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Saskatchewan Habitat Heroes Recognized as Ducks Unlimited Canada Celebrates 65 Years 
Saskatoon, Sask., August 12, 2003—Tom Leader is a landowner in the Rural Municipality of Emerald who is putting his natural lands to work for wildlife while putting money in his pocket. Leader, who farms about 1,200 acres near Wadena, has enrolled in a new tax credit partnership between his R.M. and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).
This past spring, the R.M.s of Emerald and Morse, in partnership with DUC, launched the Municipal Tax Credit Project. The goal of this pilot project, the first of its kind in Saskatchewan, is to protect natural lands while rewarding landowners for their valuable role as stewards of the land. The project has far surpassed expectations: approximately 50 per cent of the ratepayers in Morse and 32 per cent in Emerald have applied for the tax credit so far. DUC’s goal was 25 per cent enrolment after three years.
Leader, who can claim a tax credit for the 100 acres that he’s left in its natural state, understands the program’s popularity. “The concept of tax credits is a step forward toward fair compensation to farmers for ecological services,” Leader said.
“Conserved lands provide all of us with improved water quality, better protection from severe floods and droughts, mitigation of climate change and greater natural diversity in plants and animals,” agrees Pete Joyce, DUC’s team leader based in Wadena. “These contribute to our enjoyment of the outdoors. They are the rewards landowners give us when they choose to conserve habitat on their land. Landowners in turn should be rewarded for practicing good stewardship if we wish to continue down a path of sustainable land use.”
This year marks 65 years of conservation for Ducks Unlimited Canada. In celebration of this anniversary, DUC is featuring landowners like Tom Leader all across Canada. These people form a network of more than 16,000 Canadian landowners who have voluntarily participated in programs that have conserved 1.6 million hectares (4 million acres) of habitat in prime waterfowl habitats targeted by DUC.
Across Saskatchewan, 5,000 landowners have helped DUC conserve a total of 1,070,370 acres (433,162 hectares) of lands that are critical to the survival of waterfowl and other wildlife. That’s almost equivalent to the size of Prince Albert and Grassland National Parks combined!
The Municipal Tax Credit Project is a three-year pilot project funded by DUC and delivered by the partner R.M.s. DUC is working to develop a practical tax credit model that will gain the support of farmers, governments and other groups interested in conservation across the province. The program is one example of ways DUC works co-operatively with landowners to encourage habitat conservation.
DUC conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.
