By Bruce Ross, Executive Director bross@wisducks.org
This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s February, 2023 Newsletter edition.
In addition to accomplishing a lot in 2022, we also worked hard to lay the foundation for significant initiatives we’ll be doing this year. This foundation work includes:
Signing a contract with the DNR to provide wetland restoration services, bringing needed capacity and competency to the state’s degraded wetlands. (This effort is only possible through Pittman-Robertson funding – see Noah Wishau’s article exploring P-R funding).- WWA’s established new role as wild rice distribution agent for the state will grow the opportunity to establish (or reestablish) rice beds throughout.
- We established the Waterfowlers Academy which includes a grant-funded initiative to bring the next iteration of waterfowlers into our community.
- Expanding our social media and digital marketing efforts to engage more of the state’s waterfowlers in WWA’s mission set.
- Re-establishing and expanding the WWA wood duck nesting program in practice and education.
- Continued expansion of the Midwest’s ONLY waterfowl-focused Waterfowl Hunters EXPO to attract even greater numbers of young and old waterfowlers.
- Planned specific initiatives to grow WWA’s funding base and diversify our revenue sources to expand and sustain our impact on behalf of state waterfowlers.
- And more!
Want to learn more? Stay tuned for an invite to the state meeting in March where you can avoid late winter travel by turning on your computer. Want to play a role in this year’s initiatives? Send me a note: bross@wisducks.org.