ISSUES, CONFLICTS AND STRATEGIES IN WETLAND MANAGEMENT FOR WATERFOWL

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In order to address this topic one must examine both land management and water management. Wetlands are those special places where both of these challenges must be met and resolved. Sometimes conflicts have to be dealt with due to pressure from one management interest, or the other.The degree of conflict among parties interested in a wetland site has been found to vary from highly active to passive. Some of the reasons for conflict are institutional and other reasons are perceptional. It is helpful to look at these causative factors to understand past conflicts and to direct future efforts to minimizing the causes detrimental to conservation.This paper will deal with selected examples, drawn from the Ducks Unlimited experience in Canada. It will describe the issues, conflicts and solutions which arise in wetland management. The examples will demonstrate that successful multiple-benefits can be achieved which meet Ducks Unlimited’s prime objective while also providing for others. The subjects of waterfowl production, wetland wildlife in general, hydrology, water supply, flood protection, drainage, water quality, fish production and agricultural practices will be discussed.Ducks Unlimited Canada has experienced, through its 44 year history, many situations across the country when innovative solutions or stategies have been required to achieve wetlands management favourable to waterfowl as well as other interests. Ducks Unlimited is a private, non-profit, conservation organization dedicated to the perpetuation and increase of North America’s waterfowl resources through restoration, preservation and creation of prime breeding habitat.It remains committed to wetland management favourable to waterfowl and believes that this is demonstrably sound practice in the general sense of land and water management.