The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) was recently presented with the National Blue Heron Award by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The prestigious Blue Heron Award recognizes outstanding contributions toward the conservation of waterfowl habitat.

The DOW has been a steadfast leader in conserving wetland habitats throughout the state. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Colorado Wetlands Program has been a model for innovative, cooperative conservation throughout the country.

This program, first created in 1997 as the "Wetlands Initiative," began as collaboration between the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, the DOW, the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Great Outdoors Colorado and the Nature Conservancy. The DOW has also expanded the program's partnership base to include many private landowners, municipalities, and other state and federal agencies and nongovernmental organizations.

The DOW has helped to leverage a total of $70 million in partner funds to support 700 projects at 500 important sites throughout the state. Partners have protected approximately 187,500 acres of wetlands and associated uplands through the acquisition of fee title or conservation easements, and have restored another 62,500 acres. More than 200 miles of streams have also been protected or restored through the program.