Building
the
Future Of
Waterfowl
Together
What Is It?
• The Michigan Waterfowl Legacy (MWL) is a
cooperative partnership to restore, conserve,
and celebrate Michigan’s waterfowl, wetlands,
and waterfowl hunting community
• MWL is a “Call to Action” to:
– Honor Yesterday
– Engage Today
– Build for Tomorrow
• MWL is for waterfowlers, other hunters, birders,
those who love nature and the general public
Steering Committee
• Citizens Waterfowl Advisory Committee
• Ducks Unlimited
• Michigan Association of Conservation
Districts
• Michigan Audubon Society
• Michigan Department of Agriculture and
Rural Development
• Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality
• Michigan Department of Natural
Resources
• Michigan Duck Hunters Association
• Michigan NAWMP Steering Committee
• Michigan United Conservation Clubs
• The Conservation Fund
• The Nature Conservancy
• Pheasants Forever
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Waterfowl USA
What Is It?
• Three Focus Areas:
– Improve waterfowl populations and habitat
– Understand and increase waterfowl hunting
participation
– Engage the public, hunters and non-hunters, to take
positive action
Improve Waterfowl Populations
and Wetland Habitat
• Goal 1: Manage for abundant and resilient
waterfowl populations
• Goal 2: Create, restore and manage wetlands
and related habitats
Understand and Increase
Waterfowl Hunting Heritage
• Goal 1: Increase the number of waterfowl hunters
in Michigan
– Retain
– Reconnect
– Recruit
• Goal 2: Promote the value of waterfowl hunting
Engage the Public in
Michigan’s Waterfowl Legacy
• Goal 1: Address and highlight the importance of
wetlands and waterfowl
• Goal 2: A clear “call to action”
• Goal 3: Establish stable long-term funding
source(s) for wetlands and waterfowl
2012-2013 is
the Year of the Duck!
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September 8, 2012 to August 2013
Follows annual life-cycle of waterfowl
Kick off events in September 2012
Saginaw Bay region implementation
Celebrating Spring Migration
Events
Educational packets with lesson plans
Articles, press releases
MWL will continue over the next ten years
Year of the Duck Coincides With:
• 75th anniversaries of:
– Ducks Unlimited
– Michigan United
Conservation Clubs
– Pittman-Robertson Act
• 65th anniversary of:
– Pointe Mouillee Waterfowl
Festival
• 60th anniversary of:
– Mississippi Flyway Council
• 40th anniversary of:
– Clean Water Act
• 25th anniversaries of:
– North American Waterfowl
Management Plan
– Joint Ventures
– USFWS Partners for Fish and
Wildlife Program
Honoring Yesterday
• Michigan once had 11 million acres of
wetlands, more than 50% gone today
• Waterfowl hunting heritage is strong in
Michigan
• Sportsmen first to support conservation:
– Formation of conservation organizations
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Ducks Unlimited 1937
MUCC 1937
The Nature Conservancy 1950
MDHA 1972
Pheasants Forever 1982
Waterfowl USA 1983
– Federal Duck Stamp 1934
– Pittman-Robertson Act 1937
• Canada geese, wood ducks, trumpeter swans
and sandhill cranes are all management
successes
Engaging Today
• Tremendous hunting and viewing
opportunities
• Michigan is a leader in wetland and waterfowl
resources
• NAWMP MI goals (1998-2013) have been met
and exceeded
• Protected 246,000 acres of existing habitat
• Protected area exceeds goals by 39%
• Still face many issues and threats
– Michigan’s mallard population has declined over the last
15 years
– Habitat quality and size has been impacted due to
invasive species, pollution, and development
– Number of waterfowl hunters and waterfowl licenses
purchased is declining
– Public funding for conservation has decreased
– Federal Funding for wetland programs in jeopardy
– Losing connection between people and the outdoors
Building Tomorrow
• A celebration of our waterfowl heritage
• Increasingly engaged hunters and nonhunters who enjoy and actively support
waterfowl and wetlands conservation
• More hunters pursuing waterfowl
• More people viewing waterfowl
• Diverse and outstanding waterfowl hunting
and viewing opportunities
• Restored public showpieces: state managed
waterfowl areas and national wildlife refuges
• Limited impacts by invasive species
• Increased conservation on private lands
• Secure funding for waterfowl and wetlands
conservation
• A shared responsibility for preserving
Michigan’s Waterfowl Legacy
Building Tomorrow:
A role for all of us
• Connect or reconnect a new or former
waterfowl hunter
• Buy a state or federal duck stamp to support
wetlands conservation
• Restore habitat on your property with the help
of partners or on your own
• Join a conservation organization that protects
and restores wetlands
• Support legislation to protect and restore
wetlands
• Donate to conservation projects
• Volunteer on a public conservation project
• Explore Michigan’s Wetland Wonders
What legacy
will we leave
for tomorrow’s
generations?
Together, we
can create the
answer!