Ducks Unlimited Canada is a charitable organization whose work provides a range of benefits not only for wildlife but for society in general.
The 25th annual Ducks Unlimited banquet and auction coming up April 2 is a major fundraiser for projects in this area.
Information on projects and auction items is available on the website www.ducks.ca.
By working to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl Ducks Unlimited is also helping to sustain habitat for many other birds and animals, maintain healthy water sources, and sustain hunting as an economic resource.
Ducks, geese, moose, bears, and many other birds and smaller creatures such as muskrats depend on wetland ponds, marshes, bogs, fens and meadows for their survival.
Black bear feed on herbs and lush greens that grow in marshes, which are also home to fresh water shrimp, snails, salamanders, frogs, toads and snakes.
Some of the animals that depend on wetlands are also at risk or close to being at risk for extinction such as the White Pelican, Sandhill Crane, Great Blue Heron, Peregrine Falcon, and Painted turtle.
Wetlands are valuable as nature’s water filtration systems which help to manage storm water runoff and recharge and purify the underlying layers of sediment in aquifers.
In the Cariboo-Chilcotin Ducks Unlimited has been active for more than 40 years working alongside landowners, governments and other non-profit groups to promote conservation of wetlands and critical waterfowl habitat.
Bob Sklapsky, district scaling supervisor for the Central Cariboo Forest District, has been a member of Ducks in Williams Lake for three years and encourages others interested in saving wetlands to join the organization.
“As former DUC volunteer and fund raiser in the East Kootenays I was asked to join the local Williams Lake chapter about three years ago,” Sklapsky says.
“I learned that there are 275 DUC wetlands in the Cariboo-Chilcotin, and each year DUC spends over $100,000 (most of that locally) in order to maintain and repair water control structures on these wetlands,” Sklapsky says.
“They also plan new projects and develop new partnerships with local ranchers and non-profit conservation groups.”
In B.C. Ducks relies entirely on money raised in B.C. to fund projects in B.C.
“As a volunteer with DUC I see first-hand how Williams Lake and surrounding communities like Horsefly are fortunate to have the support of local businesses, individuals and volunteers who annually join DUC in fund raising at their banquet and auction.
He says people can support Ducks by becoming a member or volunteer and/or by attending the 25th annual local Ducks Unlimited dinner and auction coming up at the Elks Hall on Saturday, April 2.
He says some of the auction items this year include a West Coast Salmon fishing charter, wildlife prints, decoys, sculptures and much more.
Banquet tickets include a one year membership and subscription to Conservator magazine and are available from committee members, Chilcotin Guns, or directly from the local DUC office by calling 250-398-7028.
