proud to see this center serve as a catalyst for protecting the wetlands, grasslands, and waterfowl that are so vital to North America’s natural heritage.”
The dedication of the Grohne Coteau Ranch recognizes another enduring commitment to prairie conservation. Dave and Marg Grohne have supported DU’s conservation mission since the late 1960s. Their impact has been felt throughout the Prairie Pothole Region and beyond, and their philanthropy has advanced conservation delivery on public and private lands across the continent. Dave and Marg’s influence extends beyond the land itself, helping to bring the story of the prairies to broader audiences through the 2023 film Wings Over Water and fostering greater appreciation for the habitats that sustain millions of migratory birds in the region each year.
A hallmark of the Grohnes’ conservation leadership has been a focus on leverage, helping Ducks Unlimited access millions of dollars in additional support by providing the private match needed to unlock competitive public funding through sources such as the North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant program.
“Dave and Marg Grohne have been steadfast champions of wetlands conservation and Ducks Unlimited’s mission,” Putnam said. “Their support has helped conserve some of the most important waterfowl habitat while inspiring others to invest in the future of conservation.”
The Grohne Coteau Ranch will showcase conservation approaches that enhance wetland and grassland health while complementing productive agricultural operations, supporting scientific research, and sustaining healthy wildlife populations. It will also serve as a catalyst for donor engagement, stewardship, and recognition. The ranch’s wall of honor celebrates nearly 75 major donors whose investments have advanced conservation throughout the region.
“The prairies are where the future of North America’s waterfowl begins,” Dave Grohne said. “For decades, Marg and I have been privileged to experience this remarkable landscape and the essential role it plays in sustaining the continent’s waterfowl populations. That experience has reinforced our belief that investing in prairie conservation is one of the most meaningful ways to support the future of wildlife and our sporting heritage. We are honored by this recognition and hope the Grohne Coteau Ranch serves as a lasting example of how conservation can benefit nature, working lands, and people for generations to come.”
The challenges facing the prairies are measured across millions of acres. Success depends on sound science, durable partnerships, willing landowners, public investment, and private supporters willing to think in terms of decades rather than years. For more than half a century, Jim Kennedy and Dave and Marg Grohne have helped make that kind of conservation possible. Their support has protected habitat, strengthened institutions, leveraged additional funding, advanced scientific understanding, and expanded Ducks Unlimited’s ability to conserve habitat where it matters most for the continent’s waterfowl.
