Proceeds from Waterfowl Festival Supports Wellington WMA Wetland Restoration Project
Waterfowl Festival, Inc. is pleased to announce the contribution of $25,000 to Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DU) to support the development of a project to restore 40-acres of wetlands at the Wellington Wildlife Management Area (WMA) located near Princes Anne in Somerset County, MD. This MWA is part of the larger 254-acre Kim Track acquired by the Maryland DNR that included 130-acres of agricultural fields which had been ditched in the past to reduce flooding. These sites will now be restored as moist soil wetlands to promote native plant communities that provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.
Left to Right: Jerry Serie, Waterfowl Festival Conservation Chair, Board of Directors – Waterfowl Festival; Taylor Deemer, Director of Development- Maryland and Delaware; Ed Farley, Manager of Conservation Program – Mid-Atlantic; Lyndee Zeller, Festival Director and Jake McPherson, Managing Director of Development, Region 6 – Northeastern US
“We are thrilled to announce the approval of this project and the Waterfowl Festival’s contribution of $25,000 to Ducks Unlimited,” said Jerry Serie, Conservation Committee Chairman. “With this funding, we will help with restoring 40 acres of wetlands at the Wellington Wildlife Management Area, providing vital habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds. Additionally, these wetlands will create outdoor recreation and waterfowl hunting opportunities for youth education and veteran hunters.”
In 2020, DNR partnered with Ducks Unlimited (DU) to perform a topographic survey of the property and to design the wetland restoration project. Final restoration designs were completed in 2023. All environmental permits have been received. The final design is currently undergoing review by Somerset County Soil and Water Conservation District with expected approvals in 2023. To date, DU has secured funding to complete the project from the North American Wetland Conservation Act, Maryland DNR’s Chesapeake & Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund and Waterfowl Festival, Inc. DU estimates total project costs at $289,000.
This collaborative effort is an excellent example of conservation partners joining forces to leverage funds and expertise to support meaningful waterfowl conservation stewardship, and ensure the Waterfowl Festival’s legacy, for years to come. Additional donations to support our conservation mission are welcomed through the Waterfowl Festival’s secure online portal at: https://waterfowlfestival.org/2023-annual-appeal/
Proceeds from the annual Waterfowl Festival, from food sales to art sales, support the preservation of the Eastern Shore’s outdoor heritage through their Community in Conservation grant program. Since the Festival’s founding in 1971, more than $5 million has been invested in wildlife conservation and education projects throughout the Delmarva Peninsula.
Additional information about the project can be found at https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/pages/publiclands/eastern/wellington.aspx