Latest News

Ducks Unlimited Canada is currently studying beavers and how they can help conserve wetlands through creating dams.

Photo courtesy Ducks Unlimited Canada

The Sturgeon Banks in Richmond.

Photo courtesy Ducks Unlimited Canada

Ducks Unlimited Canada

By Matthew Cheung

Published 11:44 PDT, Fri June 9, 2023

—

Ducks Unlimited Canada is made up of a group of people who are passionate about the wetlands and associated habitats. The organization was established in Manitoba in 1938 studying the importance of wetlands for waterfowl.

“Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) was founded in 1938 by waterfowl hunters who, during the drought of the Great Depression, witnessed wetlands drying up and waterfowl populations struggling. They recognized that conserving wetlands helps ensure the future of waterfowl populations. So, they banded together to stop the destruction of Canada’s wetlands by initiating habitat conservation projects and raising funds to support these efforts. Today, Ducks Unlimited Canada is supported by a wide variety of people who care about conservation, wildlife, and the environment,” said Sarah Nathan, manager of provincial operations for Ducks Unlimited Canada in B.C.

Focused on conserving areas of critical wetland habitats across the country, the organization continues to develop and organize on-the-ground habitat projects in order to mitigate the effects of floods and droughts. An example of this is in 2019, the organization partnered with the City of Richmond to restore the foreshore in order to reduce the rising tides from sea-levels. Because of the help from the city, and donations from the community, the organization was able to preserve 127 acres of tidal wetlands.

Since inception, the organization has grown tremendously. Through the studies conducted, they have learned about the importance of wetlands and some of the key roles that they play in the ecosystem.

“In addition to providing vital habitat for wildlife, wetlands mitigate the effects of floods and droughts, naturally filter pollutants from water, and act as powerful carbon stores. Simply put, they are some of the most valuable ecosystems on earth,” said Nathan.

The organization has accomplished a lot around the country in spite of the climate change, resulting in biodiversity loss.

“To date, we’ve conserved more than 6.2 million acres of critical wetland habitat across the country, which includes more than 450,000 acres in British Columbia,” said Nathan.

The organization has slowly developed an interest in Beavers and the work that they do, specifically the process of building dams. “Beavers build dams as part of their lifecycle – they do this to influence pond depth and riparian vegetation so that they can have deep water, escape cover, and deciduous shrubs to eat, in the process, wetlands are created. We’re excited to learn how to work with beavers in a way that doesn’t create human-wildlife conflicts for this reason,” said Nathan.

Despite being in operation for just under a century, the organization still encounters challenges. Some challenges regarding the process of studying beavers and learning about how they can help create wetlands can include: collaborations with provincial government staff to insure beaver dam sites can be reinstated and communicating with Indigenous Communities to ensure restoration projects share the same values. Additionally, as with any type of charitable organization, more work needs funding so that the project can continue without problem.

The organization encourages the community to help in whatever way they can, some examples of how the public can assist in the conservation of wetlands is listed as follows. “You can make a donation. You can volunteer your time and talent on a local Ducks Unlimited Canada committee that raises funds and awareness for wetland conservation. You can also lend your voice, advocating for effective legislation that supports wetland conservation. But perhaps the easiest way to help is to simply get outside and enjoy exploring nature,” said Nathan.

For more information about Ducks Unlimited Canada, visit ducks.ca.