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Jennifer Budar
Given that much of the land in the United States is privately owned, it is part of Ducks Unlimited’s mission to work with conservation-minded landowners to maintain the value of their property for waterfowl and other wildlife. is becoming more and more important. In fact, DU has an impressive track record in land conservation thanks to his over 30 years of land conservation programs. Through this program, DU is happy to work with landowners to pursue mutually beneficial land conservation options such as planned gifts, conservation easements, land donations or sales. The program allows DU to secure priority wildlife habitat, protect rural landscapes from development, work with state and federal partners to expand public lands, and provide additional funding for conservation activities. was able to produce.
Most of DU’s protected land is under the auspices of the Wetlands America Trust (WAT), a non-profit landholding subsidiary. Founded in 1985, WAT provides professional financial and charitable support to DU and assumes fiduciary responsibility for DU’s endowments and land holdings. WAT, the third largest land trust in North America, maintains a portfolio of holdings that includes a combination of protected easements and parcels purchased with the intent to ultimately sell or transfer to other protected interests.
WAT currently holds 590 conservation easements on nearly 500,000 acres of land. Conservation easements protect land in perpetuity while allowing landowners to retain private ownership. Landowners voluntarily agree to follow certain restrictions to protect valuable habitats and other natural resources. These restrictions are unique to each property and range from bans on wetland drainage to restrictions on road construction. Landowners can generate income from their land and maintain its value for future generations.
The mallard resting place is a great example of how conservation easements can help landowners create a lasting legacy. The Rozier family of Greenwood, Mississippi purchased the property in 2019. Owning neighboring land, the Rosiers were well aware of Mallard Rest’s value for duck hunting. Over the years, they’ve learned how legendary his DU supporter and WAT Honorary Director Billy Dunavant has maintained Mallard Resting Grounds as premier duck-hunting facilities for over 40 years. I heard about
“The ducks didn’t come to our property until the mallard rest was full. He jokes that it’s a lot like customers looking for less popular restaurants after the best ones are sold out. “We were keeping an eye on Magamorest,” he continues.
Craig, his brother Michael Jr., and their father, Mike Sr., are all passionate about waterfowl hunting, making a mallard resting place as valuable to wildlife as it was in the days of Danavant. I am committed to The family owns a construction business and has worked each year to improve site access, install water control structures, and build or rebuild duck blinds. They farm on his 1,200 acres and manage about 400 acres for wildlife habitat. Craig says these improvements not only improve seasonal hunting, but also improve habitats for wintering waterfowl.
“We give the ducks rest, food and mating sites, which means more ducks will return north to breed in the spring,” says Craig.
The Rozier brothers pass on the tradition of waterfowl hunting to their children. To protect a resting place for mallard ducks for generations, they put in place his DU Conservation Easement in 2021. “No matter who takes the initiative, it never develops into something it shouldn’t develop.”
The Revolving Land Acquisition Program (RLAP) is another powerful tool in DU’s land protection toolbox. If a landowner is not interested in a conservation easement and is willing to sell the land to her DU, the program will make funds available through WAT to acquire land containing valuable waterfowl habitat. will do so. When DU purchases a property, it completes any necessary habitat restoration work and places the property under a conservation easement. A landowner can also gift the property to her DU.
DUs typically do not retain ownership of real estate over the long term. As a general rule, land acquired through RLAP is ultimately sold to another protected purchaser. If the purchaser is a state or federal agency, the property will typically be part of a public land system open for hunting and other recreational activities. DU also sells to individual landowners, such as ranchers, who can use the land to raise cattle while effectively managing protected wetland and grassland habitats.
In some cases, DU acquires land on behalf of state or federal agency partners. If the agency is unable to raise funds quickly enough to purchase the desired property, WAT will step in and purchase the property and hold it for its partners until the funds are allocated and title is transferred. can hold it to This kind of acquisition is becoming more and more common. For example, in DU’s southern region, DU’s 2021 purchase of her property was recently transferred to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). The 1,005-acre area known as River Oaks lies along the Waccamaw River in County Horley and includes a variety of habitats, including forested wetlands, blackwater streams, and mixed pine and broadleaf forests. .
Under the management of SCDNR, River Oaks will be added to the Waccamaw River Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area. There are many advantages, such as the connectivity of riverine habitats. Access to recreational activities such as hunting, fishing and paddling. and much-needed flood relief.
WAT currently owns 144 parcels spanning approximately 33,000 acres, in various stages of restoration or protection by RLAP. To date, over 100,000 acres have been purchased. Proceeds from the sale of properties will be returned to the Habitat Revolving Fund for future acquisitions. The fund also receives donations from major donors and other investment partners associated with WAT.
WAT’s ability to raise capital is important in expanding DU’s ability to protect land, as there is an opportunity to purchase far more land than DU currently has the capital to acquire. WAT’s board team is ready to meet this challenge, said WAT Vice President Doug Oberhelman. “WAT is a highly dedicated group of individuals who not only manage the DU trusts but also raise the large amounts of money needed to protect the large habitats,” Oberhelman said. increase. “And that’s exactly what WAT will be good at in the future.”
Key to WAT’s funding success is its broad focus on the ecosystem services that wetlands provide, such as protecting water quality and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Many companies are now implementing environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives, some of which focus on investing in addressing environmental issues. “We can give his ESG initiatives a more genuine way of looking at investing in water, wetlands, conservation and habitats,” he explains Oberhelman. “WAT is apolitical and completely dedicated to wetlands and water. Birds and other animals use the same nesting and resting areas as waterfowl, so investing in wetlands and water is a big win for everyone.”
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