COLUMBIA, S.C. - March 29, 2018 - South Carolina Ducks Unlimited volunteers presented $50,000 to DU conservation staff at the inaugural South Carolina Ducks Unlimited (SCDU) Sportsman's Banquet, held in conjunction with the Palmetto Sportsman's Classic in Columbia, S.C.

The funds originate from the SCDU License Tag fund and represent a significant investment to conserve South Carolina's wildlife for future generations to enjoy. These funds will be used to leverage up to $3,000,000 from funding sources like the North American Wetlands Conservation Act to support projects in South Carolina over the next two years.

The DU License Tag program began in 2005 to offer South Carolina residents a way to support wetland habitat conservation. For every $50 tag purchase and two-year renewal, $47 is directed to the SCDU Tag Program for exclusive use on habitat improvement projects in the state.

Ground-ready projects that will benefit from this funding include 460 acres of the Bonny Hall Unit within the ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge (NWR); 48 acres within Beaver Dam Wildlife Management Area (WMA); 50 acres of the South Tibwin Wetland Complex within the Francis Marion National Forest; 1,180 acres within Santee Delta WMA and 448 acres of the Bluff Unit within Santee NWR.

More than 40 Ducks Unlimited chapters operate in South Carolina and those chapters host dinner banquets, sporting clays events, fishing tournaments, golf tournaments, oyster roasts and more. These events offer a fun time for like-minded individuals to gather in support of DU's wetland habitat conservation mission. More than 80 cents out of every dollar donated to DU goes toward conservation delivery and conservation education.

For more information visit www.ducks.org.

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 14 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.

Media Contact:
Ashley Ward
(901) 758-3808
award@ducks.org