EP 465. US ”Duck Factory” Productivity -- How Bad is It?

It's all about supply and demand, huh? So in the US, are we killing too many ducks in past seasons? Or producing too few? Discussing continental "duck factory" production is complex, but Ducks Unlimited biologists Scott Stephens and Johannes Walker have the numbers--how many fewer continental mallards exist? What factors influence the US and Canadian prairies' ability to produce ducks? How does US habitat aceage compare to Canada? How dry is it, and how might this impact waterfowl productivity for years to come? How many acres nesting cover have been lost, and what do global commodity prices have to do with it? Because the simplest answer is usually best, do not miss this sobering episode. 

 

Related Links:

2019 Wetlands Status and Trends Report provides scientific estimates of wetland area in the conterminous United States as well as change in area between 2009 and 2019. The report also discusses drivers of wetland change and recommendations to reduce future wetland loss.

• Wetland loss increased by more than 50% since the previous study.
• 221,000 acres of wetlands were lost, primarily to uplands through drainage and fill.
• Wetland loss disproportionately affected vegetated wetlands, resulting in the loss of 670,000 acres of these wetlands.
• Salt marsh experienced the largest net percent reduction of any wetland category (2% or -70,000 acres) while freshwater forested experienced the largest loss by area. (-426,000 acres)
• Our Nation's remaining wetlands are being transformed from vegetated wetlands, like salt marsh and swamp, to non-vegetated wetlands, like ponds, mudflats, and sand bars. 

 

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