Representatives from the Green Bay Packers joined Wisconsin Ducks Unlimited leadership at their annual state convention Saturday, Jan. 26, to announce a partnership supporting work at a local wildlife refuge. A $75,000 award from the Packers was presented at the convention and will promote wetlands conservation efforts at the L.H. Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve northern pike rearing station.
"The Packers are very excited to support Ducks Unlimited and their important conservation efforts at Barkhausen," said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. "This project is an important component of our commitment to improving our community's wetlands in conjunction with the construction of the Cabela's in Ashwaubenon. We'll be fulfilling our DNR obligations for that project through its wetlands mitigation banking program. That will generate future results, but this effort with Ducks Unlimited will yield important wetlands benefit in Brown County this year."
The Barkhausen Preserve was created by DU's third president and is an important place for fish and wildlife. Efforts in partnership with Brown County and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will restore and enhance degraded wetlands and waterways on the western shore of Green Bay to provide improved habitat for spawning northern pike and other wetland-dependent wildlife.
"We are thrilled that the Packers are supporting this important work," said Jim Gronowski, Wisconsin DU state chairman. "Restoring the coastal wetlands of Green Bay does more than increase the number of pike in the lake; it provides recreation and clean water too."
Work on the L.H. Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve project will begin this spring, and should be completed within the year.
About Ducks Unlimited Inc.
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 13 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org. Connect with us on our Facebook page at facebook.com/DucksUnlimited, follow our tweets at twitter.com/DucksUnlimited and watch DU videos at youtube.com/DucksUnlimitedInc.
