Ducks Unlimited
 |
|
| Founded | 1937 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Joseph Knapp |
| Type | Habitat Conservation and Hunting |
| Focus | waterfowl habitat conservation |
| Location | |
|
Area served
|
North America |
|
Members
|
700,000 |
|
Key people
|
Paul Bonderson, President Dale Hall, CEO |
|
Volunteers
|
40,000 |
| Website | www.ducks.org |
Ducks Unlimited (DU) is an American nonprofit organization 501(c) dedicated to the conservation of wetlands and associated upland habitats for waterfowl, other wildlife, and people. It has maintained a worldwide membership of about 700,000 since January 2013.
In 1927, an offshoot of the Boone and Crockett Club was created specifically for sport bird management and operated until 1930 as the American Wild Fowlers. Membership included such people as Arthur Bartley and Nash Buckingham, who would later be very instrumental in the conservation movement. In 1930, Joseph P. Knapp, a publishing tycoon who successfully obtained such notable publications as The Associated Sunday Magazine, Crowell Publishing Company, Collier’s Weekly, Farm and Fireside and the book publisher P.F. Collier & Sons, founded More Game Birds in America and American Wild Fowlers was quickly absorbed into the new organization.
In 1937, Knapp, Robert Winthrop, and a small group of conservation philanthropists decided to focus on the decreasing waterfowl populations, and the habitat necessary to sustain them in Canada, and formed Ducks Unlimited Inc. As had happened before, More Game Birds in America was absorbed by the new waterfowl organization.
Ducks Unlimited Canada was incorporated in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on March 10, 1937. Ducks Unlimited also works in Mexico through their sister organization, Ducks Unlimited de Mexico. Other chapters have since begun operation in Latin America, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia.
DU has conserved at least 12.5 million acres — perhaps more than 13.8 million acres — of waterfowl habitat in North America. DU partners with a wide range of corporations, governments, other non-governmental organizations, landowners, and private citizens to restore and manage areas that have been degraded and to prevent further degradation of existing wetlands. DU is also active in working with others to recommend government policies that will positively influence wetlands and the environment. DU generated more than $235 million in revenues during their 2012 fiscal year, of which a minimum of 80 percent goes directly toward habitat conservation. Their sources of revenue include federal and state habitat reimbursements, conservation easements, sponsors and members, major gifts and donations and royalties/advertisement. Through its conservation activities, DU benefits biodiversity, water quality, the environment and the economy in the areas in which it is active.
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Wikipedia