Wildlife Habitat Council - Wings Over Wetlands Award

Web site support provided by:

Wings Over Wetlands Award

The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) and Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DU) are pleased to announce the new Wings over Wetlands award. This award has been created to encourage active corporate participation in wetland stewardship, and to recognize those that have created and protected wetland habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds. Wetlands conservation and restoration are two of the most productive projects a corporate habitat program can undertake. These projects provide near immediate benefit to waterfowl, plant communities, amphibians and a host of other wildlife species.

A female mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and her chicks. Photo courtesy of Ducks Unlimited, Inc.

DU conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.

For the last seven decades, DU has been a leader in wetland and waterfowl conservation. To date, DU has conserved more than 12 million acres of wetlands in North America, and has more than a million members and supporters.

WHC certified programs with wetland initiatives are encouraged to apply for the award. The primary criteria include the wetland's value to wildlife and the corporate team's commitment to wetland stewardship.

The project does not have to be on corporate property, but must involve active corporate participation through avenues, such as volunteers, financial support above mitigation requirements and/or education and outreach. Involvement with DU and the Wetlands for Tomorrow Campaign will be factored into the ranking, but not required for consideration. DU will present this prestigious recognition to the corporate wildlife team during WHC's Annual Symposium.

Apply for recognition today! Download the application online. Visit the Directory of Awards to learn about this and other WHC awards.

2007 Wings Over Wetlands Award
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
Cartersville Brewery

Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.'s Cartersville Brewery and the associated Resource Recovery Farm (RRF) are located on the north side of the City of Cartersville in Bartow County, Georgia. The brewery itself is located on a 1,700-acre parcel of land between a ridgeline on the south and wetlands to the north. The RRF consists of approximately 1,500 acres of woodland habitats, cleared grasslands and shrublands, as well as emergent and forested wetlands and intermittent and perennial streams. Both facilities lie within the Piedmont Physiographic Province of Northern Georgia, which is characterized by rolling red-clay hills and fertile, mineral rich farmland.

A flock of blue-winged teal ducks (Anas discors) take advantage of the expansive wetlands at the Cartersville Brewery.

The farm is a natural sanctuary to many native Georgian animal and plant species. On any given day, deer, wild turkey, rabbits, squirrels and the occasional covey of quail can be spotted roaming through property. Through the hard work of the employees of the Cartersville Brewery were awarded certification for Wildlife at Work in 2004 and Corporate Lands for Learning in 2006 for long-term wildlife and educational programs that include community outreach, student mentoring, timber and wildlife game management, maintaining wildflower meadows and nest monitoring.

The Cartersville Brewery wildlife team partners with Ducks Unlimited (DU) and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) to develop wetland improvement strategies for the site’s wetland-related programs. Approximately 65 acres are managed for ducks and other wetland species, including a stormwater detention area and several on-site ponds. The team develops and maintains programs based on recommendations that emphasize the development of waterfowl habitat from existing wetlands and/or upland areas that can sustain flooding in the fall and winter.

In 2000, the Cartersville Brewery formed a DU chapter, Cartersville Budweiser, which has raised $195,000, equating to 780 acres, for the DU Wetlands for Tomorrow campaign. The campaign focuses on funding on-the-ground habitat conservation programs, scientific research on wetlands and waterfowl and education of both the public and youth on the value of wetlands. Additionally, the Cartersville Budweiser chapter formed the Georgia DU/ Budweiser decoy shotgun program, which raised over $250,000 equating another 1,000 acres. The Cartersville Budweiser chapter has been one of the top ten chapters since the campaign began.

Wetlands are among the Earth’s most important ecosystems, providing many benefits, including food and habitat for fish and wildlife; flood protection; erosion control; food for human consumption; water quality improvement; and opportunities for recreation, education and research. Here are some additional links about wetlands restoration:

Wood ducks (Aix sponsa), such as this pair, find habitat on many ponds and rivers at WHC members sites. Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Join the Corporate Campaign for Migratory Bird Conservation to preserve and restore habitat along critical migratory bird routes in the Western Hemisphere.

The Five Star Restoration Challenge Grants Program brings together students, conservation corps, other youth groups, citizen groups, corporations, landowners and government agencies to provide environmental education and training through projects that restore wetlands and streams.

U.S. EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds provides resources and links to additional organizations.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provides ideas about living in harmony with wetlands.

World Wetlands Day is an annual celebration of the vital importance of international wetlands to ecological and human health.