MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Jan. 25, 2021 – Friday, Jan. 29, marks Ducks Unlimited’s (DU’s) 84th anniversary. Started by a small group of enthusiasts on a mission to save North America’s waterfowl populations and the continent’s strong waterfowling traditions, DU was founded in 1937 during the Great Depression and one of the worst droughts in history.
More than eight decades later, DU is celebrating 84 years of conservation thanks to the tireless support of generations of DU members, volunteers and partners who are part of the organization’s mission to conserve and restore wetlands and other vital habitats for North America’s waterfowl.
“DU’s 84th anniversary is a victory for conservation and something we are truly proud of,” said Ducks Unlimited President Doug Schoenrock. “As always, this anniversary would not be possible without the dedication of our volunteers and supporters, as well as the many agency and organizational partners who, year after year, have helped us fulfill our vision of skies filled with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.”
Thanks to 84 years of abiding by that single vision, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective private, nonprofit, waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization. DU delivers its work through a series of partnerships with private individuals, landowners, agencies, scientific communities and other entities.
Waterfowl, however, are not the only beneficiaries of DU’s habitat work. Wetlands also improve the health of our environment by refilling and purifying groundwater, mitigating floods and reducing soil erosion. Wetlands are North America’s most productive ecosystems, providing critical habitat to more than 900 wildlife species and invaluable recreation opportunities for people to enjoy.
Since 1937, DU has conserved nearly 15 million acres across North America through on-the-ground, science-based conservation work.
“Our supporters, volunteers, and leaders are every bit as committed to the cause as our founders were in the late 1930s,” DU CEO Adam Putnam said. “In 2021, we are in the midst of a global pandemic, but DU’s habitat work continues at full throttle.”
Follow DU’s news Twitter feed – @DUNews1937 – to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved almost 15 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. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.
