Ducks, Packers spike ball for wetland wildlife
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Aug. 22, 2013 – Ducks Unlimited and the Green Bay Packers hosted a gathering today at the Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve in Brown County. The group gathered to dedicate a wetland restoration that will provide spawning habitat for northern pike and other wetland-dependent species.
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DU Supporters Surpass Horicon Challenge
Only halfway through a four-year challenge grant issued by the Ted and Grace Bachhuber Foundation, DU volunteers and supporters surpassed their $500,000 goal, ensuring a $1 million investment by the foundation in Wisconsin's Horicon Marsh.
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New Project Planned on Wisconsin Wildlife Area
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been working to restore wetlands in the Green Bay watershed since 1948, when it acquired the Sensiba Unit and established the Green Bay West Shores Wildlife Area.
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Wisconsin's Uihlein Waterfowl Production Area Enhanced
Ducks Unlimited recently completed wetland enhancement work on the Island and Elm pools on Uihlein Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) in Winnebago County, Wisconsin.
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DU, Partners Tour Green Bay Restoration Projects
DU recently partnered with the Healing Our Waters–Great Lakes Coalition to lead a tour of wetland restoration projects along the western shore of Green Bay.
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Wisconsin: Rush Lake
DU engineers, in cooperation with the Wisconsin DNR, developed project plans to restore 3,000 acres of emergent wetlands on Rush Lake, including sediment removal, construction of a sediment-settling pond and installing a new dam.
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DU Celebrates 100,000 Acres Conserved in Wisconsin
After 18 years of delivering on-the-ground waterfowl habitat conservation and completing more than 1,800 projects in Wisconsin, Ducks Unlimited last year surpassed the 100,000-acre milestone for waterfowl habitat conserved in the Badger State.
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Bachhuber Foundation Gift Benefits Horicon Marsh
This Wisconsin philanthropic group has committed $1 million to DU for conservation projects in Horicon Marsh and the surrounding watershed. The foundation gave $500,000 to DU as an outright gift and has offered an additional $500,000 in the form of a challenge grant to be matched by DU.
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Marshall & Ilsley Foundation comes through again for the ducks
The Marshall & Ilsley Foundation recently made a second $30,000 pledge to support DU habitat programs in the Eastern and Northwest Wisconsin priority areas. This generous pledge will be leveraged multiple times through federal and state programs and partnerships to expand our conservation efforts in the state.
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R.D. & Linda Peters Foundation
The R.D. & Linda Peters Foundation recently contributed $38,500 towards restoration efforts on Brillion and Killsnake State Wildlife Areas in Calumet and Manitowoc Counties. This generous contribution will be leveraged with funding from the Lower Fox River/Green Bay Natural Resource Trustee Council, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation via Sandi Beitzel’s Budweiser Outdoorsman of the Year Award, Wisconsin DNR, and Oxbow Sportsman’s Club to restore and enhance 130 acres of wetland habitat.
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Dane & Jefferson Counties
Ducks Unlimited and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service cooperated to restore 58 acres of wetland on private lands. The projects involved installing ditch plugs, tile breaks and constructing small earthen berms.
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Taylor County
Ducks Unlimited and the Wisconsin DNR cooperated to replace a water control structure on the 100-acre Flowage #1 at Pershing Creek State Wildlife Area. The flowage provides important wetland habitat for breeding and migrating waterfowl and a variety of other wetland-dependent wildlife.
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Oconto County
Ducks Unlimited, the Wisconsin DNR and Lower Fox River/Green Bay Natural Resource Trustee Council cooperated to enhance 220 acres of Oconto Marsh. The project involved replacing a pump and water control structures and rehabilitating levees.
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Richland County
Ducks Unlimited cooperated with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to restore 50 acres of drained wetland and 17 acres of native prairie on private land through the Wetlands Reserve Program. The project, which involved constructing ditch plugs, earthen berms and scrapes, will benefit waterfowl and other wetland wildlife that use this area.
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Lincoln County
Ducks Unlimited cooperated with Lincoln County, Wisconsin DNR and Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission to construct a 13-acre flowage on Bill Cross Rapids State Wildlife Area. The project, which involved constructing a 400-foot earthen berm, will provide critical wetland habitat for waterfowl and a variety of wetland-dependent wildlife.
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Iron County
Ducks Unlimited assisted the Iron County Forest and Wisconsin DNR with the replacement of an aging water control structure on the 200-acre Little Turtle Flowage. The flowage is one of the county’s premier bird watching areas, attracting bald eagles, osprey, trumpeter swans, black terns, geese, and several duck species.
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Juneau County
Ducks Unlimited cooperated with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, and Friends of Necedah National Wildlife Refuge to restore 43 acres of sedge meadow on Necedah National Wildlife Refuge. The project involved installing seven ditch plugs on two ditches near the refuge’s west boundary. Restored hydrology will eliminate invasive brush and trees, restoring open sedge meadow habitat for whooping and sandhill cranes, sedge wrens, and waterfowl.
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Douglas & Bayfield Counties
Ducks Unlimited provided cost share assistance to the Ashland Bayfield Douglas Iron County Land & Water Conservation Department to restore 49 acres of wetland and associated habitat on private land. These wetland restorations will provide critical habitat for breeding and brood rearing waterfowl.
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Forest,Langlade,Lincoln,Oneida and Vilas Counties
Ducks Unlimited provided cost share assistance to the Wisconsin DNR to maintain and restore wild rice beds in the Headwaters Basin. Wild rice is an annual aquatic grass that produces seed which is a delicious and nutritious source of food for waterfowl and people.
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Green Lake and Marquette Counties
Ducks Unlimited provided cost share assistance to the Wisconsin DNR to restore 14 acres of wetland habitat on White River Marsh and Grand River Marsh State Wildlife Areas. The projects involved installing ditch plugs, tile breaks, and excavating scrapes.
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Jackson County
Ducks Unlimited and the Wisconsin DNR cooperated to enhance 120 acres of wetland habitat on Dike 17 State Wildlife Area. The project involved installing new water control structures on the Little Thunder, Staffon, and Squaw Mound Flowages.
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Shawano County
Ducks Unlimited provided cost share assistance to the Wisconsin DNR to rehabilitate a 300-acre flowage on Navarino State Wildlife Area. The project involved replacing a water control structure off the Wolf River.
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Rock County
Ducks Unlimited and the Wisconsin DNR cooperated to restore two wetland basins on Rollette Extensive Wildlife Habitat Area. The project involved plugging a drainage ditch and excavating two wetland scrapes.
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Waushara County
Ducks Unlimited provided cost share assistance to the Wisconsin DNR to rehabilitate the 114-acre Boyson Flowage on Poygan Marsh State Wildlife Area. The project involved installing a new water control structure to facilitate water level and vegetation management to improve habitat for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife
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Barron County
Ducks Unlimited cooperated with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to restore 11 acres of wetland and 11 acres of native prairie on private land through the Wetland Reserve Program. The project, which involved constructing earthen embankments and scrapes, will provide a complex of waterfowl pair ponds and nesting habitat.
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Chaya Marsh project - nears completion
The enhancement of 310 acres of wetland at Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area in Dodge County is nearing completion. The contractor hired by DU completed core trenching and filling and stacking materials to build nearly 12,000 feet of levee in September.
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Southwest Pool project - Uihlein waterfowl production area completed
On November 3, 2006, DU and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service completed work to rehabilitate the 318-acre Southwest Pool on Uihlein Waterfowl Production Area in Winnebago County. Ducks Unlimited engineers provided the survey, restoration design, and construction oversight.
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Ducks Unlimited and CropLife America Partnership
Monsanto Company, a CropLife America member company, recently donated more than $30,000 of AquaMaster herbicide to Ducks Unlimited for controlling cattail at Horicon Marsh and Rush Lake. CropLife America and Ducks Unlimited are partnering on a national level in a novel Wildlife Conservation-Technology Initiative.
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Southeast Wisconsin coastal habitat initiative - Phase III NAWCA completed
Ducks Unlimited and its partners, the Wisconsin DNR, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Pheasants Forever, Ozaukee Washington Land Trust, Sheboygan County Conservation Association, Cleveland Fish & Game Association, Brian King, and numerous private landowners recently completed Phase III of the Southeast Wisconsin Coastal Habitat Initiative. The four-year initiative conserved 3,857 acres of wetland and
associated habitat on public and private land in thirteen counties in southeastern Wisconsin.
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Historic Rush Lake project completed
On Saturday, July 22, nearly 200 people gathered to celebrate the long awaited completion of the 3,000-acre Rush Lake restoration project. Rush Lake was once one of the most important wetlands for waterfowl and other wetland wildlife in Wisconsin. Extensive stands of bulrush and other aquatic vegetation attracted a multitude of wetland birds including waterfowl, red-necked grebes, and Forster’s and black terns.
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Eastern Wisconsin Priority Area
The priority area in southeast Wisconsin spans an area historically characterized by a glaciated mosaic of wetlands surrounded by tall grass prairie and oak savanna. Agriculture and development are the dominant activities resulting in a substantial reduction of small pothole wetlands and of the original prairie that covered much of the area prior to settlement.
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Northwest Wisconsin Priority Area
The Northwest priority area was historically dominated by pothole-type wetlands. However, agriculture and urban development have resulted in substantial wetland loss, fragmented grasslands, and increased sediment and nutrient loading to streams and rivers.
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Northwest Pool Project - Uihlien Waterfowl Production Area Completed
On May 26 th , DU and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service completed work to restore the 42-acre Northwest Pool project on Uihlein Waterfowl Production Area in Winnebago County. Ducks Unlimited engineers provided the survey, restoration design and construction oversight. The project, which was constructed by Krause Excavating from Markesan, involved rehabilitating two existing levees and installing a new water control structure.
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Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area
Ducks Unlimited volunteers, partners and supporters gathered on August 20 th to celebrate groundbreaking of the 310-acre Chaya Marsh project at Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area in Dodge County. Ducks Unlimited engineers developed the project plan, which includes constructing nearly 12,000 feet of new levee and installing two water control structures.
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Historic Rush Lake Project Nearing Completion
Work to restore historic Rush Lake in Winnebago County is nearing completion. Ducks Unlimited engineers in cooperation with Wisconsin DNR engineers developed the project plans to restore the lake, which includes installing a new dam on the Waukau Creek outlet and stream channel grading from the outlet downstream to Highway M. These improvements will allow managers to manipulate water levels mimicking the historic wet-dry cycle of this shallow water lake. Starting in spring 2006, the 3,000-acre lake will be drawn down for 2 years with the objective of exposing 50-75% of the lake bed in an effort to reestablish bulrush and other beneficial moist soil plants.
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Wisconsin Conservation Projects
Ducks Unlimited habitat conservation projects in Wisconsin. These projects benefit waterfowl, other wildlife and people. View sample projects, project map and more.
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Marquette County WRP
Construction work is set to begin this spring to restore a 240-acre muck farm in Marquette County. This Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) project is being delivered by DU in cooperation with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
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East Burnett Unit at Horicon Marsh
Much of the famed Horicon Marsh in Dodge County is in a degraded state due to sediment and nutrient inputs from the surrounding watershed, carp activity, and inadequate water level management capabilities. The result has been an expansion of cattail monocultures and a reduction in submergent vegetation that offers little wildlife value.
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Brillion State Wildlife Area Impoundment
Construction work on the Brillion State Wildlife Area Impoundment in Calumet County was completed in September 2002. The project developed approximately 50 acres of shallow water marsh that provides valuable habitat for breeding, brood rearing, and migrating waterfowl, as well as a variety of other wetland wildlife including shorebirds, wading birds, and songbirds.
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Prairie Flats Waterfowl Production Area
Project designs to restore approximately 40 acres of emergent wetland in St. Croix County have been finalized. Restoration work, which created a complex of small wetland basins and 110 acres of adjacent native tallgrass prairie, was completed in fall 2003.
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Baraboo River Waterfowl Production Area
DU assisted the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service with the purchase and installation of a water control structure on the Baraboo River Waterfowl Production Area. The newly acquired and restored area will provide approximately 800 acres of critical wetland habitat for a variety of wildlife species, as well as provide protection from future flood events in the area.
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