North Dakota In-Lieu Fee Program

Ducks Unlimited is a trusted, experienced provider of aquatic resource mitigation solutions across North Dakota—especially in the Prairie Pothole Region, one of the most critical landscapes for waterfowl conservation. With active In-Lieu Fee (ILF) and Mitigation Bank sites in several watersheds including Missouri North, Missouri South, Southwest Slope, Souris River, Devils Lake and Red River, DU offers readily available wetland, stream, and forested credits to support private industry, infrastructure development, and public works projects. Our team also provides custom solutions to address project-specific requirements, from environmental compliance to voluntary conservation offsets.

Types of Mitigation Credits

Wetland, Forested, Stream credits, EO 11990 credits, Voluntary Conservation Measures, Easement Exchange, Offsets, Species/Habitat Mitigation, Environmental Compliance Mitigation, and other project-specific needs.

Why Choose DU in North Dakota

With a proven track record across North Dakota, Ducks Unlimited delivers high-quality, turnkey mitigation solutions backed by science, engineering, and long-term stewardship. Our portfolio includes over a dozen successful ILF and mitigation bank projects strategically located across critical watersheds—from the Devils Lake region to the Red River Valley and the Prairie Pothole Region. These sites provide essential ecosystem services like flood attenuation, groundwater recharge, and water quality improvements, while supporting robust wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation.

Since 2014, our mitigation projects have restored hundreds of acres of wetlands and uplands, served a wide range of industries, and earned long-term protection through conservation easements. Whether you’re navigating complex permitting requirements or looking to meet conservation goals, DU offers scalable, site-specific solutions that deliver both ecological and regulatory results.

Purchasing Mitigation Credits from DU

Purchasing mitigation credits from DU is an investment in conservation as mitigation revenue is re-invested in high-priority landscapes to conserve wetland habitat. As the world’s largest private wetlands conservation organization, DU’s wetland mitigation program is backed by the same expertise that guides its conservation work. Although DU believes avoidance and minimization should be part of any wetland mitigation strategy, some impacts are unavoidable. DU mitigation projects create quality habitat, provide additional revenue to further our conservation mission, and provide a valuable service to industry.

Credit Purchase Steps:

Contact DU: If you need environmental offsets or mitigation credits, start by reaching out to the appropriate contact for your area.
Credit Availability: If credits are available for purchase, DU can issue a credit availability to provide in permitting applications for agencies.
Final Permit: Upon issuance of your permit and final impact amounts, DU can proceed to invoice for the final amount.
Invoice: DU will issue an invoice for the agreed-upon transaction.
Credit Sales Letter: Upon payment, DU will issue a transaction receipt or credit sales letter, which will acknowledge and finalize the transaction, permanently transferring any mitigation responsibility to DU.

For more information contact:

Trent Heib
2525 River Road
Bismarck, ND 58503
Mobile: 701-720-6816
Office: 701-355-3573
thieb@ducks.org

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