Imagine following a migrating mallard on her annual journey. Every year, she travels the same flyway, passing the same rivers, roads and streams, but every year something is different. There are fewer and fewer wetlands along the way. Fewer potholes to nest in up north, fewer bottomland marshes to rest in down south and fewer swamps to winter in along the coasts. Now imagine that you can change all that. Imagine that you can put those potholes back on the prairies, put those wetlands back on the wintering grounds. The good news is, by supporting DU, you can help do just that. We undertake our conser- vation work throughout the continent, ensuring that wherever waterfowl breed, migrate or winter, our mallard will have a place to live. It’s a daunting task that needs your help to accomplish. NORTH For most waterfowl, life begins in the North where lush wetlands and flowing grasslands produce millions of birds each year. From the prairies of the Great Plains, to the western boreal forest, DU is focused on some of the best breeding habitat in North America where there are enormous challenges that are work- ing against us. Western waterfowl are as diverse as the From Canada and New England, to the challenges that face them. Ducks and southern tip of Florida, waterfowl travel- geese must compete with non-native fish, ing the Atlantic Flyway find DU projects all and with people for water and wetlands. along the way. In New York, DU is studying WEST Throughout the Pacific Flyway, DU is EAST black ducks to reverse their decline, and conserving habitat, securing water and throughout the flyway, we’re conserving restoring wetlands to help waterfowl stay wetlands for eastern traveling birds. healthy throughout the year. After a long migration south, ducks and geese need to rest and refuel on healthy wetlands in warmer climes. From California to Florida, to Mexico and beyond, DU is working to ensure that wintering waterfowl find the best Southern hos- pitality in the thriving bottomland hardwoods, flooded fields and wet- lands full of food. SOUTH 2 Last fall, DU hosted the Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest in Memphis, marking the first time it has been held outside D.C. In events THE YEAR IN REVIEW surrounding the contest, we raised more than $200,000 for DU. Each year, the stamps raise $25 million to fund waterfowl habitat acquisition for the National Wildlife Refuge System. We’ve come a long way over the last 12 months for wetlands and water resources as they participate in Project Webfoot. and waterfowl conservation, and we know we have a long way Project Webfoot is a grassroots, volunteer-driven effort. yet to go. With that in mind, at our 69th annual convention Local volunteers raise funds to enroll classrooms. An enroll- in Phoenix, Ducks Unlimited and the Wetlands America ment fee of $300 per class covers the cost of the educational Trust officially launched the largest conservation campaign in materials and provides a Greenwing membership to each history: the $1.7 billion Wetlands for Tomorrow campaign. student in the classroom. In February, more than 11,000 volunteers gathered for DU’s Last year, Ducks Unlimited launched Hunt & Home, a first National Volunteer Celebration Day, a nationwide effort unique way to help fund our habitat conservation work. Hunt to thank DU volunteers for their hard work and dedication & Home gatherings bring friends together to celebrate conser- to conservation. With 89 locations, it was the single largest vation and explore the “wild” world of game cooking with volunteer event in DU’s 69-year history. Ducks Unlimited spices, breads and sauces. World Wetlands Day, February 2, marked the second We’ve come a long way in the last year, but there are new anniversary of the educational partnership between DU and horizons ahead—new challenges to face, more habitats to Project WET (Water Education for Teachers). More than conserve, and many miles ahead of us before we achieve our 6,000 students in 250 classrooms at 56 schools across the conservation mission. United States are learning about the importance of wetlands WHERE YOUR DU DOLLAR GOES SOURCES OF SUPPORT AND REVENUE 83% Waterfowl and Wetlands 39% Federal and State Conservation Ducks Unlimited has joined forces Habitat Support 14% Fundraising and with The Pew Charitable Trusts, 3% 7% 12% Conservation the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Development 13% 14% Easements the U.S. Forest Service and many 3% Administration 29% Events, Sponsorships other partners to conserve wildlife 39% 29% and Memberships habitats in the western boreal 83% 13% Major Gifts and forest. A wide variety of wildlife 12% Endowment benefits from our work throughout this continent. 7% Royalties, Advertising and Other Revenues 4 EXECUTIVE REPORT Ducks Unlimited’s vision of the future is to conserve enough wetlands to fill the waterfowl conservation organization depends on a strong volunteer force. It’s also sky with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. Thanks to our 40,000 volunteers essential to our Wetlands for Tomorrow fund-raising campaign. and nearly 700,000 members in the United States alone, this year we raised more Another goal last year was to find a way to recognize the efforts of our volunteers. than $162 million and conserved 169,224 acres to protect some of the nation’s best In February, DU held its first National Volunteer Celebration Day. The event brought waterfowl habitat. more than 11,000 DU volunteers together on the same day for the first time in As we enter our 70th year, we’ve identified the our history. We’re looking forward to our next most important and most threatened wetlands on celebration on August 4, 2007. the continent and we know how to conserve them. We also committed to start 250 new chapters What we need are people and partners to support nationwide and thanks to our incredible volunteers, our efforts. In May, at our annual convention, we we finished the year with more than 365 new announced a comprehensive campaign we call chapters—well ahead of our goal. With more Wetlands for Tomorrow. We plan to raise at least people and chapters contributing, DU can do $1.7 billion in the next five years to help conserve more for the ducks. You’ll see some of our top North America’s wetlands and waterfowl and conservation achievements highlighted in this ensure our vision becomes a reality. report. The goals of Wetlands for Tomorrow are This year’s conservation work required a ambitious, because the stakes are so high. Ducks concerted effort on the public policy front. We Unlimited is bringing the world’s foremost led 14 conservation and business organizations in experts in wetlands conservation together with the world’s developing and submitting a “friend-of-the-court” brief to Jim Hulbert, M.D. Don A. Young most passionate conservationists. We can make a difference President Executive Vice President the United States Supreme Court in an effort to make sure for wetlands, wildlife and people before it’s too late. By that wetlands across the nation continue to be protected supporting one or more of our nine conservation initiatives, you can help ensure that under federal law. We worked hard to ensure the North American Wetlands Conser- we all have wetlands for tomorrow. vation Act continues to provide matching funding for waterfowl habitat conservation. Last year, we set some ambitious goals to strengthen our volunteer, chapter and Looking back on the last year, we have a lot to celebrate, and a lot left to do. We member numbers. The message was simple. “Share the passion. Recruit new know that with your continued support, we will see our vision fulfilled and see the volunteers.” Our long-term success as the world’s most effective wetlands and skies filled with waterfowl forever. 5 A LOOK IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR (Where we went this past year) At every turn in the life cycle of waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited has annually hosts 12 to 14 million breeding ducks and 75 percent Tom Seeno When he was a young hunter, projects designed to meet their needs. From Canada and Alaska, of the continent’s migrating or molting ducks. Once a relatively Diamond Legacy Sponsor Tom to southern Louisiana and Mexico, Ducks Unlimited’s conserva- untouched wilderness, oil and gas production, forestry, mining Seeno would see the sky filled tion work spans all four flyways and beyond. and climate change are becoming more of a threat. Through with thousands of pintails performing their graceful satellite mapping and on-the-ground research, DU and partners are aerobatics. As an avid waterfowler The Breeding Grounds: Where it all Begins North America identifying the most important habitats in the forest to help ensure in California’s Central Valley, boasts some of the most productive waterfowl breeding habitats in that wildlife and industry coexist in one of the Earth’s last wilder- he has witnessed the decline of pintail populations. Seeno believes the world—chief among them are the prairies of the Great Plains. ness frontiers. DU has land management agreements on more than in DU’s dedication to unlocking Millions of ducklings and goslings are hatched each year on the 7 million acres of the western boreal forest to minimize damage to the mystery of this decline. prairies, where DU aims to protect 2 million acres by 2019. Last waterfowl habitat. Millions of acres are still at risk. “I have seen firsthand DU scien- year, thanks to several major gifts from DU supporters, DU Some of the continent’s most productive duck breeding habitat tists conduct their research and members, grants from NAWCA and the U.S.