8th Annual Wood Duck Day
Come build a Wood Duck nesting box on Saturday, March 6th, 2010. Volunteers from the Prairie Pothole Chapter will be on hand to help families build all cedar nesting structures at the Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center. The box kit includes a predator guard, wood shavings, and a pole with mounting hardware. Each kit is $10 with a limit of 2 per family. For more information please call (320) 235-7287 or (320) 214-1497.
Outdoor Heritage Fund Grants
The Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council was establishes by the Minnesota legislature to provide annual recommendations to the legislature on how dedicated funds should be spent. The statue that created the council requires that it encourage and support local conservation efforts. The legislature in implementing the councils recommendations established this partnership program in the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The resulting Outdoor Heritage Fund Conservation Partners Grants Program is designed for local, regional, state, or national organizations wanting to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitats.
The Prairie Pothole Chapter responded to the Councils request for applications and submitted several grants for projects in Kandyohi County. Two of the grants were funded. The Regal Meadows Project will harvest local prairie grass seeds for use in regenerating prairie plots on adjacent property. The second funded project focuses on removing invasive tree's and shrubs to revitalize several WMA's in Kandyohi County.
These projects will begin in 2010 and should hopefully be completed by 2011. Check back for progress on these and other chapter projects in the future.
Prairie Pothole Chapter Spring Banquet
The Spring Banquet is scheduled for Friday, January 29th, 2010 at the Kandyohi Entertainment Center in Willmar, MN. The annual membership banquet is a time to reminisce about seasons past, plan for future conservation projects, and come together as a chapter to support Minnesota Waterfowl Association.
Predator Guards - Price Increase
The Prairie Pothole Chapter has been working with Chappell Central the past few years to provide effective and economical predator guards for wood duck nesting boxes. Due to increased costs the price of predator guards will increase on January 1, 2010 by $1. So if you are looking for a unique present for you conservationist consider a wood duck house and predator guard this holiday season. You can learn more about the predator guards by following the link to the right.
Mark your Calendars!
Prairie Pothole Day 2010 is Saturday, September 11th
Success! - Prairie Pothole 2009
Prairie Pothole Day 2009 - a fundraiser for the Prairie Pothole Chapter of the Minnesota Waterfowl Association - turned out to be the best way to spend a glorious late summer day outside. After the morning fog burned off families began to stream down the driveway into the barnyard before spreading out to spend time learning about the environment, climb the rock wall, or try their hand at the games and raffles.
New seminar speakers, vendors, and activities joined the old favorites. Scott Threinen and Jim Crace returned to discuss waterfowl calling and how to pick and raise a puppy. Chad Hughes from Wings North demonstrated how to quickly prepare game after the hunt, grilling bacon wrapped chukar partridge on a grill.
Dog Dogs, another new event, was great fun for handlers, dogs, and the crowd. The bleachers were full all day as folks watched dogs vie for the title of long jumper. Beyond the farmyard folks had a great time shooting black powder rifles, walking the 3D archery trail, and trying their hand at sporting clays.
The day was a tremendous success raising funds to protect and restore wetland habitat in the Prairie Pothole Region of Minnesota. If you would like to learn more about habitat conservation in the Willmar area or would like to become an active member of the Prairie Pothole Chapter please contact a committee member or sign up via the volunteer web form.
Prairie Pothole Day Links
- 2009 Prairie Pothole Day Poster
- Prairie Pothole Day
- Prairie Pothole Day Seminar Schedule
- Directions to Prairie Pothole Day
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, forbes, 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.
Minnesota Habitat Conservation Topics
The mission of the Prairie Pothole Chapter is to enhance, protect and restore wetland habitat. Over the past 27 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.
