ConocoPhillips and Ducks Unlimited (DU) have announced a continued partnership to advance vital coastal restoration efforts in Louisiana, reinforcing a shared commitment to environmental stewardship, community resilience, and conservation of critical wetland habitats.
Through a $1 million contribution from ConocoPhillips in support of DU’s Gulf Coast Initiative, the organizations will collaborate on conservation projects focused on marsh enhancement, freshwater management, shoreline protection, and long-term monitoring across priority landscapes in the Terrebonne and Barataria basins. These efforts will help restore and protect habitats essential to migratory and resident waterfowl, fisheries, and other wetland-dependent wildlife while also strengthening coastal communities.
“Partnerships like this one with ConocoPhillips allow Ducks Unlimited to deliver meaningful, on-the-ground conservation at a scale that truly makes a difference,” said Cassidy Lejune, DU Director of Conservation Programs, SE Louisiana. “Together, we are restoring wetlands that provide critical habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife while enhancing the resilience of Louisiana’s working coast.”
Building on more than a decade of collaboration, the 2026 scope of work emphasizes three key restoration strategies: marsh enhancement through terracing and marsh creation or ridge restoration; hydrologic improvements and water control structures to support healthy freshwater systems; and shoreline protection and living shoreline features designed to stabilize vulnerable coastal areas. The partnership also includes expanded monitoring and assessment efforts, including collaboration with universities and research institutions to evaluate project outcomes and habitat use by non-migratory waterfowl species such as mottled ducks.
“ConocoPhillips is proud to continue working with Ducks Unlimited to support practical, science-based conservation solutions,” said John Harrington, ConocoPhillips Manager of Coastal Wetlands. “These projects align with our long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and help deliver lasting benefits for coastal ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.”
Since 2012, the ConocoPhillips–Ducks Unlimited partnership has leveraged more than $14 million in funding to help deliver over $62 million in coastal restoration work in Louisiana, benefiting tens of thousands of acres of wetlands. Contributions like the 2026 investment also help unlock additional federal, state, and private funding, significantly expanding the reach and impact of conservation efforts.
