Delta’s first donated Conservation Agreement in Manitoba
A good news story!

Edith Kerr walks along one of her wetlands with granddaughters – Kathleen, Eleanor and Allana.

A special ceremony was held at Edith Kerr’s on May 29th to commemorate her special efforts to protect wetland habitat on her farm. Representatives from the local government and conservation district, Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC) and Delta Waterfowl joined Edith and her family for the event.

Tim Sopuck, Manager of Operations with the MHHC spoke at the ceremony “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Delta Waterfowl to protect these wetlands on behalf of Edith and her family. This is a priceless donation of wetland habitats."

Establishing good relationships with landowners in the prairie pothole region is critical to the longevity of our beloved ducks. Just like gaining access to hunt on private land, cooperation with landowners is key to gaining access to duck habitats for research and management purposes. This is a great example of how these relationships pay off.

In consultation with Delta and the MHHC, Edith decided to enroll the wetlands on her farm into a Conservation Agreement (CA) otherwise know as a perpetual easement. A total of 95 acres of wetlands and associated uplands are now protected forever.

Asked why she enrolled part of her property into the easement with the MHHC, Edith replied “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Delta and the Heritage Corporation and have always cherished the wildlife on our property. I thought that this would be a good way to ensure the ducks and other wildlife have a place to call home. I’m doing it for heritage. When farms are sold today, the first thing that happens is the bulldozer comes in. I didn’t want that to happen.”

Conservation projects on Edith’s property have been funded by a variety of sources. Delta members from across North America support these efforts through donations to the Adopt A Pothole program. Hunters from Illinois and Wisconsin contribute indirectly through their state duck stamp programs. These funds are matched in Washington through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. The MHHC has also been an important partner to Delta in delivering these conservation efforts.