Sunday is Ducks Unlimited Day in Minnesota

Sunday, January 29, is Ducks Unlimited Day in Minnesota. Gov. Mark Dayton recently signed a proclamation honoring the conservation organization for its 75th anniversary.

“Ducks Unlimited has forged solid partnerships with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Board of Water and Soil Resources, federal and county agencies, corporate partners and private landowners to foster collaborative and efficient conservation programs,” Gov. Dayton said.

DU’s founders established the group in 1937 with a mission to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. Since DU began its work in Minnesota in 1984, it has conserved nearly 184,000 acres of habitat. Through its Living Lakes initiative, launched in 2004, DU has worked with many partners to improve more than 200 shallow lakes in Minnesota, including more than 130 wild rice lakes.

“On behalf of Minnesota’s 38,000 passionate DU members, I’m proud to accept Governor Dayton’s proclamation celebrating DU’s 75th anniversary,” said David Flink, Minnesota state chairman for Ducks Unlimited. “All our members are especially excited by the proclamation, knowing the governor has historic ties to Heron Lake. Once one of Minnesota’s waterfowling gems, today Heron Lake is an example of why DU’s Living Lakes initiative is so important to the future of our sport.”

The proclamation signed by Gov. Dayton cites the value of Minnesota’s shallow lakes and wetlands as prime migratory habitat for waterfowl, as well as waterfowl hunting areas that preserve the state’s strong outdoor heritage. Minnesota wetlands are also valued for their role in water-quality protection, flood control and the state’s overall environmental health.

Minnesota’s support for the outdoors was evident in 2008 when 1.6 million voters overwhelmingly approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, providing critical funding for wetlands conservation.

Ducks Unlimited’s 75th anniversary celebration will continue throughout the year with special events, merchandise, projects and promotions across the continent. DU recently released its 75th anniversary book, The Ducks Unlimited Story by Michael Furtman. This 208-page coffee-table book chronicles DU’s first 75 years with never-before-seen photos and documents from the DU archives. Log on to http://www.ducks.org/75 for more updates and information on DU’s 75th anniversary.

Ducks Unlimited

Ducks Unlimited is the world's leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. DU got its start in 1937 during the Dust Bowl when North America’s drought-plagued waterfowl populations had plunged to unprecedented lows. Determined not to sit idly by as the continent’s waterfowl dwindled beyond recovery, a small group of sportsmen joined together to form an organization that became known as Ducks Unlimited. Its mission: habitat conservation. Thanks to decades of abiding by that single mission, Ducks Unlimited is now the world’s largest and most effective private waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization. DU is able to multilaterally deliver its work through a series of partnerships with private individuals, landowners, agencies, scientific communities and other entities.