DU Chief Scientist Awarded AFWA’s Highest Honor

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Sept. 16, 2015 – Ducks Unlimited’s (DU) Chief Scientist, Scott Yaich, was awarded the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies’ (AFWA) highest honor during their annual conference this week. Yaich was presented with the Seth Gordon award during the conference’s awards dinner.

“I wasn’t expecting this and it was a complete shock,” Yaich told the audience during his acceptance speech. “It’s wonderful to be part of this community and some of the fondest memories during my career are from working with state agencies.”

Each year, AFWA honors individuals and organizations for their exemplary commitment to conservation stewardship through its prestigious Annual Awards program. The Seth Gordon award is given to people who have worked steadfastly and effectively for the best use of North American natural resources in the public trust and for contributions to the programs of the Association.

In a nomination letter to the AFWA awards committee, Nick Wiley, executive director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Carter Smith, executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said that “… Scott has been a highly effective leader and extremely dedicated conservationist with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Ducks Unlimited Inc.”

Yaich has been an active AFWA leader for 30 years and has chaired several committees during his tenure with the organization. In addition to his work with AFWA, Yaich has been on staff with DU for 14 years.

“Scott has worked tirelessly on waterfowl conservation for decades, and I couldn’t think of a better person to receive this great honor,” said Paul Schmidt, DU’s chief of conservation. “Scott truly deserves this award and I’m honored to call him a colleague and friend.”

For more information, visit www.ducks.org.

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.