Getting Busy

By Bruce Ross, Executive Director bross@wisducks.org

This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s May, 2023 Newsletter edition.

 

What do these two birds have in common with WWA???

They need more capacity.

This photo came courtesy of Ryan Peterson, who, together with his middle school colleague (and wife), Jessica, developed the WWA Wood Duck science curriculum.  This new program is now being picked up by middle schools around the state.  For schools that adopt the curriculum, WWA provides wood duck boxes while corporate partner Tactacam offers a cellular camera to capture the fun that happens this time of year.  Ryan is prototyping the camera system and last month it caught these two hens squabbling over who was there first.  Volunteer of the Year Mike Depies suggested we start building duplex boxes (solid executive thinking, Mike).

The picture is apt for WWA — we are laying the foundation for some super 2023 accomplishments.  But as always, we can’t do it without your help:

• 

  One of the projects your funds helped complete via the waterfowl stamp grant.

  Event season is coming into full bloom: bashes, banquets, golf outings,  shoots and more. Join us for a great time – and a great cause.  Funds raised at those events are the seeds that blossom into grant dollars.  And those grant dollars fuel the habitat projects that grow the ducks for the fall.

• One example: our new ecologists are discovering opportunities for more and better restorations on the DNR lands that you and I can hunt. Did you know there are over 169,000 restorable wetland acres on DNR property just in the Lake Michigan Basin – which is only 1/5 of the state!  That’s a jaw dropping number. Fortunately, it looks like that work will benefit from the extra dollars your increased stamp dollars are providing.  And by the time we leverage those state duck stamp dollars against federal funds in the fall, we expect to have nearly $500K of restoration dollars available for restorations by the end of this year!
• We’re ramping up [already?!!?] for our fall learn-to-hunts – help us knock this expanding program out of the park. It’ll be fun and maybe the most rewarding thing you’ve done with hunting.
• EXPO plans are beginning to gel. With a new building reserved, 30% more vendors, and tons more activities for the hardcore waterfowler and her family, EXPO3 looks like it’ll be a great one.  The EXPO’s Youth Zone, under the leadership of Reed Kabelowsky of the WI Youth Conservation Congress, is upping the game (more on this next month).  Make sure to mark your calendar for 26 August.  We could use your help.

At Waukesha’s superb banquet last month, I enjoyed some time with WWA’s two founders: President #1 Jerry Solsrud and First Member Rob Kieckhefer, who started the ball rolling 40 years ago.  I continue to be gobsmacked that as young men, Jerry and Rob envisioned the value of a WWA, and further, that they had the leadership, energy and commitment to make it happen.  I’m proud to be associated with the organization they started—I hope you are too.  Got some ideas that would make a swell 40^th anniversary?  Send me an email at bross@wisducks.org.

Which brings me back to the idea of capacity.  As much as WWA is growing its impact, there’s lots more to be done for state waterfowlers — we just need more bandwidth.  And that’s where you come in – please consider volunteering for something that brings you joy; or becoming a sustaining member; or consider WWA for a planned gift.  Your investment can make WWA even more impactful in the next 40 years!

See you in the marsh,
Bruce

P.S.  As we were going to print, this picture came in from Ryan Peterson.  Today he had the UWSP research team there (another WWA partner) to collect data on the breeding wood ducks.  Kids were engaged and helped band some of the hens.