Conservation

Ducks Unlimited is the world's leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. DU got its start in 1937 during the Dust Bowl when North America’s drought-plagued waterfowl populations had plunged to unprecedented lows. Determined not to sit idly by as the continent’s waterfowl dwindled beyond recovery, a small group of sportsmen joined together to form an organization that became known as Ducks Unlimited. Its mission: habitat conservation.

Thanks to decades of abiding by that single mission, Ducks Unlimited is now the world’s largest and most effective private waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization. DU is able to multilaterally deliver its work through a series of partnerships with private individuals, landowners, agencies, scientific communities and other entities.

Ducks Unlimited conserves habitat at the continental scale to meet the lifecycle needs of North America’s waterfowl. Maryland is part of the Atlantic Flyway, providing important migration and wintering areas for many of the continent’s waterfowl such as American black ducks, mallards, canvasbacks, and Canada geese.

Working with a variety of partners, DU’s Maryland conservation program restored, enhanced, and conserved 4,851 acres of wetlands and adjacent habitat. Maryland's conservation projects are designed to maximize the amount and quality of migration and wintering waterfowl habitat as well as improve conditions for waterfowl production.