Delta Waterfowl Commends Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for Refuge Funding, NAWCA

National Wildlife Refuge acreage to increase in Texas, Virginia, and Illinois

BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA — The U.S. Department of the Interior yesterday announced the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission has approved $22.6 million for the purchase of 5,254 acres to be added to three national wildlife refuges and $44.79 million in North American Wetlands Conservation Act Funding.

In the press release, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik said, “Projects made possible through North American Wetlands Conservation Act grants make an investment in wetland conservation, supporting local economies and boosting outdoor recreation industries. We all benefit from healthier ecosystems and more abundant fish and wildlife. The funding for national wildlife refuges will provide increased public opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation, including hunting, fishing and wildlife observation.”

Delta Waterfowl, through the Restoring Our Refuges initiative, has been a staunch advocate for increased investment, management, and incremental access on high-quality public land for waterfowl hunting. The more than 5,000 acres added to the NWR System will provide for strategic acquisitions to three key waterfowl refuges: Moody National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia, and Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge, Illinois.

“We’re grateful for Interior Sec. Doug Burgum, Director Nesvik, and the MBCC’s leadership to add thousands of acres of land to the NWR System for the benefit of waterfowl and waterfowl hunters,” said John Devney, Delta’s chief policy officer. “Duck hunters have paid more than $1.3 billion through the Federal Duck Stamp Program since its inception. Utilizing this funding to provide more habitat is exactly what conservation pioneers Ding Darling and Frederic Walcott imagined over 90 years ago.”

You can read more about Delta Waterfowl’s Restoring Our Refuges campaign here.

Delta Waterfowl is The Duck Hunters Organization, a leading conservation group founded in 1911 that uses science-based solutions to produce ducks, conserve prairie wetlands, and ensure the future of waterfowl hunting in North America. Visit our website.

For more information, contact John Devney.