We all know that Ducks Unlimited (DU) is focused on wildlife conservation, especially when it comes to ducks, but that mission to preserve wildlife and the environment stretches far beyond that. This is especially noticeable when it comes to the fact that Ducks Unlimited was just named a Leader in Ag Conservation by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS). Joe Genzel, communications coordinator for the Great Lakes and Atlantic region with Ducks Unlimited, said their partnership with IDALS to restore Iowa’s wetlands has been going strong for a few years now.
DU is now in a multi-year contract with IDALS to identify 500 potential wetland locations, contact 400 prospective landowners, and assist in the installation of 60 new wetlands. Genzel said that several different conservation practices will be utilized to achieve this goal.
Genzel said DU will take a cooperative approach with farmers and make sure that they are also benefiting as much as possible from these conservation practices.
Fortunately, Genzel said many of the farmers who own land that has been identified by the Geographic Information Systems team are very willing to add some conservation practices to their farms.
The benefits of these wetlands extend far beyond conservation, as they act as kidneys for the ecosystem that can keep runoff from entering major waterways, like the ones that we use for drinking water.
Genzel added that DU is continuing to become more involved in the ag community across the country.
For more information on DU’s conservation efforts, visit ducks.org.
