Southern Region Conservation: Wetlands, Water Control & the Future of Duck Habitat (Ep 768)

About this episode

The episode discusses Ducks Unlimited's conservation efforts in the Southern United States, focusing on wetlands, water control, and the future of duck habitat.

Ducks Unlimited’s work in the Southern United States is complex, diverse, and more critical than ever. In this episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher continues the regional conservation series with Jerry Holden , Senior Director of Operations for Ducks Unlimited’s Southern Region . Jerry oversees DU’s conservation delivery across the southern portions of the Mississippi, Central, and Atlantic Flyways , managing one of the organization’s largest and most diverse conservation portfolios. The conversation spans from duck hunting conditions and flyway dynamics to large‑scale engineering, coastal resilience, private‑lands conservation, and some of the most significant land protection efforts in DU’s history. In this episode, listeners will hear about: The 2025–26 waterfowl season across the Southern Region and why outcomes varied so widely “Spatial discontinuity” and how migratory birds create winners and losers each season The scope and purpose of DU’s Southern Region field offices across the Gulf Coast and MAV Why engineering is central to DU’s coastal resilience work in Texas, Louisiana, and the Atlantic Coast How Ducks Unlimited partners with NRC​S to implement Farm Bill conservation…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Mike Brasher

Guest: Jerry Holden

Topics covered

• wetlands conservation
• duck habitat
• water control
• coastal resilience
• private lands conservation
• waterfowl season
• land protection

Keywords

• Ducks Unlimited
• conservation
• waterfowl
• duck hunting
• coastal resilience
• land protection
• private lands
• engineering
• migratory birds
• conservation easements

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ducks Unlimited, NRC​S

Places: Southern United States, Gulf Coast, Texas, Louisiana, Atlantic Coast, coastal South Carolina, Arkansas

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