TX Breakwater.JPGThe Migratory Bird Conservation Council approved a $2.28 million North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant to Ducks Unlimited and partners to support critical wetland conservation projects along the Texas Gulf Coast.

This investment will protect and enhance more than 3,300 acres of vital habitat in the Gulf Coast Joint Venture (GCJV) region, benefiting waterfowl, shorebirds and other wildlife while providing public access and strengthening natural storm defenses.

"For more than 35 years, NAWCA has been the gold standard for wetlands conservation in North America,” said Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam. “Every dollar invested in the program is typically doubled or tripled by matching contributions, making it an incredible return on investment that benefits America’s hunters, migratory bird populations and outdoor economy. This program maintains its success through consistent, bipartisan support from Congress and the Administration, and we’re ready to help turn this investment into habitat that will further sustain waterfowl populations."

The six-tract project will build on decades of conservation success in one of North America’s most ecologically significant regions:

  • Texas Prairie Wetlands Project (TPWP): Expanding on a 34-year partnership with state, federal, nongovernment organizations and private landowners to provide waterfowl habitat on private lands, project work will enhance 2,252 acres and contribute to more than 92,000 acres already delivered through TPWP
  • Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge: Project work will improve freshwater inflows to 258 acres of wetland basins and enhance a 50-acre emergent wetland along a public access trail to increase freshwater reliability for wintering redhead shorebirds and other wildlife species.
  • Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge: work will protect vulnerable shoreline along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, reducing erosion, restoring marsh habitat and bolstering storm surge protection.
  • Two Land Donations will include transferring 271.5 acres of DU-owned property to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, securing critical nesting and foraging habitat for the endangered Black Rail.

“This grant represents a significant step forward for wetlands conservation on the Texas Gulf Coast,” said Ducks Unlimited Biologist Taylor Abshier. “By working with our partners and landowners, we’re not only conserving essential habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife but also delivering public benefits like water quality improvements, storm surge protection and expanded opportunities for hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing.”

The project is made possible through additional support from Apex, ConocoPhillips, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, Thomas and Sandra Hunt and private landowners. It complements more than three decades of NAWCA-funded conservation along the Texas coast, continuing a legacy of collaboration that has restored and protected tens of thousands of acres of wetlands.