Flyway Forests Reforestation Program

Climate change impacts the health of wildlife, hydrology, and agricultural systems and is causing billions of dollars of economic damage every year across the world. There is scientific consensus that mitigation is necessary to avoid the worst impacts of rising greenhouse gas temperatures in the atmosphere. Natural Climate Solutions are opportunities to use nature to remove and store carbon from the atmosphere, while also providing habitat and ecosystem services such as clean water and clean air. Ducks Unlimited (DU) has long understood that our sustainable ecosystem work has benefits beyond waterfowl.

What Can We Do

DU’s new Flyway Forests program is designed to restore bottomland hardwood forests on private lands in the lower Mississippi River valley, tributaries, and adjacent counties by planting trees to help capture significant amounts of carbon. DU is partnering with Pachama, a carbon project developer, to implement this program on private lands with private equity funding.

Partnership Goals

Restore at least 10,000 acres of forests in the lower Mississippi River and adjacent counties by 2030.
Improve air quality, preserve soil health, provide oxygen, benefit the climate, support waterfowl and wildlife habitat, and replant native hardwood species.

Forests play a critical role in mitigating climate impacts by capturing carbon dioxide and storing carbon with soils and forest biomass. Approximately 50% of the carbon stored in a forest is in the soil, and the rest is stored in the trunk, branches, and roots.

How It Works

DU works with private landowners to design reforestation projects.
Landowners will be paid to restore land to its historic forested condition.
Landowners may choose between a permanent conservation easement or a 40-year term agreement. Payment plans are specific to each phase and will be advertised when available.
Landowner retains ownership; DU covers site prep, planting, and monitoring.
Carbon credits verified and managed by Pachama using Verra reforestation methodology.

Photo by Ben Hemmings

Who is Eligible?

Landowners in lower Mississippi Valley, tributaries, and adjacent counties.
Landowners with at least 75+ acres available for reforestation.

Non-eligible lands include:

Emergent wetlands.
Land already enrolled in government-funded programs for tree planting.
Forests cleared in the last 10 years.

Photo by Dominic Sherony

Program Enrollment FAQs

Join the Ducks Unlimited Flyway Forest Reforestation Program today to help restore critical habitats and capture significant amounts of carbon. By enrolling, you will contribute to improving air quality, preserving soil health, and providing essential ecosystems for wildlife while earning financial incentives and ensuring the protection of your land for future generations.