What is 'policy' and how does it affect waterfowl and wetlands? Public policy, broadly defined, is a course of action pursued by government, whether reflected in legislation, regulations, guidelines or policy statements. Public policy can affect waterfowl and their habitat in a number of ways.

Wildlife policy includes principles governing the harvest of ducks and geese - one of the major ways in which we influence their populations. Wildlife policy also includes the management of areas dedicated to wildlife, such as refuges, waterfowl production areas (WPA'S) and wildlife management areas (WMA'S). Delta has actively commented on the development of harvest regulations and the management of these important areas of public land.

Land use policy encompasses government actions that go beyond the areas dedicated to wildlife and affect public and private land use in sectors such as agriculture and forestry.

Canadian Legislation for Conservation Covenants, Easements and Servitudes: The Current Situation (Summary)

Water policies govern the management of water resources, and are particularly important with respect to wetland management. In this area, Delta has been promoting the adoption of legislation in Prairie Canada to authorize conservation easements to protect wetlands.

Agricultural policy governs everything from the regulation of crop insurance to managing the supply of commodities, and contains many specific programs and policies that can have a tremendous affect on upland and wetland waterfowl habitat areas through their direct and indirect effects on agricultural land use. A notable example of agricultural legislation that has had a tremendous affect on waterfowl is the 1985 Farm Bill – it created the Conservation Reserve Program, which established four times more acres of waterfowl habitat than wildlife agencies had achieved during the previous sixty years. Delta was a key player in the discussions that preceded the authorization of this positive Bill.

Environmental policy is another large sector that includes measures aimed at air and water quality and can engender significant implications for waterfowl and wetlands.

Tax policy is another field that on face value has a tenuous connection to waterfowl, but it can provide incentives and disincentives for land use decisions by creating income or property tax implications for these decisions.

These are just a few of the general policy areas that are of interest to waterfowl and wetlands. Delta will continue to review these sectors, conduct research, and promote reforms that can benefit waterfowl and their habitat.