Sept. 14, 2017 - Ducks Unlimited (DU) honored present and past employees of Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge for their commitment to wildlife and marsh management Wednesday (Sept. 13) at refuge headquarters in Grand Chenier.

In the last 30 years, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and DU have partnered on various projects leveraging governmental dollars alongside grants and private contributions. Many of these large-scale ecosystem restoration projects cost millions of dollars and would not be accomplished without public and private partnerships. Marsh restoration projects provide critical habitat for hundreds of fish and wildlife species, including migratory birds that depend on the refuge for stop-over habitat and resting areas along their migration routes.

Most famous for its alligator research, Rockefeller continues to perform valuable research and partner with universities throughout the world.

Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall honored refuge staff with a plaque for the long term partnership in Continental Conservation. DU de Mexico presented refuge manager Phillip "Scooter" Trosclair with a hand carved blue-winged teal signifying the primary waterfowl species that visits Mexico after leaving Rockefeller in the fall. The Ducks Unlimited Canada Order of Conservation was also presented to refuge staff, acknowledging efforts to enhance the future of wetlands and wildlife. This is only the ninth time this award has been given in this history of Duck's Unlimited Canada.

Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, which consists of 76,042 acres, is located in eastern Cameron and western Vermilion parishes. It borders the Gulf of Mexico for 26.5 miles and extends inland toward the Grand Chenier ridge, a stranded beach ridge, six miles from the Gulf. For more information on the refuge, go to ttp://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/refuge/rockefeller-wildlife-refuge or contact Gabe Giffin at 337-491-2000 or ggiffin@wlf.la.gov.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.la.gov. To receive recreational or commercial fishing email and text alerts, signup at http://www.wlf.la.gov/signup.