Take Action: Don't Drain the Duck Factory
- North Dakota Wildlife Federation
- Jul 30
- 2 min read
TAKE ACTION: Defend North America's Duck Factory
North Dakota's Prairie Pothole Region is known as North America's "Duck Factory." These millions of wetlands produce the majority of the continent's ducks, support countless other wildlife species, and sustain our hunting traditions and outdoor economy. Today, these irreplaceable wetlands face an urgent threat.
Last Friday, July 24th, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opened a 14-day public comment period on regulations governing federal wetland easements in the Prairie Pothole Region. These easements were voluntarily purchased from willing landowners using Federal Duck Stamp dollars, funding provided primarily by duck hunters and other conservationists, with one clear purpose: to permanently protect wetland habitat for migratory birds.
For more than 60 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has implemented a science-based "No Impact" policy that protects these easements from activities that diminish their wildlife value, including draining, filling, or burning protected wetlands. The current setback process is based on decades of research and provides landowners with clear, science-based guidance. Landowners who follow these guidelines are protected should unforeseen changes occur to a wetland, meaning the existing system already balances private property rights with conservation.
Weakening these regulations would undermine the conservation purpose for which these easements were purchased. The current science-based process ensures that wetlands continue providing habitat for breeding ducks and other migratory birds in perpetuity. Diluting those protections risks reducing the amount and quality of habitat on a landscape where every remaining wetland matters.
The Prairie Pothole Region contains only a limited amount of permanently protected habitat. Every acre lost or degraded reduces nesting success for waterfowl, diminishes habitat for pheasants, deer, pollinators, shorebirds, and countless other wildlife species, and threatens the hunting and fishing traditions that support North Dakota's outdoor economy.
The North Dakota Wildlife Federation strongly supports maintaining the existing wetland easement regulations. Sportsmen and women invested in these easements through Duck Stamp purchases because they believed they would permanently protect wildlife habitat. That promise should be honored.
Here's How You Can Help
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting comments for just 14 days, and personalized comments carry far more weight than form letters or petitions.
When submitting your comment, consider emphasizing that:
Federal wetland easements were voluntarily purchased using Duck Stamp dollars to permanently protect wetlands and their wildlife value.
The existing "No Impact" policy has successfully protected these wetlands for more than six decades while respecting private property rights.
The current science-based setback process already provides certainty and protection for landowners who follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidance.
Weakening these regulations would reduce habitat in North America's most important breeding grounds for ducks and other migratory birds.
Protecting these wetlands also supports pheasants, deer, pollinators, grassland birds, clean water, flood protection, and North Dakota's outdoor recreation economy.
For more than 90 years, the North Dakota Wildlife Federation has fought to protect North Dakota's wildlife, habitat, and hunting heritage. Today, we need your help.
You can also let our Congressional Delegation know how important these wetland easements are to you by calling the congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121
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