investments from william r. johnson jr. and caterpillar ... · t h ropist bill johnson jr., owner...
TRANSCRIPT
In late 2008, the budget crisis hit
C a l i f o rnia hard, causing state agencies
to suspend funding for thousands of
contracts and grants, including Ducks
Unlimited habitat restoration pro j e c t s
a l ready under way. Without pro m i s e d
state funding, it appeared Ducks
Unlimited would have to suspend its
c o n s e rvation work as well. Enter philan-
t h ropist Bill Johnson Jr., owner of
Johnson Machinery, a Caterpillar dealer
in Riverside, California, who made an
investment of $50,000 to fund Ducks
U n l i m i t e d ’s work in the state. This invest-
ment was then matched dollar for dollar
by the Caterpillar Foundation as part of a
$250,000 CAT dealer challenge to raise
funds for DU’s work through the
Wetlands for To m o rrow campaign.
The investments from Johnson and
the Caterpillar Foundation could not have
come at a better time. They filled the void
left by the loss of state funds and allowed
DU to complete project designs and
s u rveys in the spring. When state funding
re t u rned, DU was able to begin constru c-
tion immediately. Without these invest-
ments, crucial projects in California could
have been delayed by at least a year.
Once state funding re t u rned at pro m i s e d
levels, DU was able to reinvest the
Johnson and Caterpillar Foundation funds
in other wetland restoration projects.
“Ducks Unlimited does a great job at
habitat conservation and has a gre a t
re c o rd over the decades of putting the
numbers on the board. Just look at the
t rend in rising duck populations,” said Bill
Johnson Jr. “I’m glad I could help.”
Ducks Unlimited’s partnership with
Caterpillar is not new. Thousands of tons
of soil are moved by Caterpillar equip-
ment on hundreds of Ducks Unlimited
p rojects throughout North America each
y e a r. The Caterpillar Foundation has been
s u p p o rtive of DU, and now CAT dealers
a re stepping up with re s o u rces to furt h e r
c o n s e rvation projects in their terr i t o r i e s
and beyond.
“ I t ’s always a pleasure working with
accomplished Caterpillar dealers like Bill
Johnson Jr. who have a deep personal
conviction about conserving critical acre s
of habitat. When we are able to double an
investment through the foundation’s
backing, it’s just incre d i b l e , ” said Philip
M i l b u rn, DU’s director of marketing and
corporate relations.
The Caterpillar Foundation and the U.S.
network of CAT dealers share DU’s values
of protecting our natural re s o u rces for
ducks, wildlife, and people. They re c o g n i z e
that it re q u i res partnerships to get the
job done.
D E L I V E R I N G C O N T I N E N T A L C O N S E R V A T I O N
J a n u a ry / F e b ru a ry 2010 D U C K S U N L I M I T E D 25
D E L I V E R I N G C O N T I N E N T A L C O N S E R V A T I O N Wetlands for To m o r row
Investments from William R. Johnson Jr.
and Caterpillar Foundation Help Finish
P rojects on Schedule
Edited by Leia Syvertson Berry
Caterpillar construction equipment has
been used to re s t o re thousands of acres of
w a t e rfowl habitat across North America.
The world’s greatest achievements are powered by a combi-
nation of people, re s o u rces, and passion. Nowhere is this
m o re evident than in the continental accomplishments made
possible through the commitment and investment of DU
s u p p o rters. Ducks Unlimited is proud to recognize and part n e r
with individuals, foundations, and corporations across Nort h
America. Our history is rooted in linking re s o u rces and passion
to create workable science-based solutions to conserve water-
fowl habitat—from the vast boreal forest and Prairie Pothole
Region across the contiguous United States to the wintering
g rounds of Mexico.
In 1937, DU’s founders recognized the importance of conserv-
ing habitat in Canada to sustain waterfowling traditions in the
United States. The following donors are just a few of those
who continue to follow in the footsteps of these conserv a t i o n
visionaries by making a diff e rence in Canada.
26 D U C K S U N L I M I T E D J a n u a ry / F e b ru a ry 2010
D E L I V E R I N G C O N T I N E N T A L C O N S E R V A T I O NWetlands for To m o r row
DU Supporters Across the Continent Make a Difference in Canada
DU Supporters Across the Continent Make a Difference in Canada
Ducks Unlimited is pleased to announce a recent pledge of $200,000 from the Seymour H. Knox
Foundation of Buffalo, New York. This commitment will help protect the Prairie Pothole Region of
Canada and the United States—an area of waterfowl breeding habitat that is better known as “the
Duck Factory” to longtime DU supporters.
To populations of migratory waterfowl, the Prairie Pothole Region is a land without borders, a single
ecosystem that rivals the Amazon in its biodiversity. A variety of species use this region as a migration
c o rr i d o r, including numerous species of waterfowl and other birds.
For former DU president and Pre s i d e n t ’s Council charter member Hazard Campbell, his role as
c h a i rman of the Knox Foundation provides a venue to support the mission of Ducks Unlimited, a
mission he personally has supported with his time, tre a s u re, and talent since 1956.
C rossing the Border: Knox Foundation S u p p o rt s
C o n s e rv a t i o n a c ross the Continent
Campion Foundation of Seattle,
Washington, has part n e red with Ducks
Unlimited to put conservation first in the
rural communities of British Columbia, a
move that will benefit indigenous peoples
and breeding waterfowl alike. The part n e r-
ship—sealed with two grants totaling
$600,000 to Ducks Unlimited—focuses on
p rotecting vital habitat in the boreal fore s t
by providing the people of British Columbia
with the tools they need to be informed on
p roposed mineral development in their
communities and to participate in the
legislative processes that give people a
voice. This partnership supports incre a s e d
community involvement and advocacy for
new policies and provisions for land use
that will protect the integrity of the bore a l
f o rest and its associated ecological and cul-
tural values. The boreal forest of Canada
and Alaska contains a quarter of the
w o r l d ’s remaining intact forests and 35
p e rcent of the world’s wetlands.
For Ducks Unlimited, protecting this gre a t
w a t e rfowl breeding and migration area fro m
fragmentation and destruction is one of our
highest priorities. By opening dialogue
between extraction industries and the peo-
ple who have lived and worked in this re g i o n
for generations, we can ensure that the fine
balance between pro g ress and heritage is
maintained. We can also ensure that Nort h
A m e r i c a ’s “other duck factory” continues to
p rovide a home and haven for waterf o w l .
Campion Foundation: Putting Conserv a t i o n
First in Communities
H a z a rd Campbell will
be honored for his many
years of service to Ducks
Unlimited this coming
spring. If you would like
to attend or support
this celebration, please
contact Matt Fenoff by
phone at 845-242-9407
or by e-mail at
m f e n o ff @ d u c k s . o rg
or Rich Smith at
631-734-5487 or
r b s m i t h @ d u c k s . o rg .
Ducks Unlimited was proud to honor and
thank Dr. L.J. Mayeux Jr. for his many
years of service and continuous support of
D U ’s conservation mission by dedicating DU
C a n a d a ’s Myren Uplands Project in his honor.
Widely known as “Dr. Duck,” Mayeux per-
sonifies the passion and commitment of DU’s
volunteers. He has held virtually every volun-
teer position in DU, starting as a Marksville,
Louisiana, committee member in 1980 and
later serving as DU president in 2000.
The Myren Uplands Project, located in the
h e a rt of Saskatchewan’s duck-breeding country,
was a perfect site to honor Dr. Mayeux: it’s a
beautiful place where waterfowl flourish on
175 acres of wetlands and 110 acres of native prairie. In addition, the pro p e rty contains
a p p roximately 510 acres of formerly cultivated uplands, which DU Canada re s t o red to native
p e rennial c o v e r. The re s t o red area now supports waterfowl breeding densities in excess of
60 pairs per square mile. The acreage is surrounded by abundant wetlands and is near several
other DU projects, compounding its waterfowl habitat value. The Myren Uplands Pro j e c t
would not have been possible without the generous support of donors from both Canada
and the United States, including 50 Major Sponsors from Louisiana.
D E L I V E R I N G C O N T I N E N T A L C O N S E R V A T I O N Wetlands for To m o r row
In 2005, DU volunteer leaders in Mississippi set out to raise aware-
ness about the connection between waterfowl wintering areas in
the South and key nort h e rn breeding areas, and the Mississippi
Connection Project was born. Understanding the interd e p e n d e n c e
of these landscapes on waterfowl populations in Mississippi, these
p h i l a n t h ropists split their gifts between the Mississippi Alluvial
Valley and Canada’s breeding grounds.
T h rough the Mississippi Connection Project, DU has impro v e d
habitat conditions in a key area of the Missouri Coteau located in
south-central Saskatchewan. The Mississippi Connection Project has
four individual project segments totaling nearly 700 acres, including
60 acres of re s t o red wetlands and 300 acres of annually cro p p e d
uplands that have been converted to dense nesting cover. Additional
native prairie previously used for annual pasture is now managed for
w a t e rfowl production. Research has shown that this project area can
s u p p o rt more than 60 pairs of ducks per square mile, many of which
later migrate to wintering areas in the Mississippi Alluvial Va l l e y.
The following sponsors generously provided funding for the
Mississippi Connection Project: Marc and Lainie Anthony, Neal and
Sarah Ballard, Pam and Larry Edwards, Rodney and San Garr i s o n ,
D r. Marshall and Te resa Hollis, Curtis and Sharon Hopkins, Bru c e
and Karen Lewis, Jack Moss, Joe and Janet Moss, Ronal and Patti
Roberson, Larry and Sheila Roberts, and Rea Ta y l o r.
Forbes Project Touts the
“Mississippi Connection”
M y ren Uplands Project Honors L.J. Mayeux
The Pulkinen Uplands Project in
Saskatchewan was dedicated this fall
to honor the international conserv a t i o n
and volunteer work of Paul Ralstin. The
second of two dedication sites honoring
R a l s t i n ’s legacy, the Pulkinen Uplands
P roject is located in the heart of the
Missouri Coteau. It’s an awe-inspiring
landscape where waterfowl thrive on 58
a c res of wetlands and 121 acres of native
prairie. In addition, the pro p e rty contains
a p p roximately 141 acres of formerly culti-
vated uplands, which DU Canada re s t o re d
to native nesting cover. The project are a
now supports breeding waterfowl densi-
ties in excess of 60 pairs per square mile.
The Ralstin Tribute raised more than
$300,000. The first site, Roswell Marsh in
Idaho, was dedicated this past August.
Pulkinen Uplands
Showcase Paul
R a l s t i n ’s Impact
Jack Moss, a DU Diamond Sponsor in
Perpetuity and at-large board member,
at the Mississippi Connection Pro j e c t
dedication this past fall.
D r. L.J. Mayeux Jr. stands next to the
c a i rn at the Myren Uplands Pro j e c t .
J a n u a ry / F e b ru a ry 2010 D U C K S U N L I M I T E D 27
Sometimes you know a partnership is
destined for success. When Ducks
Unlimited and The McKnight Foundation of
Minnesota joined forces in 2007 to pro t e c t
the Mississippi River and its watershed, the
m a rriage was a good one. Both org a n i z a-
tions realize the value of the river, a natural
re s o u rce that provides drinking water for 50
cities and 18 million people. Both org a n i z a-
tions also understand the challenges facing
the Mississippi and know how to use their
combined re s o u rces to make an impact.
A second grant from The McKnight
Foundation of $560,000 will allow DU to
continue conservation eff o rts in key port i o n s
of the river’s 10-state corr i d o r. Specifically,
the grant will help DU and part n e r s c o n-
s e rve and re s t o re shallow lakes and shore-
lines in Minnesota and Iowa—two states
whose residents strongly support conser-
vation as reflected by recently adopted
and pending legislation that will pro v i d e
m o re state funding for protecting wildlife
re s o u rces. DU will also continue conserv a-
tion eff o rts in Illinois under its state wildlife
action plans and step up eff o rts to secure
state and federal legislation and corre-
sponding funding to protect and re b u i l d
L o u i s i a n a ’s coastal marshes.
In addition to this funding part n e r s h i p ,
David Brakhage, DU manager of conserv a-
tion programs, recently met with The
McKnight Foundation’s board of directors to
talk about DU’s work and the need for a
c o m p rehensive approach to river conserv a-
tion. To g e t h e r, DU and The McKnight
Foundation are making a diff e rence on one
of our nation’s greatest natural assets.
The David Beals III Charitable Trust in
Kansas City, Missouri, recently made a
gift of $135,000 to Ducks Unlimited for the
f u t u re of wetlands conservation in Missouri
t h rough the Golden Anniversary We t l a n d s
Initiative—an eff o rt to enhance five state
c o n s e rvation areas established 50 years ago.
These conservation areas, managed by the
Missouri Department of Conservation, were
among the state’s earliest waterf o w l
s t rongholds. But engineering, design, and
c o n s t ruction capabilities have vastly impro v e d
since these areas were first developed.
T h rough this initiative, DU and partners will
use 21st century wetland science to develop
and implement plans that will help ensure
these important habitats will be around for at
least another 50 years.
Thanks to the generosity of donors like
the David Beals III Charitable Trust, Ducks
Unlimited will continue to work hard to
re s t o re Missouri’s wetlands so everyone in
the Show-Me State can enjoy them for gen-
erations to come.
28 D U C K S U N L I M I T E D J a n u a ry / F e b ru a ry 2010
Wetlands for
To m o rrow Contacts
in Your State
D E L I V E R I N G C O N T I N E N T A L C O N S E R V A T I O NWetlands for To m o r row
For more information on becoming a Major
Sponsor and supporting DU’s We t l a n d s
for To m o rrow campaign, please contact the
d i rector of development for your state:
SOUTHERN REGION
FL, GA, NC, SC
B rett Baker • (843) 377-0667
b b a k e r @ d u c k s . o rg
KS, MO, OK
Johnny Belz • (601) 206-5432
j b e l z @ d u c k s . o rg
AL, KY, TN
Chris Cole • (601) 206-5446
c c o l e @ d u c k s . o rg
AR, LA, MS
Chad Manlove • (601) 206-5442
c m a n l o v e @ d u c k s . o rg
T X
Sean Stone • (832) 465-7836
s s t o n e @ d u c k s . o rg
G R E AT LAKES/ATLANTIC REGION
IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
Todd Bishop • (734) 623-2000
t b i s h o p @ d u c k s . o rg
C T, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT
Matt Fenoff • (518) 872-2002
m f e n o ff @ d u c k s . o rg
DC, W. MD, VA, WV
Chip Heaps • (410) 399-4093
c h e a p s @ d u c k s . o rg
DE, E. MD, NJ, PA
Phil Poux • (410) 224-6620
p p o u x @ d u c k s . o rg
G R E AT PLAINS REGION
M T, ND, SD, WY
Dave Afton • (701) 355-3525
d a f t o n @ d u c k s . o rg
CO, NM
Kirk Davidson • (303) 927-1949
k d a v i d s o n @ d u c k s . o rg
IA, MN, NE
Adam DeHaan • (763) 688-0519
a d e h a a n @ d u c k s . o rg
IA, MN, NE
Ron Stromstad • (952) 236-0638
r s t ro m s t a d @ d u c k s . o rg
WESTERN REGION
AZ, CA, NV, UT
Rebecca O’Connor • (916) 852-2000
ro c o n n o r @ d u c k s . o rg
AK, HI, ID, OR, WA
Steve Schmitt • (360) 885-2011
s s c h m i t t @ d u c k s . o rg
Ron Kroese (standing), environment
p rogram officer at The McKnight
Foundation, visited Mud Lake near
Hughes, Arkansas, with Nick Smith,
DU regional biologist, and Jerry Holden,
DU director of conservation pro g r a m s .
Mud Lake is owned by DU Legacy
Sponsor Phil McNeill, who hosted the
tour on his 1,984-acre pro p e rt y.
The McKnight Foundation Supports
Mississippi River Conservation
The McKnight Foundation Supports
Mississippi River Conservation
Gift from Trust Supports Wetland
Restoration in Missouri