Group seeks volunteers to help preserve wetlands

Across the United States, wetlands are rapidly disappearing at a rate of 100,000 acres annually, according to a press release from Ducks Unlimited, a conservation organization.

Wetlands provide social and economic value as well as recreational activities, with outdoor recreation alone generating more than $23 billion a year, according to the press release.

Through partnerships with government agencies, corporations, individuals and other nonprofit organizations, the conservation organization is working to restore wetlands. Individuals can help by becoming a DU member or volunteer. For information on DU committees in the local area, visit the Web site at www.ducks.org.

Ducks Unlimited has more than 1 million supporters, and since its founding in 1937 has raised more than $1.5 billion and conserved nearly 11 million acres of critical wildlife habitat across North America, according to the press release.