U.S. Secretary of the Interior Appoints DU Representative To North American Wetlands Conservation Council

Washington, D.C. -U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar recently announced the appointment of Ducks Unlimited Director of Conservation Operations, Dr. Scott Yaich, to serve on the North American Wetlands Conservation Council.

After receiving notice of his appointment, Dr. Yaich expressed his “appreciation for being selected to serve on the council. The North American Waterfowl Management Plan is essential to sustaining waterfowl populations and their habitats. I look forward to working with council members and the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission on the continued implementation of this plan and other conservation opportunities.”

NAWCC plays an integral role in implementing the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, which helps conserve waterfowl and other migratory bird populations. By serving on this nine-member council, Dr. Yaich will also help determine which conservation project proposals will be recommended to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for North American Wetlands Conservation Act funding.

“Dr. Yaich is an excellent choice for the North American Wetlands Conservation Council,” said DU CEO Dale Hall. “He is one of DU’s leading conservation experts and his knowledge and expertise will be a valuable resource to the council.”

Ducks Unlimited staff who previously served on the NAWCC include Matt Connolly and Dr. Alan Wentz.

“Ducks Unlimited has been a leading voice in conservation and waterfowl habitat management for decades,” said Hall. “These multiple appointments not only affirm DU’s conservation expertise, but also highlight DU’s strong relationship with the U.S. Department of the Interior.”

Dr. Yaich is a 10-year employee of Ducks Unlimited. Prior to his service at DU, Dr. Yaich worked with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He received a doctorate in Zoology from Southern Illinois University. Dr. Yaich also worked with the NAWCC during his tenure with the state of Arkansas, where he helped implement projects approved by the council and served as a council technical committee and staff member for nine years.

Ducks Unlimited 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 12 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. Visit the DU website, www.ducks.org for more information.

Contact:
Emily Tyner 202-347-1530 etyner@ducks.org