By Bruce Urben, President
This article appeared in the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s July 2026 eNewsletter.
NRCS EQIP Grant Helping to Manage and Restore WWA’s Abrams Property
Jesse Nickels, representing Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s Green Bay Chapter and WWA President Bruce Urben, met with State NRCS Conservationist Nathan Fikkert, District Conservationist Jeff Maroszek, Dan Hoff, Resource Conservationist and NRCS project lead, along with five members of the NRCS Lena Service Center staff to observe and document the work being completed at WWA’s Abrams Property project site in Southern Oconto County.
WWA was approved for an NRCS EQIP Grant to complete habitat improvements at the 143-acre WWA Abrams property, including 31+ acres of WDOT adjacent property. This property is being managed for hunting opportunities, including disabled waterfowl blinds and Deer blinds. The EQIP Grant supports property management, and to date, a Forest Management plan has been completed; a brush management program has been implemented; and wetland restoration and invasive control were completed in 2025!
Additional work is planned beginning in 2026, including forest planned cutting/thinning, more brush management, phragmites control, planting over 10 acres of pollinator plants, and over 30,000 trees to regenerate the Dying Ash stands.
WWA has entered into contracts with NRCS to complete the work through 2028.
WWA has previously developed 3 disabled accessible duck blinds, 5 disabled accessible deer blinds, over 1 mile of disabled accessible trails, a pike spawning scrape along Brookside Creek, an observation deck, and wetland scrapes. Two parking areas have also been established for public use. This property is privately owned, but publicly accessible according to WWA-stated rules.
Learn more about WWA’s Abrams project site on our website at wisducks.org. Anyone interested in helping with any part of this restoration work can contact WWA’s Bruce Urben at 920-660-2773.
