79 



Conservation Fund, Ducks Unlimited, 

 and such corporations as DOW Chemi- 

 cal and The Orvis Company, the 

 Foundation has awarded 118 grants 

 specifically for wetlands, thus commit- 

 ting almost $22 million. In addition to 

 providing funds for research and 

 education, the gmnis have fueled the 

 protection and'or restoration of more 

 than one million acres of wetlands and 

 associated uplands primarily in the 

 United States. 



When the U.S. Congress passed the 

 1989 North American Wetland Act, the 

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received 

 the authority to undertake wetland 

 protection and restoration on a larger 

 scale. The Foundation's wetland preser- 

 vation achievements and its support for 

 the legislation helped gain passage of 

 the new wetland act. 



Having successfully fulfilled its 

 primary role for NAWMP, the Founda- 

 tion is now redefining its goals and 

 charting a new course so as to address 



broader needs in wetland conservation. 

 The result is the North American 

 Wetlands Partnership. Because more 

 tlian 75 percent of U.S. wetlands occur 

 on private lands, it is clear that conserva- 

 tion must extend far beyond public 

 lands and public agencies. And since 

 acquiring all significant wetlands is not 

 economically feasible, we must seek 

 other means, such as encouraging 

 individual, private landowners to be 

 more prudent managers of their wetland 

 resources. 



Through our North American Wet- 

 lands Partnership, we will continue to 

 support individual projects that hilfill 

 NAWMP objectives. At the same time, 

 however, we will focus on stimulating 

 and coordinating existing programs 

 whose goals are wetland conservation 

 on private lands. Such programs may 

 educate private landowners, or they may 

 offer financial or technical assistance in 

 proteaing or restoring wetlands. Also, 

 they may be administered by private 



conservation organizations or by federal 

 and state agencies. Finally, we will forge 

 cooperative efforts among all involved 

 agencies and nonprofit groups and 

 continue to fund innovative conserva- 

 tion projects. All told, the Foundation's 

 North American Wetlands Partnership 

 will potentially facilitate the protection of 

 tens of millions of acres. 



The success to date of the North 

 American Waterfowl Management Plan 

 was the Foundation's initial effort toward 

 achieving the protection of wetland 

 habitats for waterfowl and other species. 

 The next step is the mobilization of 

 existing forces to effea wetland conser- 

 vation on private lands. Donors such as 

 Tudor Farms, the William and Flora 

 Hewlett Foundation, and Bass Pro 

 Shops, Inc., supported the Foundation's 

 wetlands efforts in 1992 because they 

 recognize the organization's unique 

 funding capabilities and its skill in 

 developing conservation partnerships 

 between the public and private sectors. 



WetUind Acres hupacted by Satlftnal Fish and WiidUfe FmouiatitMi Grants 



