January 2019

Reaffirmed Goals and Objectives

This 2018 Update documents progress since the 2012 Revision and 2014 Addendum, reaffirms the three core NAWMP goals, and highlights integrated achievements while charting the path forward.

  • Populations - Maintain long-term average breeding ducks (TSA 1955–2014; ESA 1990–2014) and periodically achieve ≥40 million (TSA) / ≥2.7 million (ESA).
  • Habitat - Conserve dynamic wetlands capable of sustaining long-term averages, periodic abundance, and recreational/ecological benefits.
  • People - Increase active support (hunters, viewers, landowners) to levels seen in the past two decades.

Key Achievements from 2012 to 2018

  • Integration - Joint Ventures scaled continental objectives to landscapes; developed decision-support tools (e.g., Upper Mississippi River & Great Lakes JV DST, Priority Landscapes maps) that explicitly balance waterfowl, habitat, and human dimensions.
  • Community examples - Playa Lakes JV (aquifer recharge + municipal partnerships), Intermountain West JV (working ranches), Rainwater Basin JV (public hunting access), San Francisco Bay JV (voter-approved wetland tax), Prairie Habitat JV (economic ROI analysis), Black Duck JV (recreation-site modeling).
  • Continental efforts - NAWMP Human Dimensions Working Group - Public Engagement Team (HDWG-PET) formed; 2017 NAWMP Stakeholder Surveys completed; Public Engagement Strategy launched; Future of Waterfowl II Workshop held; hunter recruitment/retention workshops; institutional review of Plan Committee.

Challenges and Learnings

  • Ongoing threats - habitat loss, climate change, overabundant geese, sea-level rise.
  • Societal disconnect from nature erodes traditional support.
  • New insights from surveys: broad public valuation of wetland benefits (clean water, flood control, recreation); need for adaptive public-engagement frameworks mirroring harvest/habitat models.

Where We’re Going

  • Create “pathways to participation” linking waterfowl conservation to broader societal benefits (health, clean water, sustainable food).
  • Leverage ecosystem services and “green infrastructure” funding.
  • Build adaptive capacity for public engagement using stakeholder data and model-based objectives.

Reflections

The NAWMP’s 32-year success stems from science-based adaptation and partnerships. The 2012 “people” goal has accelerated integration; the community is now poised to broaden support while staying focused on waterfowl.

Eight Recommendations for 2018 to 2028

  1. Focus actions on habitat/population objectives + integrate social science.
  2. Help people understand recreation opportunities and societal benefits.
  3. Compel action to conserve habitat (full stakeholder-survey analysis + engagement strategy by 2020).
  4. Identify priority landscapes for waterfowl and people.
  5. Review/update objectives every 10 years.
  6. Share knowledge to integrate habitat, waterfowl, and people's needs.
  7. Bolster training for future professionals.
  8. Replace Interim Integration Committee with liaisons + ex officio members.

The Update reinforced “think continentally, integrate locally” and positions the NAWMP community to sustain abundant waterfowl, resilient habitats, and growing public support amid changing social-ecological conditions.

2018 North American Waterfowl Management Plan Update: Connecting People, Waterfowl, and Wetlands