Remembering Carl Madsen: A Pioneer of Private Lands Conservation
A Letter from Chuck Pyle, South Dakota
Dear Colleagues,
It is with deep respect and sadness that we share the passing of Carl Madsen, a pioneering leader in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a true champion for private lands conservation.
Carl is widely regarded as one of the founders of what became the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. Through his early work on the Mid-Continent Waterfowl Management Project, he established the principles, partnerships, and practical tools that demonstrated how conservation could succeed on private lands. At a time when such work was considered untested or unwieldy, Carl proved that meaningful habitat restoration on private land could be achieved through collaboration with farmers, ranchers, and local communities.
Throughout his career, Carl was unwavering in his dedication to waterfowl and their habitats. He helped restore and protect wetlands and grasslands across the Midwest and the Prairie Pothole Region, shaping a model that has since been adopted nationwide. His extraordinary service was formally recognized with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Distinguished Service Award in 2002, the Meritorious Service Award, and the Special Service Award in 2003—honors that reflect both the impact and enduring value of his work.
Equally important was Carl’s commitment to partnerships. He believed that lasting conservation started locally, rooted in cooperation among agencies, non-governmental organizations, sportsmen’s groups, conservation districts, and private landowners. His leadership exemplified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s mission to work collaboratively for the benefit of wildlife, people, and the lands they steward.
Carl’s legacy lives on through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the thousands of landowners and partners who continue the work he helped create. We honor his life by carrying forward his vision—conservation grounded in relationships, integrity, and a deep respect for both wildlife and working lands.
Please join us in remembering Carl Madsen and in extending our thoughts to his family, friends, and all who were fortunate to work alongside him.
In 2007 and 2020, Carl recorded an oral history of his contributions to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program, respectively. Read the transcripts here:
North American Waterfowl Management Plan oral history transcript
Carl Madsen Oral History Transcript