The U P P E R M I S S I S S I P P I
RIVER
The Upper Mississippi River Ecosystem Initiative addresses the large land area that eventually drains
into the Mississippi River. The river and its tributaries provide a major
migratory corridor for the Mississippi Flyway, which funnels
NORTHWEST
WISCONSIN
more waterfowl to the wintering grounds than all other
flyways. Habitat restoration and protection programs in the
ROCK RIVER
upper reaches of the watershed will significantly impact
waterfowl habitat, as well as improve water quality in the
Mississippi River, and address the hypoxia problem in the
Gulf of Mexico.
PRIORITY AREAS
OHIO/MISSISSIPPI
CONFLUENCE
C O N S E R VAT I O N
OHIO/MISSISSIPPI
CONFLU ENC E
UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER
C O N TA C T I N F O R M AT I O N
B OB HOFFMAN
Director
[email protected] | 734.623.2000
ILLINOIS
RIVER
DAVE BRAKHAGE
Director of Conservation Programs, Great Lakes
OHIO
RIVER
Through science-based strategic planning, the
GLARO has defined landscape initiative areas based on large-scale watersheds. This allows us to address waterfowl and
wildlife habitat issues, as well as water quality concerns that are important to this region. Within initiatives, we have
defined priority areas in which to target our restoration activities.
[email protected] | 734.623.2000
For more information on how you can
support Ducks Unlimited, please contact:
TODD BISHOP
Director of Development; IL, MI, WI
[email protected] | 734.623.2000
The four ecosystem initiatives of the Great Lakes /Atlantic Regional Office include:
G R E AT L A K E S E C O S Y S T E M I N I T I AT I V E
U P P E R M I S S I S S I P P I R I V E R E C O S Y S T E M I N I T I AT I V E
C H E S A P E A K E B AY E C O S Y S T E M I N I T I AT I V E
AT L A N T I C C O A S T E C O S Y S T E M I N I T I AT I V E
GREAT LAK ES/ATLANTIC REGIONAL OFFICE
1220 Eisenhower Place
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
734.623.2000
www.ducks.org
G R E AT L A K E S / AT L A N T I C R E G I O N A L O F F I C E
LEADER IN WETLANDS CONSERVATION
I M P L E M E N TA T I O N S T R A T E G Y F O R T H E
OH IO/M IS S IS S I PPI CONFLU ENC E PR IOR I T Y A R E A
2,851 acres per year (14,255 over a 5-year period)
Estimated 5-year cost = $4,267,972
GLARO
This priority area encompasses parts of the lower
C O N S E R VA T I O N W O R K
The GREAT LAKES /ATLANTIC REGIONAL OFFICE
Ohio, Wabash, Kaskaskia-Meramec and Middle
Conservation activities in the area mostly involve reforesting seasonally flooded bottomlands. In Indiana, most
work has been on public lands. This type of work will
continue in the future as opportunities arise. In Illinois,
conservation activities are similar with an emphasis on the
Middle Mississippi River—an ‘open’ reach of the river
with no dams stretching from the confluence of the
Missouri River to the confluence of the Ohio River. DU
is actively involved in acquisition and restoration efforts
here. The focus of the restoration program in this area is
on migration and wintering waterfowl habitat, including
seasonal wetlands and reforestation/protection of bottomland hardwood forest habitat.
OHIO/MISSISSIPPI
C O N F LU E N C E
Mississippi River watersheds. Nearly one-third of the
nation’s waters drain past the confluence of the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers. This area is dominated by
floodplain and bottomland hardwood forest habitat
associated with large river systems. Much of this bottom land habitat was converted to agriculture.
Wetland loss in this area has been extreme; approximately 90 percent have been altered by human activities. Flooding and associated sedimentation have
caused extensive damage to the backwater areas,
GREAT LAKES/ATLANTIC REGIONAL OFFICE
C O N S E R VAT I O N
focused on breeding, migrating and wintering
waterfowl. Challenges include continued wetland
loss, declining waterfowl populations, increasing
urban sprawl, population growth and declining
water and air quality.
To be as efficient and effective as possible, the
GLARO focuses its limited resources to areas that
are most important to meeting the needs of waterfowl. Priority areas were determined by breeding
and wintering/staging waterfowl use. These areas
are viewed as critical to supporting the annual life
cycle needs of waterfowl in this region.
replacing mast-producing trees with willow and cottonwood, and degrading managed moist soil areas.
delivers conservation programs in 18 states
WAT E R F O W L B E N E F I T S
The expansive floodplains of these river systems provide a
diversity of wetland habitat, including temporarily and
seasonally flooded bottomland hardwoods that serve as
traditional migration and wintering habitat for a wide
variety of waterfowl, including mallards, wood ducks,
blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, northern pintail,
American wigeon, canvasback, scaup, Canada geese and
snow geese. Wood ducks are common breeders, but mallard breeding is limited except for scattered pockets with
high numbers along the lower Wabash drainage.
OHIO/MISSISSIPPI
CONFLUENCE
UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER ECOSYSTEM INITIATIVE
DU is actively involved in acquisition and restoration efforts in
the Ohio/Mississippi Confluence.
G R E E N- W I N G E D T E A L