Thanks to the generosity of Cox Enterprises Chairman Emeritus and Wetlands America Trust Past Chairman Jim Kennedy and the James M. Cox Foundation, Ducks Unlimited (DU) will have an additional $2 million to support wetland conservation.
As the most generous individual donor in DU history, Kennedy is well aware of Ducks Unlimited’s commitment to achieving its conservation goals. The Foundation grant will support wetland restoration efforts along the Louisiana Gulf Coast and Chesapeake Bay area.
“It has always been important to me to leave the world better than I found it. That’s why I continue to help DU restore wetlands,” Kennedy said. “Ducks Unlimited’s work on the Louisiana Gulf Coast and along the Chesapeake Bay will benefit surrounding wildlife and communities.”
DU and the James M. Cox Foundation have a shared commitment to environmental stewardship. Louisiana’s coastal prairies, marshes, and bays are among the most productive wetland systems in North America. They are also among the most threatened, losing 17 square miles per year. Funds from the Foundation will support a wide range of projects, including the acquisition of a 2,500-acre tract of coastal wetlands south of New Orleans, the ongoing restoration of the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, and wetlands within the Mermentau Basin.
In addition to efforts along the Gulf Coast, Foundation support will also help conserve crucial wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, which provide vital ecosystem functions for one of the most populous areas in the world. country. The Foundation’s support will help provide habitat for many species that depend on wetlands and ensure clean water, coastal resilience, and flood protection for 18 million people.
“Jim Kennedy has been an incredible partner in conservation,” said DU Executive Director Adam Putnam. “Through the generous support of the James M. Cox Foundation, we will be able to help conserve and restore critical wetland areas that not only provide habitat for migratory and wintering waterfowl, but also provide coastal protection for those who call the waterfowl home. these landscapes.
For more information, visit www.ducks.org. And be sure to follow DU’s Twitter feed: @DucksUnlimited Y @DUConserve – for the latest Ducks Unlimited news.
About unlimited ducks
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 15 million acres thanks to the contributions of more than one million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of enough wetlands to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow, and forever. To learn more about our work, visit www.ducks.org.
About the James M. Cox Foundation
The James M. Cox Foundation is named in honor of the founder of Cox Enterprises and provides funds for capital campaigns and special projects in the communities where the company operates. James M. Cox was Ohio’s first three-term governor and the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 1920. The Foundation focuses its community support in several areas, including conservation and the environment; early childhood education; empower families and individuals for success; and health.