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

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 What Is It?

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 Focus Area 1

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 Focus Area 2

Engage the Public in Michigan’s Waterfowl Legacy Focus Area 3 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

is the Year of the Duck! 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: 75 th anniversaries of: – Ducks Unlimited – Michigan United Conservation Clubs – Pittman-Robertson Act 65 th anniversary of: – Pointe Mouillee Waterfowl Festival 60 th anniversary of: – Mississippi Flyway Council 40 th anniversary of: – Clean Water Act 25 th 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 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 ( ) 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 non- hunters 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!