Virginia PRESERVING OUR WATERFOWLING TRADITION THROUGH HABITAT CONSERVATION!

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1 Virginia PRESERVING OUR WATERFOWLING TRADITION THROUGH HABITAT CONSERVATION!

2 VIRGINIA CONSERVATION DUC K S U N LI M I T E D or decades people have hunted, photographed and observed migratory waterfowl and shorebirds on the Chesapeake Bay. Much like the native oysters and blue crabs, the number of waterfowl wintering on the Bay has decreased dramatically since the 1970s. This decline has resulted from the loss of wetlands in the watershed. Wetland loss has also caused poor water quality and loss of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), which once attracted a multitude of ducks to the Bay. These same habitats also support the diverse ecosystem of blue crabs, shrimp, oysters and fish that have all been impacted negatively by the loss of the grass beds. We have an opportunity to reverse these trends. Ducks Unlimited (DU) has launched an ambitious program to restore and protect these habitats in Virginia. HELP US! Funds raised will be invested in Ducks Unlimited programs that protect and restore the most critical waterfowl habitats in Virginia.Your donated funds give us powerful leverage (as much as 5:1) to secure dollars available from state and federal agencies, thus making your donation go even further!

3 PROTECTING VIRGINIA S NATURAL RESOURCE HERITAGE Though Virginia loses more than 3,000 acres of its wetlands and an additional 100,000 acres of open space throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed each year, there are many places for DU to restore quality waterfowl habitat. Ducks Unlimited has a historic opportunity to conserve wetlands for waterfowl and other wildlife, as well as to improve water quality throughout the watersheds that drain into the Bay. We need your support to improve the landscape. Please help us save and restore critical wetlands and open spaces.

4 PRIORITY AREAS Virginia Priority Areas Potomac watershed Lower Chsapeake Bay watershed DU project points Project points may represent more than one project. A Strategic Approach Priority areas are science-based and illustrate the areas where wetlands and associated upland habitats can be of the most benefit to waterfowl and have the greatest impact on water quality. CHESAPEAKE BAY ECOSYSTEM INITIATIVE The Chesapeake Bay is the nation s largest estuary, draining over 64,000 square miles. This region is one of the most significant migration and wintering areas for black ducks, mallards, canvasbacks, Canada geese and scaup in the Atlantic Flyway. Our priority areas are the best places to conserve and restore habitat for waterfowl production and migration, and simultaneously improve water quality for wildlife and

5 Potomac Priority Area The entire Potomac River watershed includes Washington, D.C., and counties in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. This watershed drains over 15,000 square miles and contributes 20 percent of the freshwater input to the Chesapeake Bay, making it the second largest contributor of nutrients from local agricultural runoff. Lower Chesapeake Bay Priority Area The Lower Chesapeake Bay priority area encompasses the southeastern shore of Virginia. This area includes the lower watersheds of Virginia s tidewater rivers (Rappahannock, York and James) and the Virginia portion of the Delmarva Peninsula. These tidewater rivers contribute non-point source pollution to the Bay. people. The restoration of freshwater and tidal wetlands, riparian buffers and warm season grasses by Ducks Unlimited and its partners will reduce agricultural runoff and soil erosion, and will benefit breeding, wintering and migratory habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds.

6 MAKE A DIFFERENCE DONATE TODAY! You can leave a significant legacy by helping us restore as many wetland and upland acres as possible. For the future of the Chesapeake Bay and its wildlife, help us make sure the best possible wildlife habitat is restored and protected. By doing so you are protecting not only a great natural treasure, but also a heritage that is equally magnificent. MAJOR SPONSORS Major sponsorship in Ducks Unlimited gives DU the opportunity to match as much as five to one the contribution you make. Major sponsorship starts at $10,000 given over five years or less. Your gift will be earmarked for habitat work in Virginia. Many other giving opportunities are available; please contact us for more information. To become a major sponsor today, please return the form on the right to: Phil Poux, Director of Development Mid-Atlantic 34 Defense Street, Suite 200 Annapolis, MD ppoux@ducks.org FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact: Mike Budd Regional Biologist mbudd@ducks.org Kirk Mantay Regional Biologist kmantay@ducks.org Kurt Dyroff Acting Director of Conservation Programs Mid-Atlantic kdyroff@ducks.org Derrick Davis Regional Director ddavis@ducks.org Neal Roth Regional Director nroth@ducks.org Or visit our Web site at:

7 in a Major Way! I/We believe in the conservation mission of DUCKS UNLIMITED and want to support this mission with a gift of $, payable over years. * Name(s) Address City/State/Zip Home Phone Business Phone Fax Chapter Committee (if applicable) PLEASE DESIGNATE MY GIFT TO THE FOLLOWING WETLANDS FOR TOMORROW INITIATIVE (check one): * Must be pledged to pay within 5 years in order for gift to be restricted to an initiative. Mallard Initiative Project Code: US-VA-0-1 Threatened Wetlands Initiative Project Code: US-VA-0-1 Signature Date I WISH TO PAY THIS PLEDGE IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER (CHECK ONE): Single payment, to be paid by. Regular payments. Please send reminders on the following schedules: Quarterly Semi-Annually Annually Please contact me about making monthly credit/checking account payments. Please count my cumulative giving towards this pledge. Please cut off and only send back this part! MANY COMPANIES WILL MATCH GIFTS MADE TO DUCKS UNLIMITED. Please check with your employer s human resource office to see if this opportunity is available to you. My employer will match my gift. Employer s Name Ducks Unlimited (DU) qualifies under the provisions of Section 501 (3) of the Internal Revenue Code as an organization created for charitable, educational, scientific and conservation purposes. Donations to DU are deductible by the donor(s) as charitable contributions for federal tax purposes. To allow DU to take advantage of unanticipated conservation opportunities and to ensure long-term financial stability, a 10 percent Conservation Reserve Allocation is applied to all Major Sponsor commitments. Please return this form to: DUCKS UNLIMITED Phil Poux, Director of Development Mid-Atlantic 34 Defense Street, Suite 200 Annapolis, MD 21401

8 C O N S E R V A T I O N DUCKS UNLIMITED Leader in Wetland and Waterfowl Conservation Within the last 100 years, more than 50 percent of all original wetlands have been converted to agricultural, industrial and municipal uses. Recognizing the impact that habitat destruction had upon waterfowl populations, a group of concerned sportsmen formed Ducks Unlimited in 1937 to mitigate this habitat loss through proactive preservation and restoration programs. Ducks Unlimited is the largest private habitat conservation organization solely dedicated to the conservation of North American waterfowl and wetlands through partnerships, volunteers and an expert staff of fund-raisers, scientists and engineers. The Great Lakes/ Atlantic Regional Office (GLARO) provides comprehensive conservation solutions to help restore and protect the continent s diminishing wetlands in 18 states, from Wisconsin to Virginia and north to Maine. MID-ATLANTIC FIELD OFFICE 34 Defense Street, Suite 200 Annapolis, MD GREAT LAKES/ATLANTIC REGIONAL OFFICE 1220 Eisenhower Place Ann Arbor, MI Several images in this publication courtesy of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.