08/03/2026
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing a rule that helps ensure voluntary National Wildlife Refuge System wetland easements in the Prairie Pothole Region are not drained or degraded. For more than 60 years, administrations of both parties have upheld these voluntary easement agreements, protecting habitat that Americans have already paid to conserve.
The Prairie Pothole Region is the "Duck Factory" of North America, producing more than half of the continent's migratory waterfowl and sustaining the hunting traditions we all cherish. For generations, duck hunters, anglers, and conservationists have invested billions of dollars through Duck Stamps, hunting licenses, and other conservation programs to protect these vital wetlands.
The current rule is working. It protects critical waterfowl habitat, provides certainty for landowners through science-based setback plans, and preserves the integrity of conservation easements that have delivered enormous benefits for wildlife and hunters alike.
Weakening these protections could open the door to the drainage of federally protected wetlands at a time when waterfowl populations are already under pressure and hunting opportunities face increasing challenges.
The stakes are simple: No wetlands. No waterfowl. No hunting heritage.
Please join Ducks Unlimited in urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to maintain this proven rule and uphold more than six decades of conservation success. Click the link below to submit your personalized comment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
https://dul.ink/PPR-FR
