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On January 20, 2010 Skipper Dickson, owner of Sports South
LLC, announced at the annual SHOT Show that he would match up to $500,000 in
donations to Ducks Unlimited's Rescue the Duck Factory campaign. Sports South's
commitment to this cause comes with the understanding that by conserving
critical habitat, they are conserving the future of the outdoor recreational
industry, especially waterfowl hunting.
"Sports South has been in this business for more than 100 years and it's time we gave back to the resource," said Dickson at the press conference announcing the $500,000 challenge. "I have never seen a more pressing time or a more direct solution than Ducks Unlimited's Rescue the Duck Factory campaign."
"This is extremely important for us because we are working with DU to ensure the future of waterfowl hunting," said Dickson. "We are encouraging others to donate and we plan on matching up to $500,000 to keep the ducks coming." Sports South initially donated $500,000 in 2009 and with your help can soon bring the grand total to at least $1.5 million.
North America’s most important waterfowl breeding habitat is being plowed under on a massive scale. Surging global demands for food, federal mandates for corn-based ethanol production and the new Farm Bill are encouraging cultivation of every available acre, including native prairie and land formerly enrolled in CRP. More than 1,000,000 acres of waterfowl habitat is lost each year. Without this nesting habitat, duck populations are threatened, and consequently so is the tradition of hunting waterfowl.
Ducks Unlimited has recognized this clear and present threat to duck populations, and has set out to perpetually protect 300,000 acres of native prairie for future generations.
Rescue the Duck Factory began one year ago in an effort to conserve this vital habitat in the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region, via perpetual easements purchased from willing landowners in exchange for assurances that this fragile habitat will never be taken from the ducks.
The situation is dire, but with your help, Ducks Unlimited can save the most productive waterfowl breeding habitat on the prairies. More than 700 landowners have already signed up to put native grasslands under perpetual easements, forever conserving the crucial breeding grounds for North America’s waterfowl.
Landowner demand for easements currently exceeds available funding, but DU is dedicated to closing the funding gap with industry participants like you. Through its new Rescue the Duck Factory campaign, DU is working to raise $40 million in new private gifts to secure easement funding for all the landowners on the waiting list.
As of today, Ducks Unlimited has conserved nearly 70,000 acres, but more help is needed. At an average per acre cost of $360, your contribution to this campaign will allow DU to purchase easements in the Prairie Pothole Region that will permanently protect this American treasure.
Thank you for your commitment to helping us protect the future of waterfowl and waterfowl hunting...
"Sports South has been in this business for more than 100 years and it's time we gave back to the resource," said Dickson at the press conference announcing the $500,000 challenge. "I have never seen a more pressing time or a more direct solution than Ducks Unlimited's Rescue the Duck Factory campaign."
"This is extremely important for us because we are working with DU to ensure the future of waterfowl hunting," said Dickson. "We are encouraging others to donate and we plan on matching up to $500,000 to keep the ducks coming." Sports South initially donated $500,000 in 2009 and with your help can soon bring the grand total to at least $1.5 million.
North America’s most important waterfowl breeding habitat is being plowed under on a massive scale. Surging global demands for food, federal mandates for corn-based ethanol production and the new Farm Bill are encouraging cultivation of every available acre, including native prairie and land formerly enrolled in CRP. More than 1,000,000 acres of waterfowl habitat is lost each year. Without this nesting habitat, duck populations are threatened, and consequently so is the tradition of hunting waterfowl.
Ducks Unlimited has recognized this clear and present threat to duck populations, and has set out to perpetually protect 300,000 acres of native prairie for future generations.
Rescue the Duck Factory began one year ago in an effort to conserve this vital habitat in the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region, via perpetual easements purchased from willing landowners in exchange for assurances that this fragile habitat will never be taken from the ducks.
The situation is dire, but with your help, Ducks Unlimited can save the most productive waterfowl breeding habitat on the prairies. More than 700 landowners have already signed up to put native grasslands under perpetual easements, forever conserving the crucial breeding grounds for North America’s waterfowl.
Landowner demand for easements currently exceeds available funding, but DU is dedicated to closing the funding gap with industry participants like you. Through its new Rescue the Duck Factory campaign, DU is working to raise $40 million in new private gifts to secure easement funding for all the landowners on the waiting list.
As of today, Ducks Unlimited has conserved nearly 70,000 acres, but more help is needed. At an average per acre cost of $360, your contribution to this campaign will allow DU to purchase easements in the Prairie Pothole Region that will permanently protect this American treasure.
Thank you for your commitment to helping us protect the future of waterfowl and waterfowl hunting...