1. United States
2. R.I.
3. Letter

Preserve the Prairie Pothole Region: Protect North America’s Waterfowl Nursery Dear Senator/Representative, I urge you to support strong federal protections and sustained funding for the Prairie Pothole Region, one of North America’s most important ecosystems. Spanning portions of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Canada’s prairie provinces, these wetlands are known as North America’s Duck Factory because they produce most of the continent’s breeding ducks. The health of this landscape directly affects migratory bird populations across every major U.S. flyway. Hunters have long understood what science confirms: healthy wetlands produce healthy duck populations. Millions of waterfowl harvested each year originate in the Prairie Pothole Region. When wetlands are drained or degraded, nesting success declines, duck numbers fall, and the effects ripple across America’s hunting traditions, rural economies, and outdoor recreation. For nearly a century, hunters have also demonstrated their commitment to conservation through the purchase of the Federal Duck Stamp. Those who buy Duck Stamps do so with the expectation that the revenue will be used to conserve and expand critical waterfowl habitat, including the Prairie Pothole Region. Congress should honor that conservation partnership by ensuring these funds continue to protect the wetlands that sustain the very waterfowl populations Duck Stamp purchasers have invested in preserving. These wetlands provide far more than duck habitat. They reduce flooding, filter pollutants, recharge groundwater, store carbon, support pollinators, and sustain countless species of birds, fish, amphibians, mammals, and insects. As droughts and severe storms become more frequent, intact wetlands serve as natural infrastructure that strengthens both agricultural landscapes and community resilience. I respectfully ask Congress to: Strengthen permanent protections for Prairie Pothole wetlands. Ensure Duck Stamp revenues continue to be directed toward acquiring and conserving critical wetland habitat, consistent with the program’s conservation mission. Increase funding for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. Expand voluntary conservation easements through USDA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Reward farmers and ranchers who preserve wetlands and native prairie while maintaining productive operations. Invest in restoration, scientific monitoring, and climate resilience efforts that sustain healthy waterfowl populations. Protecting the Prairie Pothole Region is not simply an environmental issue. It is an investment in America’s hunting heritage, clean water, flood protection, wildlife conservation, agricultural sustainability, and outdoor economy. Hunters, farmers, ranchers, Tribal Nations, conservationists, scientists, and outdoor enthusiasts all share an interest in preserving this irreplaceable landscape before further losses become irreversible. Thank you for your service and for your consideration of this request.