Ducks Unlimited, Inc. - Bay Area Chapter

Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DU) is a prominent nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to the conservation of wetlands and associated upland habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife. The Bay Area Chapter of Ducks Unlimited contributes significantly to this mission, focusing on restoring and protecting wetland habitats in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Focus and Activities

The Bay Area Chapter participates in large-scale projects aimed at restoring former salt evaporation ponds to estuarine tidal marshes. For instance, a significant project involved converting over 1,300 acres of former salt evaporation ponds at the Napa-Sonoma Wildlife Area into estuarine tidal marshes. This restoration effort supports threatened and endangered species such as Coho salmon, steelhead, green sturgeon, Delta smelt, least tern, and snowy plover[1].

DU also operates the San Francisco Bay In-Lieu Fee Program, which provides a mechanism for compensatory mitigation by offering wetland credits. This program assists developers and other entities in meeting environmental regulations while advancing regional conservation goals[3][4].

Conservation Achievements

In collaboration with other organizations, the Bay Area Chapter contributes to broader conservation efforts. It is part of Ducks Unlimited's overall strategy to conserve habitats for waterfowl across North America. By partnering with government agencies and private entities, the chapter helps maintain and restore critical wetland habitats in the Bay Area[5].

Parent Organization

Ducks Unlimited, Inc., the parent organization, was founded in 1937 and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. With over 700,000 members and 40,000 volunteers, it is one of the largest and most influential wetland conservation organizations globally[2]. DU has conserved more than 15 million acres of waterfowl habitat in North America and is recognized for its proactive approach to wetland restoration and management[2].

[1] https://www.ducks.org/conservation/conservation-projects/california-bay-area-projects [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducks_Unlimited [3] https://www.ducks.org/conservation/land-protection/san-francisco-in-lieu-fee-program [4] https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Public-Notices/Article/2471601/spn-2018-00345-ducks-unlimited-san-francisco-bay-in-lieu-fee-program/ [5] https://www.ducks.org/conservation/conservation-projects/san-francisco-bay-and-delta-region