Duck Day 10: A decade of the Duck in Steuben County
Indiana’s largest Greenwing event takes place each year in the extreme north eastern county. Duck Day is a two day event hosted by the Steuben County committee. Area schools arrive in buses and are taken by wagon almost a mile into Cedar Swamp, (an 800 acre DNR property managed for waterfowl and purchased with help from DU).
The students rotate through six classes that are waterfowl related, “Hands on”, and fun. Station one consists of wood duck box building. The Steuben County committee has built, set up and maintained over 200 wood duck boxes in the surrounding area. Many of these boxes are built by the students. Through out the years, much of duck day has been funded through wood duck box sales. The wood duck has become somewhat of a symbol for the event.
The second station consists of several mounted birds. Committee members have compiled a collection of waterfowl mounts. Several species are represented. All the birds have been taken within 10 miles of Cedar Swamp. Many bird bands are also shared with the kids. The scientific aspect of this process is also explained to the kids. Finally, the various adaptations and habitat requirements necessary for waterfowl to survive are shared. Before heading to the next class, Duck I.D. posters are handed to the curious students.
Station three has become known as the Wetland Zoo. Small boats are pushed out into the wetland and nets scoop up the diverse macro-invertebrates found in the swamp. According to the handy chart, Cedar Swamp has excellent water quality. Leeches, cadis fly larva, and many other “critters” that can live only in clean water were found.
Next on the rotation: “the Swamp Stomp”. An area of Cedar Swamp is bog habitat. The students divide into two groups. One group jumps up and down, while the second group feels the group shake. This is because the bog actually is floating on water. The Angola FFA ran this station and also explained the many advantageous reasons people need wetland areas: Flood control, water quality, run off reduction. They club even put together an excellent demonstration of how buffer strips work. Two mounds of dirt were set on a 4X8. One mound was left as plain dirt. The other was covered with sod. Water was then poured on each dirt mound. The advantages of utilizing buffers strips to keep dirt in fields were demonstrated with clarity!
A writing activity was the next class. Students rolled several dice to see where they traveled if they were a water droplet. Then they wrote about their journey. Lakes, rivers, ground water, clouds, and glaciers were all possibilities. If a student rolled: Glacier. They were “stuck” for 10,000 years and had to write about their journey of an inch a year!
The final stop had students planting trees and listening to a Conservation Officer explain his job, and how hunters and fishermen actually benefit wildlife through taxes, licenses, and controlling populations.
Once each station was completed, the students hopped on hay wagons and were escorted back to the swamp parking lot. Every kid received a T-shirt and those who were interested were given a free Greenwing membership.
To make it all happen, 25 adults, and 15 high school students volunteered. The Christel DeHaan Family Foundation donated $5000.00 to make sure every kid received the shirts and memberships. Snyder’s Culligan of Fremont Indiana donated 600 bottles of water, and The Nature Conservancy donated 700 trees. Other sponsors included: Tenneco Incorporated, the 101 Lakes Kiwanis, Land of Lakes Lion’s Club, The Lake James Home Owners’ Association, Angola Fire Department, and Aquatic Enhancement.
Most importantly, the youth of Steuben County have an understanding of the vital importance of wetlands and their complex eco-systems. Hopefully in the years ahead, the remaining wetlands of Indiana will benefit from the 550 kids spending a day getting wet and muddy. Through the mud, many smiles were obvious.
Scott Hottell