By Bruce Ross, Executive Director
This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s February 2020 Volunteer Newsletter edition.
Valley chapter volunteers Pete Strenn, Doug Helm and Keven O’Brien installed 15 of Erich’s wood duck boxes in May, 2019 to support breeding in Outagamie county
Last fall, as WWA was beginning to run low on wood duck boxes, long-time volunteer Erich Pitz (Wetland Life Member and former WWA Volunteer of the Year) started the structure replenishment cycle once more, by raising the funds necessary to build about 400-500 wood duck boxes. This money pays for the lumber, which students at the Blackwell Job Corps Center in Laona, WI turn into kits and boxes for use by WWA over the next three years. The wood is dropped off at the school, and after the kits/boxes are completed, Erich picks them up. The construction work has now been completed and kits are being re-located to long-term storage.
Erich, who has been the engine behind this project for over ten years, stores the completed boxes and kits at one of his barns near Manitowoc, and when they are needed, opens the barn to WWA members and staff to deliver them to the right location. We estimate over 2,500 wood duck boxes have been built through Erich’s good graces.
As a result of some of the volunteer opportunities that have recently been highlighted in this newsletter, new volunteer Bart Tegen, from the Rhinelander area, will be assisting with the logistics of the program. Bart’s “day job” involves logistics and inventory management, so we’re hoping to find some opportunities to put nesting structures where they are needed efficiently. Stay tuned. And welcome aboard Bart.
We are still looking for someone who would like to put some education behind this program. Imagine kids putting up a duck box, and then getting a monthly newsletter telling them what wood ducks are doing that month – migrating north, pairing, seeking nesting cavities, brooding, hatching, fletching, etc.. What a neat way to engage our NexGen of waterfowlers (and their families)! Want to play a role?? Know someone who might?? Let me know at bruceross@wi.rr.com.