New Jersey PRESERVING OUR WATERFOWLING TRADITION THROUGH HABITAT CONSERVATION!

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1 New Jersey PRESERVING OUR WATERFOWLING TRADITION THROUGH HABITAT CONSERVATION!

2 he Delaware Bay and the New York Bight watersheds provide a multitude of critical wetland and upland habitats for fish and wildlife species. New Jersey consists of nearly a million acres of freshwater and tidal wetlands that support more than 2,600 species of plants and animals. The loss of waterfowl habitat to urban development is occurring at an unprecedented rate in New Jersey. Yet, there are still surprisingly stunning wild areas left, and much that can be done to protect them permanently, and to restore the tens of thousands of acres of New Jersey s wetlands previously impacted by human encroachment. Ducks Unlimited s experienced staff of biologists and engineers takes a landscape-level approach to wetland restoration. Science-based planning tools and cutting-edge research are guiding our restoration activities throughout the state to provide the greatest waterfowl benefit for our investment. As a result of our conservation efforts, New Jersey hunters and nature enthusiasts can take pleasure in the breeding and migrating waterfowl across the Garden State. HELP US! Funds raised will be invested in Ducks Unlimited programs that protect and restore the most critical waterfowl habitats in New Jersey.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 PRESERVING NEW JERSEY S NATURAL RESOURCE HERITAGE Ducks Unlimited (DU) is involved in a historic effort to restore New Jersey s wetlands and improve waterfowl production. In the past 20 years, DU, its conservation partners and supporters like you have restored thousands of acres of wetlands. DU is committed to continued habitat conservation in New Jersey and we hope you are too! New Jersey is important for producing local mallards, wood ducks and American black ducks, as well as providing important wintering grounds for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds and other birds. Mallard ducklings;al and Elaine Wilson

4 PRIORITY AREAS Sussex Warren Morris Passaic Essex Bergen Hudson New Jersey Priority Areas New York Bight Delaware Bay watershed Union DU project points Project points may represent more than one project. Hunterdon Somerset Middlesex Mercer Monmouth A Strategic Approach Salem Gloucester Camden Burlington Atlantic Ocean 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. Cumberland Cape May CONSERVATION FOCUS The focus of restoration activities in both the New York Bight and Delaware Bay watersheds will be restoring inland and coastal wetlands, associated uplands and riparian buffers to provide important habitat for wintering, spring staging and breeding populations of waterfowl, and to improve water quality in the state of New Jersey. When possible, DU also aggressively pursues opportunities to protect valuable waterfowl habitats permanently, through land donations and the DU conservation easement program.

5 New York Bight Priority Area The Bight extends from Cape May, N.J., to Long Island, N.Y., and encompasses the Hudson River watershed and all other coastal river watersheds in eastern New Jersey. Along the Atlantic Flyway, the bight is an important pathway for migratory birds, providing migratory corridors that channel birds through the region. At least 75 percent of the historic wetlands in this priority area have disappeared due to filling, alteration of shorelines, dredging and coastal development. Delaware Bay Priority Area The Delaware Bay estuary is a major link in the migratory chain along the Atlantic Flyway. Migrating and wintering waterfowl and other birds utilize and rely on the freshwater and tidal wetlands and associated uplands throughout the bay s watershed. Land use conversions have resulted in the deterioration of water quality in the Delaware Bay, affecting both wildlife and human communities. Within New Jersey s portion of the Delaware Bay watershed, more than 40 percent of historic wetlands have already been degraded or permanently lost. WATERFOWL BENEFITS DU RESTORATION PROJECTS These regions provide significant migration and wintering habitat for American black ducks, mallards, canvasbacks, tundra swans and Canada geese in the Atlantic Flyway. Significant nesting waterfowl include mallards, wood ducks, American black ducks and Canada geese. Habitat conservation for the direct benefit of waterfowl is the main focus. However, Ducks Unlimited recognizes that one way to improve habitat conditions for waterfowl populations, the other 2,600 wildlife species and people that live in the region, is to improve water quality.

6 MAKE A DIFFERENCE DONATE TODAY! Ducks Unlimited needs your help to preserve New Jersey s waterfowling traditions. By restoring and protecting the state s most critical waterfowl habitats we can inspire future generations to carry out our conservation mission.together we can make a real difference through habitat conservation. 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 New Jersey. 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: Richard B. Smith, Director of Development North Atlantic 840 Little Neck Road Cutchogue, NY rbsmith@ducks.org FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact: Kurt Anderson Biologist kanderson@ducks.org Joe DeMartino Regional Director jdemartino@ducks.org Kurt Dyroff Acting Director of Conservation Programs Mid-Atlantic kdyroff@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-NJ-0-1 Threatened Wetlands Initiative Project Code: US-NJ-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 Richard B. Smith, Director of Development North Atlantic 840 Little Neck Road Cutchogue, NY 11935

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.