Conservator

A Marsh Keeper’s journey: Arthur Irving’s commitment to wetland conservation

volume 34 number 1

spring 2013

Our P roud P ast

Our land is packed with precious potential.

Through a real estate gift to Ducks Unlimited Canada, you’re helping conserve and protect our natural areas.

Donations of a home, farm, recreational property or undeveloped land (like pasture and forest) are all welcomed. These generous gifts further conservation work with the sale proceeds from the gifted real estate going towards protecting, restoring and conserving Canada’s wetlands.

Working with you to find the right financial solution, your gift of land can provide you with substantial tax and estate planning benefits. For more information, please contact Grant Monck at g_monck@ducks.ca or 1-778-875-6220.

volume 34 number 1

2013

Conservator and the French Conservationniste are national, quarterly publications designed to inform, educate and entertain DUC members about the company’s efforts in habitat conservation. Articles may reinforce a conservation ethic, feature members and their efforts, as well as promote values of wetlands and uplands in terms of waterfowl, wildlife, recreation, water quality and sustainable agriculture. Members receive the magazine as a primary benefit of their membership.

above: ©DUC/Brian Wolitski

Publisher Greg Siekaniec Editor Amy Doerksen Director communications and marketing Sandy Gousseau Manager creative services Lindsay Pikta-Marie Graphic designers Aquila Samson Kacy Tran Jeope Wolfe

14 Transcending from Tragedy Delta Marsh’s health was declining for years. Many knew problems existed but solutions were daunting. That was until DUC took a leadership role, bringing the right mixture of funding partners and expertise to make tackling restoration of the renowned wetland a reality. By Amy Doerksen

Contact Ducks Unlimited Canada Toll-free 1-800-665-3825 Website ducks.ca Email webfoot@ducks.ca Mail Box 1160, Stonewall MB R0C 2Z0

20 From the Marsh to the Mint In 2013, numismatists and nature lovers in Canada and around the world will have several freshly minted ways to celebrate wetland and waterfowl conservation. By Leigh Patterson

© Ducks Unlimited Canada, 2013 SSN 0833-1340 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064849 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 1160, Stonewall MB R0C 2Z0

28 The Irving Commitment Arthur Irving is someone who doesn’t do anything halfmeasure. Over the past 40 years, he’s shared a dedication with environmental conservation efforts, and especially with Ducks Unlimited. By Chelsea Murray

More stories are waiting for you at conservator.ca Go to conservator.ca for special online features that enhance the great stories you’ve come to expect in our award-winning magazine. Experience more from the world of wetland and waterfowl conservation.

Join our online community!

Follow DUC on Twitter at ducks.ca/twitter, join us on Facebook at ducks.ca/facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel at youtube.com/ducksunlimitedcanada

Charitable Registration No. 11888 8957 RR0001 DUC’s annual membership fees start at $35.00.

Officers Committee of Ducks Unlimited Canada, Board of Directors Chairman President Vice President Vice President Treasurer Secretary

Jack H. Hole Thomas S. Worden Malcolm M. Dunfield James E. Couch David C. Blom Mauri M. Rutherford

Chief Executive Officer Gregory E. Siekaniec Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is the leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment.

Proud to tell our story

A

nniversaries, by their very nature, make us nostalgic. Celebrating a milestone compels us to reflect upon the path that’s led us to our current destination. Anniversaries conjure up memories about people and places, and how they are woven into the fabric of who we are.

The challenges we’ve faced, the opportunities we’ve seized, the wrong turns, the strokes of luck and the well-deserved successes are all things to be proud of for one simple reason: they are ours. They were the fabric of our story.

This issue of Conservator is the first in our 75th anniversary year. Fittingly, it’s a tribute to our proud past. Many of you have been travelling this journey in support of wetlands and waterfowl with us for some time. I hope the stories and images in the magazine take you back to special moments of years ago, or expose you to a bit of history you might never have known. For readers who have recently joined our flock, I hope this issue provides you with an interesting and inspiring perspective on how our 75-year

4

Conservator | spring 2013

journey first took shape.

We call the people who have helped shape DUC’s story Marsh Keepers – people like Arthur Irving (pg 28) who has devoted much of his life to giving back to the natural areas that have given so much to him. The places that we’ve visited through our conservation efforts are living legacies – places like the Eaton Lodge and the worldfamous Delta Marsh (pg 15) that are making a difference in the future of waterfowl, wildlife and all Canadians.

So as DUC marks its 75th anniversary, I can’t help but feel the warmth and nostalgia of days gone by. Seventy-five years ago, DUC was an idea – a bold and

ambitious idea – in the hearts and minds of a small group of waterfowlers. Today, DUC is part of a continental movement dedicated to wetland conservation. Celebrating how we got here is something we can all be proud of.

Yours in conservation,

Greg Siekaniec Chief Executive Officer

right: ©DUC/Michel Blachas & Carole Piché

Letters to the editor Thanks to everyone who completed our online reader survey! Over 800 people shared their thoughts, and congratulations go to Marty Cutler from Toronto, Ont., who won the binoculars and range finder.

Your continued input helps us raise the bar with Conservator and provide you with the most valuable information. Send your comments to conservator@ducks.ca or write us at: Conservator Ducks Unlimited Canada PO Box 1160, Stonewall, Man. R0C 2Z0

The (Creston Valley Wildlife Management) article was very interesting to me because in 1969 I completed my Master's Thesis at Simon Fraser University on the CVWMA entitled The Economics of Outdoor Recreation: The Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area.

I lived in Creston during my school years, and my last 18 years of work I was Head of Water

Planning with Environment Canada in this region.

Sustainable development had become the “new” words even though most people did not know what they meant.

I am glad to hear that DUC is working on upgrading the infrastructure and engaging more of the local public to get more involved.

Santo D’Aquino Kamloops, B.C.

Love Conservator! I’m most interested in your relationship with landowners and encouraging them to work with, and donate property to, conservation. Good to hear donors’ stories. Also like to see where our financial donations are being spent and the huge impact we can make with similar donations. Keep up the good work.

Bill Rossum 70 Mile House, B.C.

Ducks Unlimited Canada is governed by a Board of Directors, whose dedicated members across Canada and the United States work closely with staff to develop the broad policy that guides every aspect of DUC’s pursuit of our conservation mission and vision.

Jack H. Hole Chairman of the Board Tom S. Worden President Malcolm M. Dunfield Vice-President James E. Couch Vice-President David C. Blom Treasurer Mauri M. Rutherford Secretary

Gregory E. Siekaniec Chief Executive Officer Canadian Directors British Columbia Robert G. Clark Leonard S. Everett Donald H. E. Hubbard Wayne Pritchard Greg Sawchuck John Simkins Alberta Mel F. Belich, Q.C. David C. Blom C. Neil Downey Jack H. Hole David McCoy Travis G. Peckham

Ian A. Urquhart Dartmouth, N.S.

I love the Conservator magazine and always look forward to reading it.

Bob Watson London, Ont.

DUC Board of Directors Officers of the Board

Wherever did that lonely mallard duck come from amid the thousands of snow geese (page 13, fall 2012 issue)?

Saskatchewan James E. Couch John Eagle Candace Franke Larry Haas James McHattie Manitoba Robert Kozminski James A. Richardson Mauri M. Rutherford Gregory E. Siekaniec Kevin Van Ontario R. Gordon Chaplin Gary Down W. Gerald Walker Gregory Weeks

James Williams Tom S. Worden Quebec James Madon Nova Scotia Grenville Jones Raymond G. Scoggins New Brunswick Malcolm M. Dunfield Shawn Graham Kevin Harris American Directors Mike Benge J. David Blakemore Paul R. Bonderson Jr. Hazard K. Campbell George Dunklin Douglas T. Federighi Grady Hartzog Jr. Rogers Hoyt Jr. James Konkel Joseph G. Mazon John Newman

John R. Pope Paul A. Ralstin Ron Rich Clay Rogers John Tomke Honorary Directors Peter D. Carton John C. Eaton Arthur L. Irving Duncan M. Jessiman John D. McDiarmid John R. Messer George C. Reifel Duncan W. Sinclair William G. Turnbull Claude H. Wilson G. Tod Wright

Ross E. Gage Richard W. Henders Ronald J. Hicks E.G. Johnson R. Timothy Kenny D. Gavin Koyl Graham LeBourveau, FCA James D. MacDonald Neil G. MacKay, Q.C. Barry H. Martin G. David Richardson Roland E. Rivalin, Q.C. Gilles Rivard, Q.C. Terry Sparks Fred Wagman Julius F. Wall John D. Woodward Executive VicePresident Emeritus

Directors Emeriti D. Stewart Morrison D. John Archibald Murray Bercovich Richard A. N. Bonnycastle John H. Bowles, FCA Duncan Campbell Hugh D. Fairn

Conservator | spring 2013

5

Diamond Jubilee medals awarded to DUC champions

D

ucks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is busy marking historical milestones, commemorating special anniversaries and paying tribute to some truly remarkable people.

In addition to celebrating 75 years as a continental conservation leader, DUC celebrates 60 years of Her Majesty’s reign.

Both of these legacies live and grow in the hearts and minds of proud Canadians.

Over the past several months, it’s been DUC’s honour to present 30 outstanding supporters with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for contributions to conservation, their communities and our country. Their efforts will lead us to our next significant landmarks.

DUC was given the privilege of nominating 30 people to receive this commemorative medal. An extensive national search and selection process was undertaken by the Nominating Committee of DUC’s Board of Directors.

In total, 60,000 Canadians were recognized. Those 30 nominated by DUC are great leaders, passionate conservationists and true friends of Canada’s conservation community who all come from diverse backgrounds and share a passion for wetlands, waterfowl and our treasured outdoor traditions.

Honouries bios online!

Read more about Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal recipients at conservator.ca

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Conservator | spring 2013

DUC is fortunate to be supported by thousands of generous and dedicated people. The following Diamond Jubilee Medal recipients are examples of the tremendous support that exists across the country.

British Columbia Bettylou Christenson, Creston Judy Griffith, White Rock Henry Kozler, Chilliwack Terry Lubzinski, Surrey Alberta Mel Belich, Calgary David Bissett, Calgary Richard (Dick) Bonnycastle, Calgary Neil Downey, Red Deer Bill Turnbull, Calgary

Ontario Gary Austin, Aylmer Marvin Betz, Stouffville George Merry, Wolfe Island Rick Robb, Harrowsmith Tod Wright, Burlington

Saskatchewan Peter Carton, Regina Ron Hicks, Saskatoon John (Jack) Messer, Tisdale Derrik Toovey, Saskatoon

Quebec Tim Kenny, Gatineau Pierre Sylvestre, Berthierville

Manitoba Michael Anderson, Winnipeg D. Stewart Morrison, Beausejour Jim Richardson, Winnipeg Henry (Harry) Williams, Winnipeg

Atlantic Canada Hugh Fairn, Wolfville, N.S. Geoff Harding, Fredericton, N.B. Michele Harvey, Harvey, N.B. John Johnston, Hanwell, N.B. Doug MacDonald, Charlottetown, P.E.I. Stu Weldon, Corner Brook, Nfld.

Climate change, wetlands and carbon storage

I

n 2005, the G8 Climate Change Roundtable declared climate change “a serious and long-term challenge that has the potential to affect every part of the globe” and that human activities “contribute in large part to increases in greenhouse gases associated

with the warming of the Earth’s surface.”

Wetlands help regulate climate change through the process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide (also called carbon sequestration). Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has been studying this process across the Canadian Prairies since 1999 and over the next year, DUC is tackling a new carbon research project in southern Ontario.

“There is growing international focus on developing the science to support emerging needs to offset carbon emissions” says Pascal Badiou PhD, research scientist for DUC’s Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research. “If Ontario is to participate in

and stimulate a carbon market, we must support the development of carbon offset protocols to meet CO2 emissions reduction targets.”

Through a partnership with Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the University of Western Ontario, DUC is leading a new research study to help facilitate the development of a wetland restoration and conservation carbon offset that generates financial incentives for landowners to restore and conserve wetlands on their lands.

Focusing on small wetlands in southern Ontario, monitoring starts this spring. Fieldbased studies will help determine how much carbon is stored in these wetlands and the rate carbon is sequestered.

“The results of the study and development of wetland offset protocols will help support the economic valuation of ecological goods and services associated with wetland conservation and restoration,” says Badiou. “We expect the results could lead to enhanced industrial investment in wetland restoration and conservation across southern Ontario.”

Currently in the site selection phase of the project, DUC is set to wrap up and release the study results in March 2014.

Ducks don’t need passports Because migration doesn’t stop at borders, wetland conservation is a continental concern. Wetlands need people who are serious about continental conservation.

Become a Triple Play member for only $100 to combat wetland loss and put ducks in the sky across this continent – all through a single donation.

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A collectible lapel pin An exclusive Triple Play decal Publications from Ducks Unlimited Canada (Conservator), Ducks Unlimited Inc. (Ducks Unlimited Magazine), and Ducks Unlimited de Mexico (Mundo DUMAC newsletter)

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Ducks and livestock find homes on the range

agricultural landscapes for more than 20 years, and many of the ducks across the Prairies are hatched on working ranches,” says Howerter. “Well-managed rangelands with low to moderate grazing create habitats that are both attractive to nesting ducks and provide safe nesting sites. This same type of management yields agronomic benefits to ranchers.”

Studies show ducks that nest on landscapes that include ranches and other grassland habitats have consistently higher reproductive success than ducks settling in landscapes with other uses.This is largely because within a pasture, moderate grazing creates patches of both tall and short vegetation attractive as nesting habitat to

multiple duck species.

In addition to providing wildlife benefits, grazing DUC-owned ranches have other benefits, such as minimizing management time and expense, and building relationships with local landowners.

Morgan Stromsmoe is the head of upland restoration for DUC Alberta and manages all of Alberta’s working ranch projects including Bullshead Conservation Area, Antelope Creek Ranch, Jefferson Conservation Pasture and the new Buffalo Hills Conservation Ranch. He says working ranches just make sense.

“It’s really about the maintenance of those grasslands,” says Stromsmoe. “Grass-

above: © DUC/Brian Wolitski

and you’re pretty close to what some of our biggest prairie projects actually look like. In Alberta and Saskatchewan, four of our projects totaling 17,000 acres are working ranches and a fifth is on the way. At just over 6,500 acres, Buffalo Hills Conservation Ranch is the largest DUC project in Canada and the largest working ranch.

If you’re wondering how and why cows and ducks coexist so splendidly, DUC’s science on grazing and waterfowl habitat can explain it. Dave Howerter, national manager of DUC’s Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research, explains how mild to moderate grazing can be a winwin for both waterfowl and ranchers.

“We’ve been studying nesting ducks in

below: ©DUC/Darin Langhorst

W

hen you picture a Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) conservation area, most likely the image that comes to mind is a large, grassy field with lots of duck-filled ponds. Add some cows to that picture

red deer

calgary

Antelope Creek Ranch

Buffalo Hills Conservation Ranch

medicine hat lethbridge

Bullshead Conservation Area

Along with the Touchwood Hills Conservation Ranch northeast of Regina, Sask. (right), DUC operates four working ranches in Alberta (left).

The Buffalo Hills Conservation Ranch (below) is the largest DUC project in Canada.

Touchwood Hills Conservation Ranch

Jefferson Conservation Pasture REGINA

“Buffalo Hills was perfect because it celebrates not only our past, but also the future of our business.

We want to be part of these types of projects because they are so good for ducks, landowners and the over- all goal of wetland conservation in the Prairies.” right: ©DUC

– Morgan Stromsmoe, head of upland restoration (Alberta), Ducks Unlimited Canada

lands have evolved with grazing pressure and need to be grazed to be viable.”

Historically, Prairie grasslands were maintained by a combination of regular grazing by bison and other large mammals, and fire that periodically removed actively growing grass stems, leaves and dead and decomposing grass remaining from previous growing seasons. Without these regular disturbances, grass can overgrow and form such dense canopies that sunlight and water can no longer get to the soil. When that happens, the health of grass plants deteriorates to the point where they no longer provide quality duck habitat.

In this day and age, most bison are gone, and fire isn’t a practical tool for managing Prairie grasses. Cattle grazing provides a suitable substitute.

While light to moderate grazing is good, overgrazing can be an issue, so it has to be managed. The amount of grazing allowed is based on an initial study of the land to evaluate the overall health of the grassland.

That level is regularly reevaluated, and grazing levels are changed accordingly.

Generally speaking, conservation ranches are grazed conservatively.

“It’s important to make sure overgrazing isn’t hurting the duck population, so it’s a

T fine balance that requires monitoring and cooperation with the landowner,” says Stromsmoe.

The relationship-building side of working ranches is what makes them truly special.

While there are other ways of managing grasslands, there are few better ways of building relationships with landowners and communities than cooperation.

“If you take these chunks of land out of ranching and say these are conservation areas or parks, you’re going to damage relationships and no one is going to want to work with you or sell you their land because they lose their opportunity,” says Stromsmoe. “That has happened in some areas and this is a step towards building stronger conservation partnerships.”

he concept of working ranches reaches beyond just Alberta. Saskatchewan is home to Touchwood Hills Conservation Ranch, which boasts 984 acres of range land and wetlands, 2,592 acres of aspen parkland and 2,829 acres of pasture restored from annual cropland, protecting 6,400 acres of vital waterfowl habitat.

The land is divided into gazing paddocks allowing ranchers to rotate cattle throughout the ranch so no one part gets overgrazed.

The success of other conservation ranch projects like Bullshead Conservation Area and Touchwood Hills Conservation Ranch provided further incentive to pursue the massive Buffalo Hills Conservation Ranch and make it DUC’s 75th anniversary flagship property.

“Buffalo Hills was perfect because it celebrates not only our past, but also the future of our business,” says Stromsmoe.

“We want to be part of these types of projects because they are so good for ducks, landowners and the overall goal of wetland conservation in the Prairies.”

Conservator | spring 2013

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Reviving the world’s green infrastructure

S

ince the beginning of time, environmental disasters have wreaked havoc on the landscape across the world. From severe droughts to devastating floods, no area of the world seems safe.

While there are many scientific theories as to what causes these

disasters, science also helps explain ways to protect against them.

Within the last two decades, the world saw its fair share of natural disasters, most recently Hurricane Sandy, which was the second costliest storm in history behind Hurricane Katrina with damage estimates around $50 billion. Millions were impacted, 110 people died and over 23 states were affected by Sandy, which stretched almost 1,000 kilometres.

Wetlands play an important role in mitigating flood and drought situations, but could they have reduced the impacts of Hurricane Sandy and other natural disasters that occur more frequently outside Canada’s borders? Science suggests the answer is yes.

Scientific studies show that keeping our ‘natural infrastructure’ intact along rivers and coasts plays a key role in reducing the damage from catastrophic storms. When it comes to many natural disasters, wetlands

LEAVE A CONSERVATION LEGACY “When we updated our wills, we made provisions for the causes we believe in.

By giving a planned gift of life insurance to DUC, we can give something back to nature and ensure generations can continue enjoying the outdoors as we do.”

– Deb and Denis Devos | Read their full story at conservator.ca

For information on leaving a conservation legacy, visit ducks.ca/plannedgiving or contact Lloyd Derry at 1-877-477-8077

left: ©DUC/Claude Ponthieux

often serve as a first line of defense.

“Tidal marshes offer benefits to society and the environment during natural disasters,” says Nic McLellan, conservation programs specialist with DUC in Atlantic Canada. “While offering important habitat for wildlife, they also have the ability to buffer the shoreline by weakening the forces of storm surges, winds and waves, protecting what’s inland.”

But the world’s natural infrastructure continues to disappear. Buildings now stand where there was once green space and abundant wetlands, and more farmland is needed to keep the population fed. In New York City alone, an area hit hard by Hurricane Sandy, it is estimated that total tidal wetland loss in the area range from 83 to 86 per cent and that only 14 of the original 86 to 100 square miles of wetlands remain.

Studies suggest global sea levels are on the rise, which means hurricanes, floods and tsunamis will only become worse. These disasters put huge financial strain on the areas they impact and while rebuilding and repairing damage is important, long-term solutions are needed to protect against future disasters.

Just recently in an annual State of the State address entitled “NY Rising”, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a number of initiatives aimed at better preparing the state for extreme weather events like Hurricane Sandy. A key component of “NY Rising” is using natural barriers to better protect New York Harbor against rising seas and storm surges. It also indicates that a long-term strategy is needed to explore solutions to protect, conserve and rebuild the area’s natural defenses, including offshore wetlands.

For areas already hit hard by hurricanes, the need has never been greater to put nature back on the landscape. We need to revive the world’s green infrastructure, and it’s promising to see places like New York taking positive steps by identifying wetland restoration as a way to protect themselves against impending and extreme weather patterns.

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New designation to help restore Lake Winnipeg

U.S. supporters, DUC and DUI staff, and DUC board directors and volunteers at the Beaubassin Research Station (left to right): Gren Jones, Jonathan Platts, Mac Dunfield, Michelle Larsen, Rob Fraser,Jana Cheverie, Hunt Gunter, Danny Sears, Rich Johnson, Fran Rich, Ron Rich, Richard Hudson, Nic McLellan, Jim Cerza, Chip Heaps, Jimmy Moore, Jay Taylor, Mark Gloutney, Tom Duffy, Wade Lewis, Kimberly Arseneau and Ron Maher.

Continental conservation

L

ast October, when waterfowl in Atlantic Canada started migrating south for the winter, American Ducks Unlimited supporters migrated north to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia for the Atlantic Experience weekend.

Hosted by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) board directors, staff and volunteers, the three-day event gave U.S. partners the opportunity to see waterfowl in their northern habitat and learn how conservation work in Atlantic Canada improves healthy waterfowl numbers along the Atlantic Flyway from Maine to Florida.

“The weekend really brought it all to life,” says Rich Johnson of Virginia. “To actually be there in the field, it drives home the fact that waterfowl and wetland conservation is a continental exercise, and that both countries need to put their heads together to continue to conserve these resources.”

Emphasizing a continental approach to wetland conservation helps attendees see conservation in a North American context.

The Atlantic Experience weekend included wetland tours, waterfowling and presentations on DUC’s Atlantic Canada programs. Chip Heaps, DUI director of development for

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Conservator | spring 2013

“Everything we do in this region, and as an organization, is dependent upon this teamwork across roles and across borders.”

– Mac Dunfield Vice-president, Ducks Unlimited Canada

South-Atlantic, says he hoped this “worthwhile cross-border program will gain traction in other flyways.”

DUC vice-president Mac Dunfield agrees. “This meeting with our directors, our U.S. supporters, staff, our volunteers – this is what we’ve been working toward for years,” says Dunfield. “Everything we do in this region, and as an organization, is dependent upon this teamwork across roles and across borders.”

Grass-fed, free-run and Omega-3 are all labels we see on products at the supermarkets and a new designation could be in our midst with the potential to help clean Lake Winnipeg.

The Lake Friendly organization in Manitoba is on a mission to make this idea a reality.

In the push to clean up Lake Winnipeg, the organization is suggesting a new designation for farmers who adopt practices that preserve water quality – a designation to be called “Lake Friendly”.

The new designation, which would be the first of its kind in the country, would serve as a way to identify producers working on lake friendly initiatives and aim at linking these producers to consumers who are concerned about Manitoba’s water bodies.

Although the designation is still in the development stage, nearly a dozen producers expressed interest. The organization hopes to launch an information campaign this summer where every producer in Manitoba would receive a Lake Friendly farm book with a list of beneficial management practices connected to water quality.

This past summer, Lake Winnipeg and hundreds of other beaches and lakes across Canada were plagued with high levels of blue-green algae. DUC, the Lake Winnipeg Foundation and the Manitoba Conservation Districts Association are dedicated to solving Lake Winnipeg’s woes and joined forces to promote the need to keep water on the land by protecting and restoring wetlands.

Wetlands play a key role in water quality.

They filter and absorb contaminants and excess nutrients like phosphorous before they reach our rivers and lakes.

right: ©Virgil Hawkes right: ©Niall Williams

Helping out rare and endangered species

T

he red-legged frog and western screech owl are two examples of rare and endangered species getting a helping hand from Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

Working with Metro Vancouver, and with funding from B.C.’s Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and an eco-gift from the previous owner Bob Edwards, DUC helped acquire and protect a 9.6-hectare property that was added to the Widgeon Marsh Regional Park Reserve (right) near the town of Coquitlam. Widgeon Marsh now spans 614 hectares and its wetlands have a lot of airborne visitors.

Shorebirds and waterfowl can often be spotted in the thousands.

The marsh is home to other species at risk like the Townsend’s bigeared bat, wolverine and Pacific jumping mouse.

Western Screech Owl Average size is 19-26 centimetres and between 120 and 305 grams

Non-migratory bird, highly sensitive to severe winter weather

Primary habitat is valley bottoms and low-elevation riparian areas

Feeds on mice, small birds, small fish, frogs, salamanders, crayfish, slugs, worms and large insects

right: ©Joel Sartore, Inc.

Nesting includes areas of cottonwood, water birch and aspen

RedLegged Frog

Gets its name from the red colouring underneath the hind legs, and has black freckles Located in the southern forests of British Columbia, including Vancouver Island Primary habitat is moist forests and wetlands Breeds in well-shaded, shallow ponds or slow streams Eats insects and other small invertebrates

LIVING LEGACY

Transcending from Tragedy by amy doer k s e n

Delta Marsh’s health was declining for years. Many know problems existed but solutions were daunting. That was until Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) took a leadership role, bringing the right mixture of funding partners and expertise to make tackling restoration of the renowned wetland a reality.

T left: ©DUC/Tye Gregg

his project will prove you can bring a freshwater coastal wetland back from a near-death experience,” says Glen Suggett, wildlife lands manager with Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship.

It sounds like the premise of a science fiction novel and as it turns out, the story of Delta Marsh kind of is.

It’s also a story in progress. The ending is not written and the storyline so far includes alien species, scientific experiments and more. Characters featured are plentiful and passionate, and their common links are a love of Delta Marsh and commitment to the ultimate goal of zapping life back into it.

Setting the stage Delta Marsh is 100 kilometres west of Winnipeg on the south shores of Lake Manitoba. It’s pretty much smack dab in the middle of North America and consists of over 19,000 hectares of large and small bays, isolated ponds, channels, uplands and meadows.You can only begin to imagine the millions of nooks and crannies that wildlife call home there. It’s known as one of the largest freshwater coastal wetlands in North America.

It is an important place for producing and feeding ducks heading south on the Mississippi flyway or east along the Atlantic flyway. Well, Delta was a duck haven, but therein lies the conflict at the heart of this story.

The marsh is on the brink of death and no longer as productive as it used to be.

the outbreak Suggett started to visit the marsh in the 1970s and saw the decline first hand. “It was very real to me.

I saw the ducks vanish.”

For the hundreds of hunters flocking to the marsh annually, the change wasn’t something easily ignored.

Where thousands of birds once adorned the shores, water and skies of the entire area, pockets of nothingness were appearing.

Dale Neil is an avid waterfowler. He’s been making the pilgrimage north from his home in Vermont for years. Neil comes to Canada to spend time with friends roaming Manitoba’s marshlands for prized ducks. In 1997, he was one of four people who partnered on the purchase of the historic Eaton Lodge located in the east section of the marsh. Eaton Lodge and the surrounding area, previously owned by the well-known Eaton family who owned Eaton’s department stores, was a place Neil found majestic.

“In the 1970s, I remember hunting in Bluebill Bay and seeing these beautiful canoes that came from the peninsula where Eaton Lodge is,” says Neil.

S

adly, by the time Neil became a frequent occupant of Eaton Lodge, the area surrounding it would become sparse of birds.

“Hunting was deteriorating in the east marsh because of the lack of feed for ducks,” says Neil. “Around the late 1980s, we decided we wouldn’t hunt much in that area of the marsh. We still enjoyed the lodge but

Conservator | spring 2013

15

Above: Common carp trying to access a blocked part of Delta Marsh.

Excluding this invasive species is the first step in restoring the health of this renown marsh.

the lack of ducks drew us away from where the lodge is.”

Jim Connacher started visiting Delta Marsh over 60 years ago. At 76, he is proud to be one of the oldest members of the Lakewood Country Club. Located on the marsh directly north of Portage la Prairie, Lakewood has been part of Connacher’s family for four generations.

Connacher has many memories of hunting at Delta Marsh. Many are fond and some are more tragic. “We’ve been watching our marsh gradually die over the last 20 years,” says Connacher. “Our marsh and part of the bigger marsh are dormant.”

W

hy is Delta Marsh dying? One of the killers is common carp.This danger thrashing about the waters of the marsh is an invader and not native to this area’s waterways. Carp arrived in North America in the late 1870s.

It’s not clear exactly when they entered Delta Marsh but in the 1990s gillnet surveys confirmed they represented almost half of the large fish biomass in the marsh.

Common carp also multiply quickly. The end result is near exponential growth of bottom-dwelling alien fish wreaking havoc wherever they go. Because of the way carp vigorously spawn and eat (sucking up residue from the bottom and spitting it out to filter for food particles), they stir up bottom sediments and uproot aquatic plants. What you see from the surface is muddy and murky water. Light can’t get through and so plants die, which in turn leads to fish and wildlife dying or leaving because there isn’t enough food to go around.

“It’s a cascade or feedback mechanism,” says Gordon Goldsborough PhD., associate professor with the University of Manitoba. “One thing leads to another.”

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Conservator | spring 2013

To say that Goldsborough is passionate about studying Delta Marsh is an understatement. Currently with the University of Manitoba Department of Biological Sciences, his connection to the marsh dates back to when he was the one scribbling notes instead of lecturing.

“As a student, I had an experience at Delta Marsh that changed my life,” says Goldsborough. “The field workshop class was in August before classes even officially started. I remember being annoyed but when I got out there, I realized I loved it.

It was a different experience than classroom lectures.”

Goldsborough has been studying various aspects of Delta Marsh his entire career.

“When I started at the University of Manitoba as a student, we were doing experiments on nutrients and their impacts on wetlands.

Nutrient pollution was a hot issue then.”

The extent of Goldsborough’s work is diverse and has found him returning time and time again to the marsh to conduct more research. His experiments moved from smaller endeavours to larger ones. The next step was tackling whole-pond experiments and he enlisted support from other partners including DUC. “DUC has had a long-time interest in the health of Delta Marsh,” says Dale Wrubleski, a biologist with DUC. “Our fisheries work had pointed to the likely importance of common carp in the marsh, and the opportunity to do some experimental work with Gordon and the university was a natural next step.”

“We wanted to see if the invasion of carp caused the damage we hypothesized.We introduced carp to healthy (and isolated) parts of the marsh,” says Goldsborough.

“The results turned out better than we thought.”

The experiments prove that without a doubt, the presence of carp directly relates to the health of Delta Marsh and that currently affected areas can come back to life if properly managed. “Changes reversed within the first year (of excluding carp) and in some cases within the first weeks,” says Goldsborough. “Places where we let carp in deteriorated quickly.”

“This important research was the first strong sciencebased indicator that exclusion of common carp on a large scale could dramatically improve habitat conditions at Delta Marsh,” says Wrubleski.

finding a solution Bringing the marsh back to life isn’t a one-shot deal that just involves getting rid of the carp. It’s only the first step because there are other issues to consider.

left: ©DUC

the experiments start

Like other marshes and ponds scattered across Canada, Delta Marsh faces excessive nutrients depositing in its waters and artificially managed lake levels contributing to its deteriorating health. But like Suggett says, managing the carp is priority number one. “Unless we can get the carp out of the equation, we can’t deal with the other issues.”

C

reating a plan to put the research and results in practice wasn’t as simple as pulling a few people together to pencil out an approach.

There were lots of players to involve and making sure everyone’s needs were met required consultation and collaboration.

“If you bring everyone to the table at the onset and put together a plan that addresses everyone’s concerns, you can find a solution,” says Suggett.

Suggett, in his role with Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, played a key role in getting precisely this done for Delta Marsh. He got behind the idea and took it upon himself to help sell the idea internally within the government.

“We needed to have the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans and provincial fisheries at the table. We formed a working group,” says Suggett. “Got all the best minds together – anyone with an interest and had something to bring to the table. We started seeing if a solution was feasible and then looked at how we can get the idea through the approval process.”

The carp exclusion project will see construction of four large, screened steel weirs and three gated culvert structures placed at the seven access points to the marsh.

The screens and gates will be raised each fall to allow important native fish, like walleye and pike, into the marsh to spawn in early spring, and then lowered in late spring to prevent later spawning adult carp from entering. Access will be improved to facilitate harvest of carp by local commercial fishers.

“We’re trying to develop a project that benefits a wide range of people locally and internationally,” says Bob Grant, DUC manager of provincial operations for Manitoba.

Grant has been working closely with Suggett and others to move this project forward. While the plan was simple in concept, he comments that its development was complex. “It required strong science and engineering work from DUC, input and review from a number of partners, ongoing consultation with local interests, regulatory approvals of three levels of government and a massive fundraising campaign.”

Restoring the Tradition at Delta Marsh is a multiyear and multi-phase project that carries a big price tag. The estimated cost currently sits at $15 million.

With backing from the provincial government, came

funding along with cash contributions from Wildlife Habitat Canada and Environment Canada, but other much larger sources of cash were still needed. Leading the charge to attract funders and sponsors is long-time DUC member and current Manitoba director, James A. Richardson.

Richardson’s connection to both DUC and Delta Marsh are deeply rooted. His grandfather served on the first DUC Board of Directors and was one of its visionaries. When it comes to Delta Marsh, the Richardsons have property there and generations of family members have been hunting in the area for decades.

“Our family has had property out there since the 1930s,” says Richardson. “My memories are from time spent with family and friends. Time spent with my father and brother as kids, to when I was teaching my son (how to hunt there).”

“Without Jim’s leadership and gift, this project simply doesn’t get out of the gate,” says Grant. “His personal commitment and his leadership on both sides of the border gave this project the funding legs it needed.”

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“If you bring everyone to the table at the onset and put together a plan that addresses everyone’s concerns, you can find a solution.”

- Glen Suggett Wildlife lands manager, Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship

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Another DUC member who also played a part in initiating and funding the project was Jim Connacher, the waterfowler from Lakewood Country Club who’s been visiting Delta Marsh for decades.

H

unting is a community. Hunters share stories. They talk about tales of the good, the bad and the ugly, swap prized locations, report conditions and pass along helpful tips. Delta Marsh is big, but not so big that Connacher didn’t know of the four partners who bought Eaton Lodge.

With property in Vermont, he got to know Dale Neil better and heard of the challenges they faced.

“The marsh by Eaton Lodge was quite dead and they had to travel quite far to hunt,” says Connacher. “They were frustrated with the lack of birds and the distances they had to travel to find them.”

In addition to his own contribution, Connacher arranged a meeting between DUC and the Eaton Lodge partners.

“When DUC made a presentation about restoring the marsh, I thought this was such an important project,” says Neil. “It has such potential to get back to being an important duck factory. We decided to donate the property to Ducks Unlimited.”

Neil and his partners wanted their gift to advance the restoration project, but because they are Americans, they couldn’t benefit from Canadian income tax deductions. To receive U.S. tax benefits, DUC arranged for Eaton Lodge to be donated to American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts (American Friends), a U.S. charity created specifically to help protect high-priority conservation lands owned by U.S. taxpayers.

In January, American Friends transferred the 1,281acre Eaton Lodge property to DUC. This is the first time American Friends gave land to a Canadian partner, making it another innovative part of the project. The appraised value of this donation was over $1 million, which provides DUC with an essential match, allowing it to access to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service funding under the North American Wetland Photo gallery See more pictures of the historic Eaton Conservation Act. Lodge at conservator.ca “The donation of Eaton Lodge helped solidify our path forward in Restoring the Tradition, and

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Conservator | spring 2013

the leveraged funds will not only aid the carp exclusion project, but will help to fund the upcoming science program,” says Grant. “Going forward, we’d really like to develop the lodge into a destination for DUC supporters that would open doors to new revenue and volunteer support streams.”

While the sale of Eaton Lodge marks a big change for the four partners, Neil is happy they were able to do it and only has positive things to say about the process. “I’ve met a number of people at the DUC organization and everybody I’ve talked to or worked with are outstanding people,” says Neil. “It’s a wonderful team and I’m happy to be a resource to anyone else who is looking to make a donation (like we did).”

fixing the problem Last fall, on-the-ground work started at Delta Marsh. The long process of bringing it back to life is underway. There are two phases to the strategy and Phase One has three parts: b exclude the common carp; c protect key habitat lands; and d develop a science-based action plan to: a) determine the relationship of water levels between Lake Manitoba and Delta Marsh; b) explore ways to better manage marsh water levels and manage hybrid cattails in Delta Marsh; and c) reduce the nutrient loading to Delta Marsh.

T

here’s a lot of work to do and the need for flexibility is key. Adapting to the situation will be a regular part of the process.

“Wildlife management is sometimes as much an art as science,” says Suggett. “We’ve learned a lot and we’ll continue learning as we go.”

“Delta Marsh is just one of many pieces in the puzzle to restore wetlands across Canada,” says Richardson.

“Hopefully we can use it as an example around the world.”

Bringing the marsh back to life will ultimately create a living legacy. A legacy whose storyline will continue to have twists and turns, with new characters (species of all kinds and sizes) weaving in and out, making Delta Marsh a healthy and sustainable natural area once again. A

below left: ©Chris Benson

Above: Eaton Lodge partners at a recognition event for their generous donation (left to right: James Krughoff, DUC CEO Greg Siekaniec, Dale Neil, Ron Desideri and Manitoba DUC director James A. Richardson; missing is Ted Herrick).

Right: Inside one of the bedrooms at the historic Eaton Lodge.

2013 25-Cent Coloured Coin—Mallard Duck 95 Item 120710

$29

|

2013 Specimen Set—Blue-Winged Teal

$4995 |

Item 121282

In 2013, numismatists and nature lovers in Canada and around the world will have several freshly minted ways to celebrate wetland and waterfowl conservation.

For these numismatists – serious coin collectors – the premium $10 silver coin and limited-mintage 25-cent coin commissioned by the Royal Canadian Mint in celebration of Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) 75th anniversary will be valuable additions to their collections. by leig h patter s o n

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Conservator | spring 2013

below: ©DUC/Tye Gregg

FOR

DUC’s supporters and many others, the coins have a value far beyond their collectability. The iconic mallard images gracing the coins are artistically rendered, permanent reminders of a 75-year conservation commitment to the country’s marshes and ponds… and to Canadians.

Bringing mallards from the marsh to the Mint is a story that begins two years ago, when DUC approached the Mint with the idea to commemorate DUC’s milestone year. At the same time, the Mint recognized an opportunity to add beautiful vivid images to its worldrenowned collector coin series.

“It’s our job to celebrate Canadian values, culture and history,” says Alex Reeves, the Mint’s manager of communications. “It was a logical choice for us to partner with DUC, given this important and historic anniversary and the general link that our citizens have with nature.”

Preliminary research conducted by the Mint revealed mallards and wood ducks were the top waterfowl species that would resonate with, and have the broadest appeal among, collectors and the general public alike.

Featuring the mallard on the commemorative coins made perfect “cents.”

The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), arguably the most abundant, well-known and best-loved species of wild duck in North America, is also the model for the Ducks Unlimited organization’s famous “duck head” logo.

One of the first to return to its home nesting grounds after long winters, this large surface-feeding, or “dabbling” duck is the species from which most domestic ducks originated.

Mallard plumage is instantly recognizable. The male, or drake, has a bright green head, ochre yellow bill and brown chest. He bears patches (known as “specula”) of indigo blue on his greyish, brown wings. On the other hand, the female or hen, bears mottled brown and white plumage, sharing with the drake a striking indigo speculum decorating the upper back edge of each wing.

Capturing the mallard’s beauty on an engraved and painted coin requires special – and rare – artistic skill.

Conservator | spring 2013

21

Left: Artist Trevor Tennant works on a sketch of the mallard pair that now graces the $10 silver commemorative coin. Below: The coin is embedded in covers of special-edition copies of The Marsh Keepers Journey.

O Above: The $10 coin is inset into covers of special-edition copies of The Marsh Keepers Journey.

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ntario-based wildlife artist Trevor Tennant has sketched and painted lots of ducks, but perhaps none as unique as the mallard designs commissioned for DUC’s 75th. Tennant was one of several artists invited by the Mint to submit designs for the reverse side of the new coins (the obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt).

Tennant is no stranger to DUC. He was awarded the Duck Stamp and Print Artist title in 2011 with his painting of a Barrow’s goldeneye pair titled Riding the Wave and was chosen as a 2012 National Art Program portfolio artist. He was a sponsor print artist for DUC in Ontario for a number of years and regularly donates his art to local DUC fundraising dinners and auctions.

“I’ve been involved with DUC since the start of my career 20 years ago,” says Tennant. “I’ve been given lots of exposure through DU, which helped my art career tremendously. To get a call from the Mint asking me to participate in the coin design competition was an unbelievable honour.”

Working from the Mint’s design specifications, his challenge was to create a composition suited to the coin’s small size and shape. For an artist used to working on large canvases,Tennant stepped out of his comfort zone to express familiar subject matter in a new way.

“There are a lot of elements that need to be incorporated in the design such as the date, denomination along with the main subject matter and background so creating a well-balanced design that stands out when

Conservator | spring 2013

reduced to the coin size is difficult,” says Tennant.

Coin designs can’t be larger than eight inches in diameter. The artist needs to be precise and draw with a very steady hand. As well, a coin design needs to be detailed with the edges clearly defined.

“Generally my paintings have a lot of atmosphere such as mist. To create this look the edges need to be very soft. So outlining everything with crisp lines is not my usual style and it forced me to completely rethink the process from start to finish,” says Tennant.

Referencing his own photos, Tennant made many sketches before submitting his coin concepts, which the Mint ultimately chose as the winning designs.

“It was exciting and overwhelming to have my designs selected,” says Tennant.

Once the Mint’s committee chooses a design, it is vetted past a panel of experts including subject matter experts, coin collectors, the master engraver and engineer for further adjustments before being finalized.

The final design requires Ministerial approval before being made into a minted coin.

A

s a DUC supporter, Tennant says that having his artwork chosen for DUC’s 75th anniversary coin was a “great privilege.”

“Because I paint the natural environment, I think it’s important that we protect it, so I’m glad the coins will raise money for the cause,” says Tennant.

“This was easily a career high for me and it’s fantastic that it happens to be a commemorative coin for such a great organization. It’s an exciting time for us both!”

The Mint’s Alex Reeves understands Tennant’s excitement.

“We can commemorate and celebrate all sorts of things on a coin, giving a platform for artists not only in Canada, but around the world,” says Reeves.

The coins signify recognition by the Crown Corporation of the significance of DUC’s ambitious conservation work and the ecological legacy created by both staff and volunteers – past and present.

– C. Neil Downey, DUC volunteer and past president

Tennant’s designs – a nesting mallard pair on the premium engraved and painted silver coin, and mallards floating placidly on still waters on the painted 25-cent piece, are miniature works of art that are showcased permanently in metal.

The Mint’s engravers carefully translated each design from paper to die. Then, following a preparatory series of steps, each of the collector coins were made, struck one by one, at the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa.

The colourful images on both coins were applied using a pad-printing process.

The Mint produced a total of 17,500 limited-mintage 25-cent coins and 10,000 premium silver $10 coins. Six hundred of the premium DUC coins have been inset into copies of the collector’s edition of DUC’s 75th anniversary book The Marsh Keepers Journey, and made available exclusively through auctions at 2013 DUC fundraising events.

D

UC’s commemorative silver and 25-cent coin pieces join the Mint’s respected tradition of collector coins dating back to 1935 when the first silver dollars were produced.

According to long-time DUC volunteer, and past president C. Neil Downey and chair of DUC’s 75th anniversary steering committee, the stunning coins will be treasured for their rarity, their craftsmanship and as unique keepsakes that proudly tell DUC’s singular 75-year story.

“To me, as a volunteer, the coins signify recognition by the Crown Corporation of the significance of DUC’s ambitious conservation work and the ecological legacy created by both staff and volunteers – past and present,” says Downey.

“The coins will bring recognition of Canada’s wetlands among wider audiences, too. It’s very gratifying.”

The coins not only commemorate DUC’s conservation legacy, but also serve as a reminder of what we stand to lose. Considering wetland habitats mallards and other waterfowl depend on are at serious risk and could disappear at the flip of a coin – ensuring ongoing protection of these natural areas is critical. A

Minted

milestone Continue the rich history of wetland conservation in Canada and purchase a commemorative coin. Help write a new chapter for waterfowl like the mallard, plus a host of other wildlife species.

About the coins Y $29.95 for the limited-mintage 25-cent coin Y $69.95 for the premium silver $10 value coin Y Each coin is numbered and comes with certificate of authenticity

The coins are available through the Royal Canadian Mint Y Website: mint.ca/ducks Y Toll-free in Canada: 1-800-267-1871 Y Toll-free in the U.S.: 1-800-268 6468 Y Mint boutiques in Winnipeg, Ottawa and Vancouver

A snapshot in time: The duck wranglers 1938. Many Island Lake, Alberta. The story: In Ducks Unlimited Canada’s early years, the Canadian Prairies were a hot, dry and dirty place.

Learn more about DUC 75th anniversary activities at ducks.ca

S

easonal wetlands that filled in spring with snowmelt often dried up quickly after broods hatched. Images and accounts of ducklings struggling across the parched landscape in search of food and water were compelling calls for support of DUC’s mission.

The solution: Round ’em up! Staff and volunteers were on the watch for dry conditions that could result in ducklings being trapped, and ultimately dying.

Together, they undertook rescue efforts and transported ducklings and goslings to permanent water several miles away.

Today’s take: In the excitement to bring about positive change for prairie waterfowl, the stories about stranded ducklings may have been

overemphasized. The prairie landscape has changed dramatically since those dustbowl days in the 1930s, and modern waterfowl conservation programs no longer support these kinds of rescue efforts.

However, hats go off to the “duck wranglers” of days gone by who so passionately and proactively took action for our feathered friends.

Join us

as we celebrate 75 years of conservation excellence

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Conservator | spring 2013

right (3): ©Kristy Reimer Photography

Left: DUC dinners are well known for their silent auctions, which include a wide selection of items for all tastes and styles. Far left, below: The first three Signature Events in our prestigious series have been smash hits and we’re looking forward to the remaining six.

Celebrate DUC’s 75th in style!

W

hat’s the best way to celebrate a birthday?

With a party, of course!

Throughout 2013, as Ducks Unlimited Canada celebrates its 75th anniversary, a series of exclusive Diamond Signature Events are taking place in major cities across the country. These events provide the brightest and finest from across Canada with an opportunity to come together for an evening of exquisite dining and fun, with all proceeds supporting the conservation of marshes and ponds across Canada.

To view the photo gallery of past Signature Events, or to find one coming up near you, visit ducks.ca/SignatureEvents

Famous friends wish DUC a happy anniversary Over the course of our rich 75-year history, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has crossed paths with many interesting and influential people. They’ve shared stories of favourite outdoor getaways, told tales from days afield, recounted magical moments experienced alongside Mother Nature, and have joined us on our journey toward

a healthy and more sustainable future.

These passionate people are committed conservationists who use their celebrity status to shine a spotlight on the importance of wetland conservation.

Visit ducks.ca/75th to watch special video messages from some well-known folks who keep the duck head close to their heart.

A series of Diamond Signature Events – prestigious galas marking Ducks Unlimited Canada’s 75 years of conservation – are happening in cities across Canada. Attend a 75th Anniversary Diamond Signature Event near you and enjoy an evening of camaraderie, networking, bidding on unique merchandise and fine dining in support of Canada’s marshes and ponds.

ducks.ca/SignatureEvents 1-866-384-DUCK (3825)

own a piece of history!

Special 75th Anniversary Offer Above: This 1946 manual explained how Keemen could help DUC restore waterfowl to Western Canada.

Help save wetlands! Donate $75 today and receive a hardcover copy of our exclusive 272-page commemorative book The Marsh Keepers Journey as a thank you gift!

Call now and quote code ‘BOOK’ 1-866-384-DUCK (3825) or visit ducks.ca/donate

The first habitat reporters

T

hrough Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) first six decades, thousands of Keemen helped the organization. As their name implies, this “key” group of volunteers faithfully served as DUC’s eyes, ears and voices in local communities.

Keemen presented annual assessments of waterfowl and their habitats, through DUC’s Spring Report and Freeze-Up Report. In addition to documenting waterfowl numbers and describing wetland and upland conditions, these reports tracked migration chronology and gave readers a glimpse of environmental conditions across Canada.

Today, DUC staff provide similar information through the Habitat Report, which is prepared throughout the year and available at ducks.ca/ learn-about-wetlands/habitat-reports

In compliance with Canada Revenue Agency regulations, the fair market value of any gift or premium received must be deducted from a donor’s official tax receipt.

Waterfowl science through time by dave h owerter

When Ducks Unlimited Canada hatched in 1938, wildlife science was in its infancy.

Just five years earlier, Aldo Leopold, often considered the father of wildlife science, published Game Management, the first text devoted to wildlife management.

B

y the time Leopold’s student H. Albert Hochbaum penned The Canvasback on a Prairie Marsh in 1944, waterfowl science was taking flight. By describing the annual life stages of migration, pair formation, nesting, brood-rearing and molt, his work set the stage for rapid progress in understanding factors that influence duck populations throughout their annual cycle.

Quick Growth In 1955, another student of Leopold, Lyle Sowls, published Prairie Ducks. This introduced new concepts like capturing and marking individual birds with visible markers, including ‘airplane dope’ and coloured leg bands. Marking birds allowed biologists to document the habitats they used and learn about how successfully they nested and raised their ducklings.

Also present in Sowls’ work was an increased understanding about how land uses can affect waterfowl populations. The idea of studying marked individual ducks and the impacts of land use change on

Above: In this early photo, former DUC chief biologist Bill Leitch applies a leg band to a captured blue-winged teal. Banding is still an important part of waterfowl science.

waterfowl population dynamics continue to support much waterfowl science.

Ducks and Math Alongside a better understanding of natural history, both technological changes and advances in statistical theory over the next few decades led to rapid improvements of our understanding of duck population dynamics. Computers made it possible to analyze large data sets to get a clearer picture of how field observations relate to entire populations. Other statistical advances also helped shape our understanding of waterfowl population ecology. In 1961, Harold Mayfield, a self-taught ornithologist who eventually published more than 200 scholarly papers, devised a method to statistically account for nests destroyed prior to being detected by field biologists. This advancement led to the realization that the proportions of nests that hatch were far lower than previously realized. Often only 10 per cent or less of nests laid actually produced ducklings. Eventually, waterfowl scientists realized that providing safe nest-

ing habitats was likely a cost-effective way to increase the numbers of ducklings fledged annually.Today, many of our habitat programs are designed to increase duck nesting success.

Learning Continues Technology, statistical theory and our understanding of waterfowl continues to improve. Early biologists like Hochbaum and Sowls never could have imagined tracking individual ducks through their migration by bouncing signals off a constellation of satellites in orbit miles above the earth, or using molecular markers, originating in the foods ducks eat and deposited in feathers as they form, to learn about where birds were hatched the previous year. Both are techniques becoming increasingly common in waterfowl studies.

Though much work remains, today waterfowl are some of the best-studied birds in the world. As Ducks Unlimited Canada celebrates 75 years as a conservation leader, it’s appropriate to recognize pioneering scientists who, with passion, dedication and brilliance, helped lead the way. A

Conservator | spring 2013

27

The Irving Commitment by c h el s ea murray

A

sk any of Arthur Irving’s friends or colleagues and they will tell you he is one of the most humble, passionate people they know.

Arthur Irving is pure dedication – someone who doesn’t do anything half-measure.

Over the past 40 years, he’s shared much of that dedication with environmental conservation efforts, especially with Ducks Unlimited.

“The thing about Arthur is that he’s so enthusiastic,” says Morrison. “He’s a doer. He’s positive and energetic.

He’s the kind of person who’s always thinking about how things could be made better.”

Arthur Irving grew up in Saint John, N.B., and attended Acadia University in the early 1950s before returning home to work with his father K.C. Irving and brothers Jim and Jack, in the oil business and other Irving companies. He became President of Irving Oil in 1972 and is now company Chairman.

Arthur became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2002 and received the Order of New Brunswick in 2012. He was the chancellor of Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S. from 1996 to 2010. In fact, Arthur has done a lot of work with Acadia. In 2002, Arthur and his brothers Jim and Jack donated the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre and the Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens, a centre of excellence for the study of the natural environment, in memory of their parents.

Arthur Irving was President of DUC in 1986 and

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Conservator | spring 2013

Arthur Irving points out black ducks and teal flying over the St. John River from his seat in the helicopter hovering above. It’s the mid-1970s and Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) former Executive Vice-President Stewart Morrison sits beside Arthur, who is enthusiastically describing the flora and fauna of the region.

1987. He is an accomplished marksman and outdoorsman, having canoed 20 rivers in the Canadian Arctic.

“He could walk around the woods for days,” says Université de Moncton professor Donald Savoie, one of Irving’s close friends. “If you put him outside, put him in the woods, that’s when he’s happiest.”

A

rthur Irving’s relationship with DUC began in 1976, when his uncle Leigh Stevenson from Vancouver encouraged him to get involved. “He loved hunting, the outdoors and his dog,” says Arthur of his uncle, “and he was a very big influence in my life. Uncle Leigh was one of Ducks Unlimited Canada’s first Directors and I was honoured when DUC asked me to be a Director,” says Arthur.

“At that time, DUC was still a small organization funded by Ducks Unlimited (in the United States).”

Arthur describes attending a meeting in Manitoba shortly after he joined where a small group of directors sat around the table, “that was all of us in DUC then.”

But as DUC grew, so did Arthur’s passion for wetland conservation. In his four decades with the organization, he’s spearheaded lots of major projects.

In 1986, he served as President of DUC when the North American Waterfowl Management Plan was signed by the Canadian and U.S. governments.The plan, which he strongly supported, aims to restore dwindling waterfowl populations back to levels in the 1970s.

Above left: Arthur Irving’s presidential portrait for Ducks Unlimited Canada, circa 1986. Irving served as DUC President from 1986 to 1987.

MARSH KEEPERS

In 1996, he was also a leader in the creation of the Ducks Unlimited Conservation Centre in Fredericton, N.B., contributing significantly to the construction and design of the building. Sitting on the north bank of the St. John River, the beautiful grey clapboard building is the region’s conservation hub and where DUC’s youth conservation education program Project Webfoot was launched in Atlantic Canada.

“Arthur was convinced DUC needed a higher profile in the province,” says Geoff Harding, head of major projects for DUC in Atlantic Canada. “He was

Acadian and English settlements. At the crossroads of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, the Beaubassin Research Station officially opened on August 29, 2012 with Prime Minister Stephen Harper taking part in the unveiling of the commemorative rock.

“The present and future of the Beaubassin Research Station is very important to me in better understanding our past and how it defines us,” says Arthur Irving, “as well as understanding our responsibility to protect the environment.”

W

hile all three organizations involved in the project helped make it a success, the President of Acadia University, Ray Ivany, says Arthur’s tenacity spurred the whole thing. “We’re all very proud of – Stewart Morrison, former executive vice-president, Ducks Unlimited Canada the project, but the force behind it was singularly Mr. Irving’s,” says Ivany. “He clearly underdetermined that we needed to have a building to stood what it could mean in terms of the wetland engage the public, and so he donated a piece of restoration Ducks Unlimited Canada was interested in, property to DUC right on the river in downtown and had a vision for it as a field research station that Fredericton.” could anchor a lot of opportunity for our students.”

Arthur worked closely with Harding on his most Arthur Irving is a loyal Maritimer and many close recent initiative, which was the establishment of the to him say his passion for conservation is synonymous Beaubassin Research Station near Aulac, N.B. A project with his commitment to Atlantic Canada. Conserving of Irving Oil, DUC and Acadia University, the Beaua wetland for him is conserving a piece of his home. bassin Research Station encourages research of the “He is a deeply committed New Brunswicker, and historical and environmental significance of the area has a passion for his region that is genuine. He believes and serves as a meeting place. The Station, housed in a in nature and in the environment. He cares about it stark white farmhouse, stands out against the beautiful deeply, and there’s no half-measure in him,” says Tantramar marshlands on the historic site of Mi’kmaq, Donald Savoie. A

“The thing about Arthur is that he’s so enthusiastic. He’s a doer. He’s positive and energetic. He’s the kind of person who’s always thinking about how things could be made better.”

Season 4 is on now!

Catch it on OLN and WildTV, and visit waterfowling.com to watch past season episodes.

Check your local listings.

Above: Arthur and his wife Sandra are joined by their daughter Sarah (centre) at the Beaubassin Research Station’s grand opening in August.

TOO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH The curse of the Prairies

“Wetlands serve to capture excess run-off and store it while releasing it slowly during flood periods.”

– Scott Stephens, Director of regional operations (Prairies), Ducks Unlimited Canada

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Conservator | spring 2013

to occur. When it does rain, it can be a large amount of precipitation in a very short period of time. Such heavy rains can cause flooding due to a lack of proper infrastructure capable of handling large amounts of water in such a short timespan.

Since the 1870s, the wetlands of Canada’s prairies have been subjected to considerable drainage, consolidation and other alterations.

When Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) was created in the 1930s it was in response to a drought and lack of water. At that time, one organization goal was safeguarding water by protecting and restoring wetlands because they serve as reservoirs of moisture and productivity for plants. They also provide food for a diversity of wildlife and livestock in times of drought.

S

eventy-five years later, DUC is dealing with an even more exasperated problem of too much water in some places and not enough in others. Amazingly, the answer still lies within the protection and restoration of prairie wetlands.

DUC director of regional operations for the Prairies, Scott Stephens says, “Wetlands serve to capture excess run-off and store it while releasing it slowly during flood periods. When wetlands are intact, we don’t see rivers leaving their banks except during very extreme

left: ©DUC

T

he climate is changing. Scientific records show the earth is warming. The majority of this global warming occurred in the past 30 years and will likely continue. Historical weather records indicate the 65-year seasonal temperature averages on the Canadian Prairies are getting warmer with the greatest changes occurring in the winter, where the average temperatures are now four degrees Celsius warmer than average. Spring is 2.5°C warmer, summer 0.9°C warmer and autumn 0.5°C warmer. In addition, we now have more humidity across the prairies.

Because the Canadian Prairies are warming up and have higher humidity, they experience large swings in weather patterns that can cause floods and droughts.

“A little change in climate can result in some large weather changes,” says Phillips. “The climate is changing, but can’t decide where to settle in. This gives us more wildness, wackiness and uncertainty in our day-to-day weather.”

Warm air is able to hold more moisture than cool air. On the prairies, it now takes a longer period of time for the warmer atmosphere to build up enough moisture to rain. If the evaporation cycle is extended longer than normal, the dry weather may cause droughts

above: ©DUC/Karli Reimer

“Weather is what you get, climate is what you expect,” says David Phillips, a climatologist with Environment Canada.

WATER LOGGED

DUC is dealing with an even more exasperated problem of too much water in some places and not enough in others.

Amazingly, the answer still lies within the protection and restoration of prairie wetlands.

events. However, when wetlands are drained, the ditches connect directly to creeks and rivers. The system becomes ‘plumbed’ with no buffering.”

And it’s not just water that runs off the land without intact wetlands but so do fertilizer, other nutrients and crop protection products. Wetlands buffer, store and process excess nutrients and other chemicals used in agriculture. It’s in everyone’s best interest to keep those products from being transported into streams, rivers and ultimately our lakes where they cause additional problems like algal blooms or kill fish.

A constant through all weather patterns is DUC’s commitment to wetlands. DUC continues working with provincial governments on policy to prevent wetland drainage and on raising awareness for all Canadians of the key role wetlands play. “We want to ensure our investments will continue to yield benefits to breeding ducks and key stakeholders for centuries even amidst a changing climate,” says Stephens. A

by mic h ael h u n gle

western Region B. C . / b o r e al

While we know a thing or two about coastal bird populations, still questions exist and it’s unclear what impact increased tanker traffic and potential incidents will have.

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The boats and the birds Potential increased tanker traffic along the B.C. coast has been in the news lately. What will it mean for birds wintering and migrating along our shoreline? Coastal industries have inherent risks because of the sensitive marine environment. In this case, the risks are not just from the shipping process itself, but also from the estuary habitats that may be lost when port and transmission facilities are built.

While we know a thing or two about coastal bird populations, still questions exist and it’s unclear what impact increased tanker traffic and potential incidents will have. Questions include: Are the potentially affected areas critical to sensitive bird populations? Does boat traffic disturb birds? And what are birds feeding on in highly-used estuaries? Answers are needed before the risks of tanker traffic can be properly assessed.

Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is helping regulatory authorities better understand and manage risks to estuaries. DUC and its partners have mapped most of the significant estuaries along the B.C. coast, and our partner, Canadian Wildlife Service, flies the coast semi annually to survey waterfowl and waterbird “hot spots”.

This information enables us to construct an ‘estuary model’ to predict which estuaries are most important to consider when evaluating tanker traffic.

DUC is watching with interest and looking to increase its knowledge base to provide more informed responses when asked about coastal tanker traffic and waterfowl.

Conservator | spring 2013

Wetlands in the boreal forest are highly connected systems that transport water and associated nutrients long distances. Resource developments, like roads, blocking the natural flow of water in wetlands are concerning.

As part of a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding, FPInnovations (FPI) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) are working together to find new ways to minimize the impact of resource development on waterfowl habitat in the boreal forest.

With FPI’ engineering excellence in resource roads and DUC’s knowledge of wetlands and waterfowl, this collaboration will contribute significantly to developing and promoting industrial practices that maintain the health of boreal wetlands, while supporting sustainable resource-based industries.

FPI is a not-for-profit organization specializing in the creation of scientific solutions through research and innovation for every area of the forest sector’s values chain, from forest operations to consumer and industrial products.

The partnership builds on an existing project DUC has with forest industry partners and FPI, funded by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

The objective is developing recommended management practices for wetland road crossings to maintain natural water flow.

“Wetlands in the western boreal forest are significant features across this vast region, which is undergoing considerable industrial activity,” said Chris Smith, head of forest industry and government relations for DUC. “This partnership capitalizes on both organizations’ expertise to protect boreal wetlands, while still allowing for sustainable development.”

Although the boreal forest remains largely intact, its abundant natural resources and wildlife are at increased risk of damage due to landscape changes associated with resource development and climate change. We all contribute to these effects and are ultimately responsible for the care of our natural areas.

By working together, we can reduce our environmental footprint and this partnership aims to do just that.

left: ©DUC/Michel Blachas and Carole Piché

Partnering to enhance conservation in the working forest

Long-time conservationist wins wetland conservation award The community of Oceanside is home to the Cook family, that conserve wetlands on their land. In November, Warren Cook was recognized by the local Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) chapter with the Community Wetland Conservation Award for the conservation work he’s done over the last 25 years.

The Cook family has owned property on the east coast of Vancouver Island near Bowser for over a century. This land served as a homestead and was worked by three generations of Cooks, including Warren.

“Dad didn’t have the money to do the improvements to habitat during his life, but he saw the need and encouraged me to get it done,” says Cook. “When I had the time after retirement, I put my mind and energy into this

project. I hope I have encouraged my children to continue this restoration. I’m sure they will.”

The 82-acre property is a work in progress.

After many years in a mill job, Cook dedicated his retirement years to the restoration of creeks, riparian habitat, ponds and fish channels, and made the estuary even more welcoming to waterfowl, animals and people.

He also replanted trees and worked with the Ministry and Transport to restore the fish rearing capacity of the creeks. The Nature Trust of B.C. partnered with the family to protect the property from future development.

Cut-throat trout and several species of spawning salmon are again using the deepened and re-graveled channels. Wildlife is thriving including mammals and ducks, like

Above: Wayne Pritchard (left), DUC B.C. provincial volunteer council chair, presents Warren Cook with his Community Conservation Award. goldeneye, bufflehead and scoter that stop by during migration.

The DUC Community Wetland Conservation Award is not Cook’s first award. He received the Private Forest Stewardship Award in 2004 and, more recently, the Wildlife Habitat Canada Award for his work.

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Same picture, different view: Aerial tour highlights need to stop wetland drainage “You don’t fully comprehend the density and extent of small wetlands in Manitoba’s Prairie Pothole Region until you fly over it. From the air, it becomes very apparent how interconnected our watersheds are.”

Gord Mackintosh, Manitoba’s Minister of Conservation and Water Stewardship, made the comment after a wetland tour hosted by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). The day included an aerial tour of southwestern Manitoba’s ‘pothole country’, and a brief ground expedition to view DUC conservation projects in the Minnedosa area, followed by a lunch meeting at Lake Irwin.

“It was a great opportunity for us to view what’s happening in the wetland regions and at the same time

western Region prairi e s

talk about ways we can collaborate,” says Bob Grant, DUC manager of provincial operations in Manitoba, who coordinated the event.

The tour included a flyover of the Broughton’s Creek watershed where ground-breaking research by DUC and two universities quantified and demonstrated the extent of wetland loss happening on the prairie landscape and the impact drainage has on Manitoba’s lakes, rivers, infrastructure and society.

Wetlands are disappearing as they are drained or diverted for agriculture and urban expansion. It’s not only a problem for wildlife.

Wetlands act as water filters, screening out things like nitrogen and phosphorus that would otherwise be deposited into our lakes.

When too much phosphorus accumulates in

Sharing the load Partnerships exist in every area of business and wetland conservation is no exception. Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has hundreds of projects in Alberta, so we need some help making sure they are maintained properly.

One way we do this is by partnering with the Eastern Irrigation District (EID). The EID and DUC have a longstanding agreement for water conveyance, and more recently, some project operation including repairs and rebuilds of some DUC projects on our behalf.

This partnership is excellent for a number a reasons.

It not only saves us the time and money we’d have to spend doing it ourselves, but the EID actually has more expertise than DUC does when it comes to these tasks, so the job is in capable hands.

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a lake, it becomes a haven for algae that can choke out other aquatic life and make it unsafe for humans and wildlife alike. It’s a scary proposition, especially in a province known as the land of 100,000 lakes.

“Phosphorus is job one,” says Mackintosh.

Reducing phosphorus in lake water levels is a priority for his government. Upstream drainage is a contributing factor, which is why the province is engaging stakeholders like DUC and others to develop the Surface Water Management Strategy. The Strategy will support decision making for the future management of surface water in Manitoba.

Mackintosh praised DUC’s wetland protection work and stressed the importance of ongoing collaboration. “Current and future generations want a clean, healthy and diverse natural environment in Manitoba,” says Mackintosh. “It’s critical for us all to work together in this.”

Conservator | spring 2013

“Operational partnerships like this one are not always easy, because they usually include some aspect of management,” says Dale Soetaert, head of habitat asset management for DUC in Alberta. “But with the EID’s expertise and the success of past collaborations with them, we are sure this partnership will continue to be mutually beneficial.”

Another example of a mutually beneficial partnership is with the Bow River Irrigation District. While not as large and all encompassing as the agreement with EID, it still covers a large amount of project operations in southeastern Alberta and takes advantage of shared expertise and concern for our wetlands.

A photographer’s wetland journey

right: ©Ilanna Sharon Mandel

above: ©DUC/Andrew McLachlan

Helping municipalities protect wetlands eastern Region Municipalities play a critical role in protecting wetlands. o ntari o Their staff and councils work with landowners, developers, conservation agencies and the public to conserve wetlands through land-use planning. They can also encourage wetland stewardship through public education and community engagement.

Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) Municipal Extension Program works with municipalities in Ontario, providing technical assistance by way of strategic studies and input on draft land-use policies, developing Unprecedented resources and extension materials, and engaging staff and councillors directly through workshops commitment and presentations. These efforts have helped to increase protection for over a half-million acres DUC and the Ontario governof wetlands. ment just announced they’re Support is growing in the government. In fact, continuing their partnership to the need to engage municipalities in wetland conserve wetlands for the next conservation was highlighted in the Province’s 15 years. Read more in the next recently adopted Great Lakes Strategy.

Conservator.

Municipalities also express their appreciation of DUC’s wetland expertise. “I was thoroughly delighted to receive a presentation from Ducks Unlimited”, says Steve Pellegrini, Mayor of King Township.

“It helped council understand the critical services that wetlands provide our residents.” “(In Grey County) the input and information that Ducks Unlimited provided was very helpful in assisting with the review of our Official Plan,” says Randy Switzer, director of planning and development. “It led to further policy and mapping changes, which will help protect the natural heritage features.”

As a professional photographer building a portfolio and looking to exhibit her work in galleries, Ilanna Sharon Mandel contacted Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), offering to take photographs of wetlands across southern Ontario.

“My hope is that these photographs will encourage people to visit wetlands by their homes and in their communities, and support their protection for centuries to come,” says Mandel.

Mandel was born and raised on the Canadian prairies and currently makes Toronto her home. A self-trained photographer, she pursues an artistic life with passion ever since she first began publishing at the age of 16.

Experiencing wetlands Read more, as Ilanna Mandel describes her photographic adventure at DUC’s Oshawa Second Marsh project at conservator.ca

“I doubt anyone hasn’t heard the word wetlands before, but I didn’t know how important they were until I became involved with Ducks Unlimited Canada.”

– Ilanna Sharon Mandel, photographer

Conservator | spring 2013

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Above: Gilles Dupont displaying his many awards at the 2011 Quebec Wildfowl Carving Contest.

DUC volunteer a world champion eastern Region o ntari o

Ontario students share wetland experiences In November, approximately 35 Wetland Centre of Excellence (WCE) students and their teachers from across Ontario came together at the Lake St. George Field Centre in Richmond Hill to share their experiences, inspire one another and network at a three-day workshop.

DUC’s WCE program facilitates student action projects around wetlands, allows more in-depth study of local wetlands and encourages students to share their wetland knowledge by mentoring elementary students.

During the workshop, students shared programs and activities they already completed and those they hope to undertake soon. With the enthusiasm these students and teachers showed in sharing their experiences, the future of Ontario’s WCEs is in good hands.

Caught on tape!

See and hear first hand what WCE students and teachers say about their workshop experience at conservator.ca

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Conservator | spring 2013

Above: Students building wood duck nest boxes at a WCE workshop, that were later donated to the Toronto Region Conservation Authority.

“Meeting so many other students interested in environmental sustainability was extremely encouraging!

It was also fascinating to see each school presenting such a variety of wetland projects.”

– Andrea Curran, WCE student Timiskaming District Secondary School

“I’m a duck hunter and have always loved birds. When I retired, I told myself I was going to give back to nature and what I harvest from it,” says Gilles Dupont, a Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) volunteer from the community of St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec.

And that’s exactly what he’s been doing for the last decade. Dupont helps to eastern Region quebec coordinate ticket sales for DUC fundraising dinners in St. Jeansur-Richelieu. He also donates one of his wood carvings to every auction, with the profits going towards conservation efforts.

This is a big deal because Dupont is quite the accomplished carver. In fact, he’s a world champion.

Dupont started woodworking classes about 20 years ago and they’ve paid off. He has won several first-place ribbons in competitions held in Montreal and Ottawa, as well as at the Ward World Championship in Ocean City, Maryland. He is also the winner of the Expert Best of Show award for the second time at the 2011 Quebec Wildfowl Carving Contest in Montreal and was promoted to the rank of Master Carver.

“It’s a passion for me,” says Dupont. “I put on wood what I see in nature.”

below: ©DUC/Claude Ponthieux

right: ©DUC/Tye Gregg

New law in favour of Quebec wetlands Remember April 24, 2015. It is an important date marking the end of the three-year countdown to the adoption of a law regulating the conservation and sustainable management of wetlands and water resources in Quebec. This was one of the most debated subjects in Quebec politics over the past year.

Following the Quebec Supreme Court’s ruling that a ministerial directive requesting compensation for projects that affect wetlands was illegal, the Quebec National Assembly adopted a corrective law that authorizes Quebec’s Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Fauna and Parks to require compensation for specific projects and sets out the nature of the required compensation.

The new act also states the Government of Quebec is required to adopt a complete legal and regulatory framework on the conservation and sustainable management of wetlands and water resources within three years.

In response, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) will redouble its efforts to provide key stakeholders with the best available information on the importance of wetland conservation, and how it is in the best interest of our communities.

DUC has developed clear conservation strategies to guide this effort, which stress the need for clear goals that prevent further wetland loss. To view these recommendations visit ducks.ca/ your-province/quebec/programs-projects

Project Webfoot lengthens stride Last spring, Janet Doucet saw a bus filled with students from a local school on a Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) Project Webfoot field trip. It drove past the Daly Point Nature Reserve, just outside of Bathurst, N.B., where Doucet works as the park’s coordinator.

Doucet wondered why the class, part of the DUC wetland education program for kids in Grades 4 to 6, were headed to a smaller DUC project down the road.

At 44 hectares, Daly Point, which juts out into the Chaleur Bay, has a 30-year DUC stewardship agreement, and is owned by the City of Bathurst. With saltwater and freshwater marshes, Acadian forest and collection of diverse wildlife, it’s a perfect venue for wetland education.

Starting this May through June, the eastern Region park will be running Project Webfoot atlantic programming, and hosting about 200 students and teachers.

“We’re building capacity through our partners,” says Jodie Hambrook, DUC head of outreach for Atlantic Canada, “and giving students the opportunity to visit a local facility that’s part of their community.”

The Daly Point Nature Reserve is now one of 13 field trip partners across Atlantic Canada.

DUC will also partner for the first time with the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance this spring to deliver Project Webfoot programming in Greater Moncton, N.B.

Starting this May through June, the park will be running Project Webfoot programming, and hosting about 200 students and teachers.

Conservator | spring 2013

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Newfoundland and Labrador works to clarify policy

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Conservator | spring 2013

“It’s a national DUC priority to have wetland policy in all provinces.”

– Danielle Fequet, conservation programs specialist, Ducks Unlimited Canada

eastern Region atlantic

According to DUC Newfoundland and Labrador conservation program specialist Danielle Fequet, creating better policy is important because “NL has rich and abundant natural resources that are increasingly in demand.” A more comprehensive policy will help everyone involved in planning and development better protect the region’s wetlands, while still encouraging economic growth.

“And it’s a national DUC priority to have wetland policy in all provinces,” says Fequet, “so it’s something we’re focusing on.”

Government and industry partners at the event included representatives from The City of St. John’s, Stantec engineering, architecture and environmental design firm, the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Environment and Conservation Tom Hedderson, who opened the workshop with an address.

right: ©DUC/Michel Blachas and Carole Piché

In the small community of Melbourne, N.S., a cherished local wetland has a new lease on life. After years of hard work, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the community celebrated the rebuilding of Melbourne Marsh.

In November, representatives from the Municipality of Argyle, the Town of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, DUC and a large number of supporters and community members attended the official re-opening of Melbourne Marsh, located just outside of Yarmouth.

“Melbourne Marsh is such an important part of our community,” says Mary Roberts, a local resident. “We all really enjoy seeing how much it gets used by ducks and local wildlife – it really enhances the community and we’re happy it’s going to be around for a long time to come.”

In 2010, it was determined the water control structure and culvert under the adjacent road at the marsh needed replacing. With support from Environment Canada, the Province of Nova Scotia, LaFarge Canada Inc and community members, DUC completed the maintenance work.

“The support we receive from the local community is wonderful,” says Gren Jones, DUC senior director for the provinces of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. “Community members, government partners and businesses put a lot of hard work, support and encouragement into Melbourne.

It is a beautiful area for the entire community to cherish and enjoy.”

Above: Melbourne, N.S., resident Mary Roberts and DUC director Gren Jones celebrate the re-opening of Melbourne Marsh.

left: ©DUC/Tye Gregg

New lease on life for Melbourne Marsh

Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) hosted a workshop in October in St. John’s, N.L., to kick start the creation of a new Newfoundland and Labrador Wetland Policy.

The province’s current wetland policy, which falls under Newfoundland and Labrador’s Water Resources Act, is focused more on protecting water quality than wetland habitat, and it isn’t easy to decipher. Because of this, many participants said they want easy-to-understand regulations to guide developers working near wetlands.

“A set of practical guidelines could create policy awareness and a more sustainable approach,” says Adam Campbell, DUC head of conservation delivery in Atlantic Canada.

A feather in your cap Wood duck numbers were in steep decline in the late 19th century, in part due to habitat loss and demand for their feathers for ladies’ hats in Europe.

Conservation measures, including widespread use of nest boxes, have allowed their numbers to rebound.

Conservator | spring 2013

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