The Friends of Crex partners with three other non-profit conservation organizations, Ducks Unlimited, Whitetails Unlimited and the Wisconsin Sharp-tailed Grouse Society.

The mission of Ducks Unlimited, founded in 1936 by a group of hunter/conservationists, is “to fulfill the annual life cycle needs of North American waterfowl by protecting, enhancing, restoring and managing important wetlands and associated uplands”. The Crex Meadows Chapter of Ducks Unlimited (CMDU) was formed in 1981 in Grantsburg and meets in the Crex Meadows Wildlife Education and Visitor Center.

Over the years, CMDU has raised in excess of $300,000 for waterfowl and wetlands. In turn, Ducks Unlimited has contributed more than twice that amount (over $700,000) for wetland restoration and enhancement projects in the Glacial Lake Grantsburg Wildlife Management Complex (Crex Meadows, Fish Lake, Amsterdam Sloughs, and Danbury wildlife areas).

Members of the CMDU Committee who are also Friends of Crex (FOC) members are Don Anderson, Mike Cole, Jim Evrard, Bob Hanson, and Paul Kooiker. Many other Ducks Unlimited members are also Friends of Crex members.

Founded in 1982, Whitetails Unlimited is a national non-profit conservation organization that has remained true to its mission and has made great strides in the field of conservation. We have gained the reputation of being the nation's premier organization dedicating our resources to the betterment of the white-tailed deer and its environment. Their purpose is to raise funds in support of... (1) educational programs; (2) habitat conservation, and (3) preservation of the hunting tradition for the direct benefit of the white-tailed deer and other wildlife.

Goal I A National educational campaign designed to address and instill in the general public, with emphasis on youth, a basic understanding of practical conservation measures.

Goal II Promote the acquisition, restoration, and management of wildlife habitat.

Goal III Preserve the hunting tradition for future generations.

More information about Whitetails Unlimited can be found here.

The Wisconsin Sharp-tailed Grouse Society (WSGS) was born in 1990 and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the FOC in 2001. This formal document describes levels of cooperation between the two conservation groups. The FOC provides a ‘home’ for the WSGS in the Crex Center and administrative support. In return, the WSGS provides financial compensation to the FOC for that support and other projects.

In one cooperative project, the WSGS partnered with the DNR and the FOC to buy a 170-acre property in the northwest corner of Crex Meadows. The WSGS also provided important political support for the approval of the Crex Meadows acquisition boundary expansion and the acquisition of the 320-acre Plum Creek Timber Company property also in the northwest corner of Crex Meadows. Many WSGS members are also members of the FOC.

All three organizations, the Friends of Crex, Ducks Unlimited, and the Wisconsin Sharp-tailed Grouse Society, have a common goal – the conservation and preservation of wildlife and wildlife habitat in the Glacial Lake Grantsburg Wildlife Complex. And all three groups have many common members. This spirit of cooperative partnership strengthens the conservation movement in the region.

If you are interested in more information on the Wisconsin Sharp-tail Grouse Society or the Crex Meadows Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, you may contact Jim Evrard at evrardsc@grantsburgtelcom.net.

Visit the Wisconsin Sharp-tailed Grouse Society webpage at www.wisharptails.org.

Interested in becoming a member of the Friends of Crex?  Click here for an application form.

Would you like to donate to the Friends of Crex?  Click here to go to the Donations Page.