Ducks Unlimited Great Lakes/Atlantic Region

06/18/2026

Strong partnerships continue to deliver meaningful conservation results across Minnesota's prairie pothole region. Thanks to the combined efforts of Ducks Unlimited, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and dedicated supporters, west-central Minnesota's Orange Waterfowl Production Area is now better equipped to provide critical habitat for breeding waterfowl and other wildlife.

Projects like this help ensure future generations can experience healthy wetlands, abundant wildlife, and the outdoor traditions we all cherish.

Read more about the dedication and the impact of this important conservation effort:
https://www.ducks.org/newsroom/ducks-unlimited-partners-dedicate-minnesotas-orange-waterfowl-production-area-enhancement--

The conservation project improved and restored 186 acres in 48 prairie potholes

06/11/2026

For the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture, every day is a celebration of the biodiversity of salt marshes, as we work with our partners to protect these unique coastal habitats and our flagship species that depend on them. Saltmarsh Sparrow, Black Rail, and American Black Duck are emblematic of this ecosystem, which also provides food and shelter for aquatic animals, turtles, snakes, and birds, as well as protection for people and infrastructure from coastal storms and rising seas.

Learn about what the ACJV partnership is doing to help restore this critical habitat for our focal species and beyond here:

The Atlantic Coast Joint Venture and partners have been working since 2016 to support Atlantic salt marsh ecosystems and communities that depend on them thro...

05/28/2026

Three proposals will restore and conserve waterfowl habitat in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin

05/23/2026

Congratulations to long-time DU volunteer leader Doug Hartke!

Doug Hartke, through his work as grant coordinator for FLCL, has been the driving force behind roughly doubling the wildlife management area acres in Martin County.

05/11/2026

The award was given for DU’s completion of a five-phase floodplain reconnection at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge

05/08/2026

Founded in New York in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has strong roots in the Empire State. Yet state law currently prevents organizations like DU from performing engineering work that's critical to our mission. Read our op-ed in (tag syracuse.com) urging lawmakers to pass legislation that will strengthen New York's legacy of conservation and environmental stewardship.

A bill in the state legislature would remove red tape that stands in the way of shovel-ready conservation, but preserve oversight, writes a representative of Ducks Unlimited.

04/24/2026

New resource released ahead of Earth Day 2026 to advance corporate water stewardship across the Great Lakes region Cleveland, OH / Toronto, ON- April 20, 2026 – The Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR), through its Great Lakes Water Innovation and Stewardship Exchange (WISE), and in partnershi...

04/17/2026

Celebrate Earth Day, Nature Week and the power of partnerships with Ducks Unlimited and CF Industries.

Ducks Unlimited and CF Industries will host a special screening of Wings over Water for CF Industries employees on April 21 at 9:30 a.m.

Wings Over Water is a stunning documentary that follows the epic migratory journeys of three iconic bird species, the sandhill crane, the yellow warbler and the mallard, into the wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region, one of the most important yet least known ecosystems in North America.

The film shows how these birds rely on the region’s shallow wetlands to breed and raise their young, while highlighting the importance of this critical habitat. The Prairie Pothole Region is Ducks Unlimited's top conservation priority.

Sixty percent of North America’s ducks are hatched in these wetlands, and DU’s long-standing conservation efforts directly protect the very habitats featured in the film, wetlands that store carbon, filter water, reduce flooding, and sustain hundreds of bird species. By bringing these landscapes to the big screen, Wings Over Water amplifies DU’s mission to conserve and restore these vital ecosystems for wildlife and future generations.

The special screening is part of the CF Industries’ Nature Week activities.

04/14/2026

🪶If you restore it, they will come.💦

One of North America’s rarest birds, the whooping crane, recently stopped at a restored coastal marsh in Michigan, offering powerful proof that wetland restoration works. This Lake Michigan coastal marsh now provides critical resting and feeding habitat for migrating birds thanks to years of collaborative conservation and science‑based restoration efforts

At Arcadia Marsh, the restoration work, led locally by the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, focused on restoring natural water flow, improving wetland structure, and reestablishing native vegetation. These outcomes are directly aligned with DU’s conservation strategies in the Great Lakes

Ducks Unlimited is proud to be part of the broader Great Lakes conservation community delivering projects like this—restoring coastal wetlands, improving water quality, and creating resilient habitat that supports waterfowl and other wildlife across the region. Moments like this remind us why partnerships and long‑term investment in wetlands matter.

A whooping crane was sighted at Arcadia Marsh, a Lake Michigan coastal marsh along M-22 in Manistee County.

03/27/2026

https://www.ducks.org/newsroom/lawmakers-vote-to-make-wood-duck-official-waterfowl-species-of-michigan

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs HB 4044 into law