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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Feb. 28, 2020 - This week, more than 75 members of team DU, including state chairs, state policy chairs, senior volunteers and members of the Ducks Unlimited Board of Directors gathered in our nation's capital to meet with members of Congress and advocate for legislation to protect and restore wetlands and migratory bird habitat.

Meetings focused on passage of the bi-partisan America's Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act, which affects many important wetland habitat and wildlife conservation programs including the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). This critical legislation unanimously passed the Senate in January and now awaits further action in the House of Representatives.

DU volunteers highlighted how NAWCA partnership grants play an important role in accomplishing Ducks Unlimited's mission, from restoring altered wetlands and enhancing water quality to reducing soil erosion and mitigating the damaging effects of floods. Conservation projects also provide outstanding recreational opportunities like hunting, fishing and bird watching.

"At Ducks Unlimited, we have a mission and a message that resonates with people on both sides of the aisle," said DU CEO Adam Putnam. "Our state chair fly-in is a tremendous opportunity for DU volunteers from all across the country to advocate for important conservation priorities face-to-face with legislators who want to help us achieve our habitat restoration goals."

NAWCA is a voluntary matching grant program that leverages non-federal and federal funds for wetlands restoration. Since enactment in 1989, NAWCA has conserved more than 30 million acres and created an average of 7,500 new jobs annually. Every dollar spent by the federal government, on average, receives a $3 match from program partners like Ducks Unlimited. NAWCA is the nation's most successful wetlands conservation program. The ACE Act reauthorizes NAWCA at $60 million a year through 2025.

For more information, visit www.ducks.org/NAWCA, and be sure to Follow DU's Twitter feed - @DUNews1937 - to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.

Media Contact:
Parker Williams
(202) 621-1646
pwilliams@ducks.org