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DUC and MHHC join forces for conservation 
Wetland and upland habitats in southern Manitoba get boost from new program
Brandon, Man., July 22, 2008—Wetland and upland habitats in southern Manitoba will receive a much-needed conservation boost after two longstanding conservation agencies joined forces for a new program that rewards farmers for setting aside qualifying wetland areas on their lands.
Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC) recently signed an agreement to deliver a Conservation Agreement (CA) program in several rural Manitoba communities to benefit waterfowl, other wildlife, and people in Manitoba’s Prairie Pothole Region.
“MHHC and DUC have worked in the same areas for many years, so we’re excited that this program will allow us to combine funding and delivery efforts and increase our impact on the ground” said Rick Andrews, DUC’s head of wetland restoration and habitat retention in Manitoba. “It’s always great to work with an organization that shares our beliefs in rewarding the farmers that are the stewards of this land.”
Conservation Agreements are a flexible, long-term way for landowners to protect the wetlands already existing on their lands. They also provide landowners the benefit of financial compensation for their contribution to the environment. Landowners can also combine CAs with other programs, such as DUC’s wetland restoration, grassland management and winter wheat programs, to maximize the benefits to their land and to wildlife and society.
“We look forward to this opportunity to work with Ducks Unlimited Canada, providing financial incentives to landowners who commit to conserving wetlands that are critical for waterfowl as well as important rural community needs, like water quality,” said Tim Sopuck, MHHC’s Manager of Operations.
The wetlands and associated habitats of Manitoba’s Prairie Pothole Region make up one of the most productive waterfowl landscapes in the world. However, these wetlands are also highly at risk. A recent DUC study confirms that as much as 70 per cent of wetlands in a representative region of Manitoba have been drained or altered.
“These wetlands not only provide crucial habitat,” said Andrews. ”They also benefit local communities and farmers by replenishing and filtering groundwater and surface water; reducing the impacts of floods and droughts; removing and storing greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change; and more. When wetlands are drained or even altered, these benefits are lost or greatly reduced.”
To learn more about CAs and other programs, visit DUC’s yourland.ducks.ca, or MHHC’s www.mhhc.mb.ca.
For more information, please contact:
Leigh Patterson,
l_patterson@ducks.ca
Corporate Media Relations Specialist
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Phone: (204) 467-3306
Tim Sopuck,
tsopuck@mhhc.mb.ca
Manager of Operations
Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation
Phone: 204-784-4357
