Memphis-Based Ducks Unlimited Surpasses $2 Billion Fundraising Goal
Preserving North America’s Wetlands
In an impressive feat for conservation, Ducks Unlimited, the Memphis-headquartered organization, along with its counterparts in Canada and Mexico, recently exceeded a $2 billion fundraising threshold in the mission to protect North America’s endangered wetlands. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the current campaign, “Conservation for a Continent,” which aims to raise $3 billion by 2026.
The Pursuit of Wildlife Conservation
Ducks Unlimited President, Chuck Smith, and CEO, Adam Putnam, revealed that the funds largely originated from philanthropic donations and government grants, highlighting the increasing global awareness of the mounting threats towards North American wetlands. The impacts of such threats not only risk the future of waterfowl but also that of the 900 other species dependent on these crucial ecosystems.
“Since 1970, we’ve lost a third of all bird species in North America, across the board,” pointed out Putnam. “Only wetland species of birds have increased in population.”
Unlike other conservation-focused organizations, Ducks Unlimited prides itself on both fundraising and implementing conservation strategies. Putnam stated, “We actually move the dirt, we’re not just here for advocacy. We’re going to share what we’re know in engineering and designing and executing these projects.”
The Impact on Society
The extensive work and accomplishments of Ducks Unlimited are leading to an increase in public and private associations as organizations seek their conservation expertise. The clean water initiatives, especially, are attracting attention as clean water sources continue to dwindle.
“Everybody’s concerned about water now,” Smith noted. “And the work we’re doing is focused on clean water as a benefit to society in general.”
Alongside its water-focused work, Ducks Unlimited also addresses carbon emissions by working with rice farmers to curb methane releases and conserving prairie lands that naturally absorb and store atmospheric carbon.
The effective, tangible results of the organization’s undertakings have led to increasing funds from government grants, Putnam shared. Demonstrable outcomes included the planting of thousands of trees to restore hardwood forests similar to those previously seen near the Mississippi, modernizing rice production in the Mississippi Delta, and constructing terraces in Louisiana to restore the sedimentation effect of the Mississippi River and help restore the state’s coastlines.
However, Putnam stressed the importance of accelerating these efforts in light of the rapid ecological changes in North America. The recent crossing of the $2 billion fundraising mark, therefore, stands as a considerable achievement for conservation, representing an immediate promise to save more for future generations.