KENNESAW, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yamaha Rightwaters renews its partnership with Ducks Unlimited through the Southeast Wetlands (SEWI) and Great Lakes initiatives (GLI), two multi-year conservation projects dedicated to water conservation and improving and rebuilding wetlands lost to erosion. This latest commitment, which includes a contribution of $250,000 over a three-year period, will advance critical conservation projects and steward natural resources in Wisconsin and Florida.
The continued partnership between Yamaha Rightwaters and Ducks Unlimited will also help improve fisheries and wildlife habitats, mitigate invasive species, enhance water quality and storage, support outdoor recreation activities and address climate threats in these areas.
“By supporting Ducks Unlimited through these initiatives, we can affect real change within these marine environments through science as well as habitat restoration. These projects will ultimately enhance the overall quality and sustainability of the Southeast Wetlands and the Great Lakes,” said Joshua Grier, Sustainability Program Manager, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “We look forward to the progress we will make together in Wisconsin and Florida.”
Work completed in the Wisconsin area of the GLI will help improve wetlands for wading birds and spawning habitat for Northern Pike. In Florida, the SEWI collaborative efforts will help safeguard South Florida from hurricanes and prevent coastal erosion. Many threatened species will also benefit, including the Everglades snail kite, green sea turtle, west Indian manatee, black skimmer and smalltooth sawfish.
Yamaha Rightwaters previously sponsored the Ducks Unlimited Gulf Coast Initiative, a multi-year conservation initiative dedicated to rebuilding wetlands lost to erosion, subsidence and sea level rise in Louisiana and Texas. The Meraux Foundation Terracing Project in Louisiana and the Sargent Marsh Shoreline Protection Project in coastal Texas restored designated seagrass and wetland habitats, and also contributed to climate mitigation through a combination of protecting buried carbon and sequestering atmospheric carbon at rates.
As of 2023, the Gulf Coast Initiative provided an estimated 817 acre-feet of water storage, sequestered 77 metric tons of carbon, reduced 272,304 pounds of nitrogen, reduced 24,323 pounds of phosphorus and provided 189 metric tons of sediment reduction. The Gulf Coast Initiative wetland conservation program provided many societal benefits beyond waterfowl — most notably through improving water quality and quantity, providing flood water storage, reducing impacts of climate change, and providing local and regional economic lift.
“During the last four years, Yamaha Rightwaters has supported Ducks Unlimited’s wetland habitat restoration, enhancement and protection efforts throughout the country,” said Will Johnson, Managing Director of Development, Ducks Unlimited. “From our initial collaborations in Texas and Louisiana to our partnership efforts in Wisconsin and Florida, we look forward to continuing our relationship to benefit wildlife, the environment and the general public.”
For more information, visit www.ducks.org, and be sure to follow DU’s Twitter feed – @DucksUnlimited and @DUConserve – to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.
About Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing wetlands, grasslands and other waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has restored or protected more than 18 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science, DU’s projects benefit waterfowl, wildlife and people in all 50 states. DU is growing its mission through a historic $3 billion Conservation For A Continent comprehensive campaign. Learn more at www.ducks.org.
Yamaha Rightwaters is a national sustainability program encompassing all of Yamaha Marine's conservation and water quality efforts. Program initiatives include habitat restoration, support for scientific research, mitigation of invasive species, reduction of marine debris, and environmental stewardship education. Yamaha Rightwaters reinforces Yamaha's long-standing history of natural resource conservation, support of sustainable recreational fishing and water resources, and the Angler Code of Ethics, which requires pro anglers to adhere to principles of stewardship for all marine resources.
Yamaha’s U.S. Marine Business Unit, based in Kennesaw, Ga., is responsible for the sales, marketing, and distribution of Yamaha Marine products in the U.S. including Yamaha Outboards, Yamaha WaveRunners®, Yamaha Boats, G3® Boats and Skeeter® Boats. Supporting 2,400 dealers and boat builders nationwide, Yamaha is the industry leader in reliability, performance, technology and customer service.
REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear.
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