The 1994 Update to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, titled "Expanding the Commitment," marks the first revision of the 1986 Plan, extending its vision through 2001 and beyond while incorporating Mexico as a full partner alongside Canada and the United States. This trinational accord reaffirms the Plan's core purpose: to restore waterfowl populations through wetland ecosystem management, conserve biological diversity in the Western Hemisphere, integrate wildlife conservation with sustainable economic development, and foster public-private partnerships. By addressing ongoing habitat losses and population declines, the Update emphasizes ecosystem-based approaches that benefit not only waterfowl but also broader environmental health, water quality, and human communities reliant on these resources.

Since the Plan's inception, partners had invested over $500 million, securing more than 2 million acres of habitat through protection, restoration, and enhancement via 12 habitat joint ventures and 2 species joint ventures. Population goals remained focused on returning ducks, geese, and swans to 1970s levels, with specific targets like 62 million breeding ducks supporting a 100 million fall flight, alongside stable or increasing trends for most species except northern pintails and certain goose populations. Habitat objectives expanded to protect over 11 million acres, restore more than 5 million, and enhance over 9 million across key North American areas, prioritizing mid-continent prairie breeding grounds and integrating private land conservation with policy reforms in agriculture and trade.

The Update introduced 22 recommendations — 7 for populations, 13 for habitats, and 2 for policy — to guide implementation, evaluation, and adaptation, including enhanced monitoring, scientific research, and adjustments to joint ventures. It underscores the Plan's role in sustainable development, highlighting ancillary benefits like economic contributions from recreation (billions annually) and support for over 700 other species. Ultimately, this document transforms the Plan into a dynamic, long-term framework for continental collaboration, projecting completion of objectives by at least 2010 while ensuring ongoing habitat maintenance amid persistent environmental challenges.