MEMPHIS, Tenn. March 13, 2020 Martin Marty St. Louis has spent the last three decades stewarding one of Oregons most critical resources as manager of Summer Lake Wildlife Area (WA). Ducks Unlimited paid tribute to his efforts by giving him the 2020 Ducks Unlimited Conservation Achievement Award.

St. Louis was honored today during the 85th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference held in Denver, Colorado.

St. Louis is set to retire in 2020 after a nearly 40-year tenure with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), including 33 years as manager of the 19,000-acre Summer Lake WA in Lake County, Oregon.

Throughout his career at Summer Lake, Marty has worked with DU conservation staff to deliver more than 7,500 acres of wetland conservation on the WA. DU is currently working to deliver one final project under his guidance to fulfill his career-long vision of maximizing water management capabilities across the southern half of the WA.

After retirement, Marty plans to remain in the Summer Lake area and continue to enjoy and give back to the resource.

Every year we recognize outstanding professionals for these awards who share our passion for wetlands and waterfowl conservation, Ducks Unlimited Chief Conservation Officer Karen Waldrop said. Ducks Unlimited relies upon a network of talented individuals to achieve our goals. Only through teamwork can we accomplish the steps forward needed to ensure a bright future for our wetland resources. We are pleased to honor these inspirational efforts leading the way for others to follow.

Ducks Unlimiteds 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 Americas wetlands and waterfowl. To view a complete list of the 2020 Wetland Conservation Achievement Award winners, visit www.ducks.org/wetlandawards.

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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 14.5 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.