Spring Habitat Project
Prairie Pothole celebrated spring by having a small fire... A restoration burn. Chapter members worked together to burn 15 acres on a project near Sunburg, MN. Native prairie grasses, forbs, and windrows had been planted on the property and it was time for a revitalizing burn. So members gathered at the Creamery, in Sunburg to plan the fire and determine who had applied for the burn permit.
Permit in hand - chapter members adjourned to start a small fire and restore a small section of prairie. Water tanks were filled, diesel fuel and kerosene were mixed for the drip torches, and shovels were procured. Following a safety lecture by Leroy Dahlke, a chapter member and local DNR Area Wildlife Manager, the members lit the drip torches and burned the restoration. The prescribed burn suppressed invasive weeds and encouraged the growth of the native prairie grasses. Over the next few weeks the blackened and scorched land will be bursting with color as prairie plants and grasses emerge change the landscape from black to a verdant green.
Wood Duck Predator Guards
The Prairie Pothole Chapter of the Minnesota Waterfowl Association has been building and maintaining wood duck nesting boxes for the past 27 years. Roger Strand, a founding member of the chapter, is a nationally recognized authority on wood duck structures and has developed a best practices approach to helping wood ducks nest safely. A key component of these practices is to protect the nesting hen from predation. A predator guard below the nesting box provides this protection.
Prairie Pothole began working with a local contracting firm to cut and assemble predator guards for members and our annual habitat day. The guards have become increasingly popular and the contractor has asked the chapter to assume responsibility for ordering and answering any questions about nesting structures. You can learn more about Roger's best practices and order your own guards by going to the Predator Guard page.
Earth day at Prairie Woods
Prairie Pothole will be celebrating Earth Day with Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center. If you missed habitat day and want to build a wood duck box this is your chance. In addition to building boxes the chapter will be hosting an educational display on habitat protection and restoration. So set aside Saturday, April 18th, 2009 and plan on having breakfast at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center a few short miles from Spicer, Mn.
Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center
Directions to Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center
26th annual Prairie pothole day!
Prairie Pothole Day 2008 started cool and slow just like the weather but it will go into the record books as one of the best. Early guests started crashing the gates at 8AM looking for coffee and donuts to ward off the unseasonably cool morning chill. When the gates officially opened at 9AM a few more folks wandered in to look at vintage decoys, learn about wetland restoration, and climb the rock wall. By 10AM the Prairie Pothole Chapter members were nervously asking... When will the crowd show up? By 11AM the clouds had parted to reveal a crystal blue sky and the temperature began to rise just like the number of folks descending the driveway into the barnyard.
After a slow start Prairie Pothole Day 2008 was off... Kids were climbing the rock wall, adults were headed out to shooting,
everyone was milling around the barnyard learning about wetland conservation. And still they came down the driveway. At one
point it was nearly impossible to cross from the General Raffle tent to the Barn. And still they came down the driveway. They
purchased raffle tickets, became members of the Minnesota Waterfowl Association, and begged their parents to buy a puppy.
The day drew to a close a little early when it was clear that the guests had eaten Prairie Pothole Day out of house and home.. literally. By 3:30 in the afternoon
guests had consumed over 600 hamburgers, an equal number of hot dogs and bratwurst, finished off the pizza, and consumed just about every beverage on Stoney Ridge Farm.
And still they came down the driveway. They had also purchased just about every raffle ticket. So at 3:30 the committee began drawing for raffle prizes and announcing
the winners of the various games and the silent auction. An hour later everyone was slowly walking up the driveway having spent a great day learning about and
supporting wetland conservation. And how many had walked down the driveway in support of conservation.. 4013 (at least that's what the volunteers at the top of the hill
tell us).
Minnesota Habitat Conservation Topics
The mission of the Prairie Pothole Chapter is to enhance, protect and restore wetland habitat. Over the past 26 years public outreach and education has been an integral part of Chapter activities. Listed below are links to select topics from the Minnesota DNR that the Chapter feels are important to conservation efforts in and around the Willmar, Mn area.
