Ducks Unlimited and partners restoring Talmo Marsh

Ducks Unlimited is working to restore an historic Kansas marsh with the purchase of the Borchardt Tract. The 160-acre tract in northeast Kansas contains unique waterfowl habitat and is adjacent to the Talmo Marsh Wildlife Area, which is owned by the Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism (KDWPT).

Talmo Marsh has an incredibly diverse wetland ecosystem where saltwater habitats and freshwater marshes lay side-by-side, supporting an abundance of plant and animal life, including thousands of waterfowl, shorebirds and other wildlife species. DU, KDWPT, The Nature Conservancy and other partners are working over the next couple of years to acquire and restore the entire historic 1,000-acre marsh. Talmo is one of the original salt marshes given to the state of Kansas by the federal government when Kansas joined the Union. The state later sold these large marshes to raise money to build the Emporia Teachers' College.

DU is currently working with the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service to design and implement a wetland restoration project on the Borchardt tract. After restoration, DU will transfer ownership to KDWPT, which will manage it as part of the wildlife area. Once complete the property will be open to a wide variety of public uses, including hunting.