MEMPHIS, Tenn. - April 2, 2018 - Ducks Unlimited announced the winners of the 2018 Wetland Conservation Achievement Awards during the 83rd North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference held in Norfolk, Virginia. This year's recipient in the state agency employee category is Diane Eggeman. Diane worked for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for more than 30 years before retiring this month.

"Diane has dedicated herself to waterfowl conservation and to strengthening the wildlife profession," said DU Chief Conservation Officer Nick Wiley, who worked with Eggeman for many years at FWC. "She is a consummate professional, demonstrating a passion for the wildlife resource and dedication to the landowners, colleagues and partners with whom she works. Diane has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to science and objective, information-based decision making, benefitting the continent's waterfowl resources and the people who enjoy them. Her unfailingly positive, yet grounded attitude and her enthusiasm are contagious and endear a tremendous sense of trust and constructive collaboration. I know her professional colleagues over the years will agree when I say she is an amazing conservation leader and even better friend."

Eggeman joined FWC in 1986 as a waterfowl biologist where she developed and implemented the statewide wood duck management and monitoring program and provided input to various agencies and landowners on conserving and enhancing waterfowl habitat. She was promoted to the waterfowl management program coordinator and made responsible for statewide research, conservation and management programs related to waterfowl in 1998. She took her final position with FWC in 2008 when she became director of the hunting and game management division. As such, Eggeman led the agency's efforts to manage and conserve game wildlife for the future while fostering safe and responsible hunting.

"I am tremendously honored to receive this award and extremely grateful for the outstanding colleagues I've worked alongside for many years," Eggeman said. "Any achievement for waterfowl conservation has been through the efforts of many people working up and down the flyways, and I'm humbled and thankful to have served on that team."

Beyond Florida, Eggeman's engagement in national and continental level conservation efforts is impressive. She has served in many capacities on the Atlantic Flyway's Technical Section and Council and has been Florida's representative to the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture since 2009. She is the U.S. co-chair for the North American Waterfowl Management Plan 2018 update steering committee and chair of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' waterfowl working group.

Ducks Unlimited's Wetland Conservation Achievement Awards are presented annually in six categories to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the conservation and restoration of North America's wetlands and waterfowl. To view a complete list of the 2018 Wetland Conservation Achievement Award winners, visit www.ducks.org/wetlandawards.

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 13.8 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.