By Bruce Urben, WWA President
This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s June, 2023 Newsletter edition.
Pulaski, WI., located just northwest of Green Bay, is probably known more for its rich polish heritage, its delicious polish Paczki’s (pronounced “poochkees”) and its nearly weeklong Polka Days celebration in July. But, several Pulaski Middle School teachers, including Dave Landers and Kaleb Santy (WWA chapter volunteer), are also working to make Pulaski known for its natural resources education by organizing a conservation field day (held on May 15th) for the Pulaski School District’s fourth grade students that is second to none.
Hands on teaching at Pulaski Natural Resource Field Day
WWA volunteer Jeremy VanSistine and I were invited to participate and represent WWA in the 2023 Natural Resource Field Day along with nine other conservation organizations. Each organization provided hands-on activities and information about the area’s natural resources. The field day was held at the Pulaski School Forest, which features a beautiful trail, a mixture of wetland areas, a pine plantation, a meandering creek, grassy prairie and hardwood forest. Ten stations were located along their school trail where the students were able to spend time learning about nature practices, wetland animals, native plants and pollinators. They had the opportunity to sample and identify invertebrates from the creek, learn about soil erosion, understand bluebird ecology, tree planting and identification and historical forestry practices.
Jeremy VanSistine discussing wood duck ecology
WWA provided information on wood duck ecology, with a mounted wood duck specimen on-hand that the students could hold and study. Each group of students was able to build a wood duck nesting box for erection in their school forest. Pulaski School District is participating in WWA’s wood duck curriculum, recently made available this spring.
Students building a wood duck box with WWA at the Field Day
Over 140 fourth grade students were staged in eight groups that rotated through each station over the course of the day. Enthusiastic, interested, excited and overwhelmed with questions could characterize each student attending the Field Day!
Kudos to Mr. Landers and Mr. Santy for organizing and coordinating the field day for the students. I know we enjoyed our time there and we are hopeful that we may have interacted with some of our next wildlife biologists, researchers, or scientists!
Bruce Urben discussing wood duck ecology at Pulaski Natural Resource Field day
Other stations at the Field Day were offered and staffed by WDNR, Barkhausen Wildlife Preserve (Brown Co. Parks), USDA Forestry, WI-Greenfire, NRCS, UW- Stevens Point and the Bluebird Restoration Association.