In early March, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) will hold open houses in six communities in southwest Manitoba to give farmers an opportunity to learn first-hand about programs and incentives.
“We are providing nearly $12 million to Westman landowners in 2025 through voluntary programs that help make their farming operations more profitable and sustainable,” says Lena Vanden Elsen, DUC’s lead for conservation programming in Manitoba. “The open houses provide an informal way to connect with current and future partners.”
On March 17th, Ducks Unlimited Canada be celebrating their second annual DUC day in Manitoba. "And we'd like to thank the provincial government for officially declaring DUC Day to recognize our many years of work in conserving natural habitat. Ducks Unlimited began in 1938. So we are Canada's oldest and largest conservation group," shares Vanden Elsen.
"We are a national organization, but we have very strong ties to Manitoba. Our first ever DUC project to conserve wetlands happened in 1938 near Gladstone at Grass Marsh and since then we've worked with thousands of farmers and landowners to conserve over 1.5 million acres of natural habitat in Manitoba," she adds.
Leading up to DUC Day, they will be hosting a series of open houses in six communities in total across southwest Manitoba. The first open house took place this past Wednesday at Melita.
DUC open houses will be held in these Manitoba communities next week from 11 am to 7 pm in each location:
- March 10: Deloraine Community Hall
- March 11: Virden New Horizons Centre
- March 11: Strathclair Community Centre
- March 12: Oak River Memorial Hall
- March 13: Baldur Argyle Drop-In Centre
"Wetlands and grasslands are important not just for waterfowl and wildlife, but also for people, especially farmers and ranchers."
"These open houses will provide an opportunity for farmers and ranchers to drop in and learn more about our programs that make farms more profitable and more sustainable," says Vanden Elsen. "We pay landowners to conserve and restore wetlands on their property, as well as provide producers with financial incentives for seeding forages, growing winter wheat, and improving areas that only produce marginal crops."
Wetlands and grasslands are important not just for waterfowl and wildlife, but also for people, especially farmers and ranchers. Wetlands keep water on the landscape during times of drought, help mitigate flooding when there's too much water and remove contaminants from groundwater. Both wetlands and grasslands are home to pollinators, those essential insects that help many plants and crops grow.
The average payment to a landowner last year for conserving land through a DUC Conservation Agreement was $137,000. Each agreement is unique, with the landowner retaining ownership of their property and deciding which portions of their land to conserve.
DUC also offers incentives and exceptional agronomic advice for seeding forage, growing winter wheat and rehabilitating marginal soil areas. In 2024, the average payment to Manitoba farmers taking part in these programs reached as high as $12,500.
“Our work has always depended on partnerships and collaboration,” explains Vanden Elsen, who lives with her husband on a farm in the Boissevain area. “We continue to adjust our programming to provide viable options to the farming community. We all benefit by working together.”
Please listen to more with Lena Vanden Elsen below!
Learn more about DUC programs at our open houses or ag.ducks.ca/programs/manitoba/.
Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is the country's largest land conservancy and a leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC uses sound science and partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations, Indigenous Peoples and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment. To learn more about DUC’s innovative environmental solutions and services, visit www.ducks.ca.