Yellowknife (Apr 28/06) - Ducks Unlimited is getting ready to mark its 20th anniversary in Yellowknife.

The national wetlands conservation group is planning a banquet at the Explorer Hotel April 29. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Organizer Bruce MacDonald said close to 200 people typically turn out to the annual event, in various states of dress, which is indicative of support for Ducks Unlimited in the community.

"We've had people show up in tuxedos and people show up in jeans and T-shirts," he said. "Show (Yellowknifers) a good time and a good cause and they'll come."

They'll also get live and silent auctions, raffles and the opportunity to buy Ducks Unlimited merchandise.

MacDonald, the Territories manager for four years and a volunteer fundraiser for the last three, said 80 per cent of every dollar fundraised goes to wetlands conservation. Last year's banquet raised $45,000.

While the Yk office started out mostly fundraising and doing some water bird inventories, Jason Charlwood, the office's fundraising manager and a biologist with Ducks Unlimited, said the organization has shifted its focus to the Western boreal forest.

"We really became science-based in our conservation efforts," Charlwood said.

Even though the Mackenzie Valley pipeline project is potentially the biggest environmental issue facing the North, Charlwood said Ducks Unlimited doesn't have a stance on the project itself. Instead, the groups wants to see a network of protected areas through the Protected Areas Strategy, passed by the territorial government in 1999.

"We're just concerned with the protection of wetland habitat and waterfowl populations in the North," Charlwood said.

MacDonald said he likes the way Ducks Unlimited works with governments, industry, and other environmental groups to conserve "working landscapes."

"I don't think we'd get very far in the conservation movement if we tried to have everything a national park."