Ducks Unlimited Report for FOTMWC Board Meeting September 29, 2021

Ducks Unlimited Partner Update – 9/29/2021

Prepared by Ed Farley

Seneca River Floodplain (65-acres)

• Permits:
  – Permit applications have been submitted.
  – SHPO review has been completed and approval has been received.
  – According to DEC permitting, we should receive our permits in the next week.
• Construction:
  – Delivery is planned for Fall/Winter 2021.

Montezuma Lands Protection Partnership

• We just received the signed purchase agreement for a large parcel of land in the complex that was identified through public outreach.
• Long term goal is to transfer part of the property to the USFWS, and the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission just approved funding to cover that portion of the property.
• Still looking at options for the remainder of the property.
• We are exploring the possibility of pursuing another Land Trust Alliance Grant to help future efforts related to this program.

Reimagine the Canals Project

DU continues our partnership with NYSDEC, NY Power Authority, and Arcadis to help deliver the Reimagine the Canals wetland enhancement projects. DU’s role is to assist with the permitting process during this first year of projects. We are exploring ways to expand our partnership in the future years to further support this project.

Outreach

DU staff recently flew a drone over several projects on Northern Montezuma WMA to get videos for public outreach purposes. We are currently editing the footage and working on voiceovers. As soon as I have the finished products, I will make sure to make them available to partners.

New Funding Opportunities

DU is cooperating with Montezuma Partners to identify new projects and advance new funding opportunities. There are several grant opportunities that we are exploring that have promise