western region ( Prairie/ Boreal ) Yukon • Northwest Territories • Nunavut • Alberta • Saskatchewan • Manitoba
volume 28, number 4, 2007
North Carolina wigeon study tracks birds to Manitoba
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While duck population numbers increased across the country this past year, one species continues to draw concern across Canada’s Prairie parkland. No one really knows why American wigeon population levels are nearly 35 per cent less than historic numbers in the Canadian Prairies, and 86 per cent lower in Manitoba, or why the opposite seems to be happening in Alaska, where populations have spiked dramatically. But one research effort is showing clearly that some of the birds still call Manitoba home. Dr. Doug Howell, a biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, is in the first year of what he hopes to be a three-year study that tracks the migration patterns of American wigeon in the Atlantic flyway. The central states, in addition to the Prairie provinces, play a major role in the wigeon puzzle. “We weren’t quite sure where our birds are coming from,” says Howell. “By learning more about migration pathways, timings and important stopover sites, we can compare that data to banding recovery
and study it in the context of the declining population. Among other things, it will help us target key areas for habitat conservation.” Howell says that of the eight birds he’s fitted with transmitters, most seem to be settling in Manitoba. This was good news to Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) David Howerter, a research scientist who has been monitoring the situation. “The last study of breeding American wigeon in the Prairies was conducted nearly 30 years ago, so we don’t know much about what drives population numbers of wigeon,” Howerter says. “As such, we just don’t know enough to determine the cause for the decline in the Prairies or the increase in Alaska.” That’s why Howerter wants to study wigeon nesting ecology to help gain insight into the population decline. “The American wigeon has been largely overlooked because its overall continental numbers appear stable, due to Alaska increases. But no matter what the continental numbers, we know that if there’s a significant change in population, something detrimental is going on with the birds and the environment,” Howerter says.
Research is monitoring the movement and trends of wigeon.
New award salutes Kimiwan Lake volunteers
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A dedicated group of volunteer conservationists from the northern Alberta community of McLennan won Alberta’s first Lieutenant-Governor’s Greenwing Conservation Award for its outstanding work at Kimiwan Lake, an internationally recognized wetland renowned for its many wildlife values. Sponsored by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), the award recognizes those who take a leadership role in promoting public awareness of conserving wetlands and associated Kimiwan Lake Naturalists with Alberta Lieutenant Governor, the habitats in Alberta for the benefit of Honourable Norman L. Kwong and the Honourable Mrs. Kwong waterfowl, wildlife and people, accord- (r & l of print) and Jack Hole, vice president, DUC (far right). ing to DUC vice-president Jack Hole, A 10,000-acre shallow wetland located on who represented DUC at the formal awards major flyways for waterfowl and shorebirds, ceremony held in Edmonton in late June. Kimiwan Lake is a Globally Significant “We are pleased to recognize such an Important Bird Area and the most northerly outstanding group. The Kimiwan Lake site in Alberta nominated under the Western Naturalists (KLN) are doing things we Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. should all be proud of,” said Hole. “In early October, it’s not unusual to see Lieutenant Governor Norman Kwong, upwards of 10,000 tundra and trumpeter who made the presentation, said, “There swans staging each day on this lake,” says were many very deserving nominees for Mark Heckbert, president, KLN. this award, which bodes well for wetlands in An important staging area for migrating Alberta. These habitats are extremely valuwaterfowl, water birds and shorebirds, the able for both wildlife and people, and it is lake and volunteer-run interpretive centre important to recognize the individuals and have attracted more than 45,000 people groups like the Kimiwan Lake Naturalists since the centre opened in 1992. Most, who are working so hard to conserve them.”
including area schoolchildren and guided birding tours, come from May to September, when the privately run and funded centre is open full-time. The group was nominated for the award by Andrew Wagner, a water technologist with Alberta Environment in High Prairie. “When I heard about the award, I realized this group was an excellent candidate for nomination. This group builds local interest in Kimiwan Lake and their hard work ensures more people get to learn about the importance of wetlands and why their conservation is so important.” The Lieutenant-Governor’s Greenwing Conservation Award will be presented annually to an individual, company or organization that demonstrates leadership in a project or activity that has contributed to the public awareness of conserving wetlands habitat, says Hole. Individuals, organizations and corporations are all eligible. Wagner is pleased the Kimiwan Lake Naturalists were the first to earn the special recognition. “The Kimiwan Lake Naturalists are a group of hard-working people who donate their time to tell the rest of us about the value of wetlands. I do hope their success encourages similar action in other areas.”
DUC celebrates Wisconsin support in Manitoba
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After sowing productive nesting cover on a longtime project in the Manitoba parkland, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) invited local residents and volunteers to join in celebrating a harvest of a different kind. On June 14 they welcomed guests from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and Wisconsin State Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DUI) volunteers to the dedication of the Wisconsin Project, on the George and Pat Woodcock property located northeast of Minnedosa, Man. The WDNR donates onethird of its annual sales of Waterfowl Stamps to Ducks Unlimited, Inc., which matches WDNR’s contribution before sending the money to DUC, which further leverages the money through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. (l-r) Gildo Tori of DUI; Scott Hassett, Director, WDNR; Bill Vander Zouwen, wildlife section chief, WDNR; Ricky Lien, wetland co-ordinator, WDNR; Chad Nevis and Nels Swensen, volunteers; and Lon Knoedler, senior vice-president of Wisconsin State DUI.
western region (prairie/boreal)
Partnership examines native grasses as forage cover
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Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is pleased to be partnering with the Saskatchewan Forage Council on a research project to restore native perennial grasses in the black soil zones of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The project is funded under Agriculture and AgriFood Canada’s Greencover Canada program as a Regional Technical Assistance Component (TAC). “There are benefits to livestock producers seeding native grasses in these areas,” says Trevor Plews, head of uplands restoration for DUC in Saskatchewan. “Native plants have enhanced adaptability in the area. If kept vigorous, many have a higher protein content. And their longevity means that producers could extend their grazing season.” The problem, however, is that so few fields have been returned to native perennial stands, and the majority of those are in the brown
and dark brown soils in Saskatchewan. “We need more information on how these native plants will work in the parkland and in real, live farming operations,” Plews explains. To meet this need, the project is gathering data from several representative fields where native plant stands are being established. Six test sites were chosen, working with producers in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Seed blends for each of the test sites were specifically selected from perennial native plants adapted to the local area. Each test site is 40 acres in size, simulating a paddock or hay field and large enough to facilitate grazing management. Once established, these fields will be utilized by producers for hay or grazing. “It’s critical for us to capture some benchmarks,” Plews states. “To promote the fullest integration of native grasses into forage cover, we need to see how native grasses can meet the needs of both livestock production and land conservation.”
City of Saskatoon, local conservation groups unveil urban wetlands
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On July 23, 2007, representatives from the City of Saskatoon, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Saskatoon Wildlife Federation gathered at the Hyde Wetlands in southeast Saskatoon to unveil a project sign and recognize an important urban conservation area as a future site for wetland education in the city. There is a lot happening in and around the Lakewood Suburban Centre in southeast Saskatoon. Although much of the area is under construction, city planners and conservation groups have come together to ensure that one large wetland remains relatively unchanged within the new development. In total, five wetlands and 237 acres of green space will be preserved and maintained in the area. The largest of the wetlands will soon become an education destination for school classes from Saskatoon and the surrounding area. “The City of Saskatoon is a proud partner in this unique project,” says Tiffany Paulsen, city councillor for Ward 9. “These wetlands and natural stormwater management system are a good fit with City Council’s focus on environmentally sustainable projects within the city.”
The Saskatoon Wildlife Federation, in conjunction with DUC and the City of Saskatoon, recognized this important area in 2003 and pledged $100,000 towards the project. “We felt this was an important opportunity for the city of Saskatoon,” says Bob Rogers, habitat chair with the Saskatoon Wildlife Federation and a retired teacher. “Not only does this project retain a natural wetland within the city limits, it will be a location where residents and schools can visit and learn about our natural spaces.” While only one of the wetlands will remain untouched as the area is developed, the three Hyde Wetlands have been incorporated into the city’s stormwater management plan for the area. The plan, developed by Associated Engineering (SK) Ltd., even won a national award for its design in 2004 and has been touted as a template for urban planning across the country. In addition to main-
Minnie Hyde (right) with her son Elmer and his wife Agnes, owned the land before it became city property.
taining the wetland and re-establishing vegetation around Basin 3, the partners look forward to the day when schoolchildren and other citizens begin using the area as an outdoor classroom. “The Saskatoon Wildlife Federation and DUC have a long history of working together to conserve habitat in Saskatchewan,” says Michael Hill, DUC’s head of wetland restoration for the province. “When a wetland is saved, we preserve the province’s natural heritage with many short- and long-term benefits to waterfowl, wildlife and people.”
Producers take a fresh look at wildlife habitat
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Every fall, Don Gregorwich would dig a small V-shaped trench from a slough in one of his fields to a nearby ditch. Then, every spring after run-off and before seeding, he would fill it in again. This process continued year after year, costing him in time and equipment use. But in the back of his mind, the Kelsey, Alta., producer often wondered how much he was really gaining from that effort. Would it make more sense to work with nature than against it? So when the opportunity came to rethink that land as wildlife habitat, he jumped at the chance. By identifying a small parcel that could be returned to its state as a natural wetland, Gregorwich found he could return the slough to its original drainage pattern and his fall trench digging days were over. Gregorwich’s three-acre parcel may not be big from a farm production perspective, but he thinks it may ultimately represent a bigger impact on his farm. He believes he’s like a lot of farmers today, rethinking the value of wildlife habitat on their farms and ranches. Whether driven by high stewardship standards or habitat’s connection with land value, they are all acknowledging one thing: that the time might be right to rethink some of the land and water development decisions of the past. That’s precisely what Natural Advantage: The On-Farm Wildlife and Biodiversity Planning Service is designed to address. This free service, funded by the Technical Assistance Component of Greencover Canada, is designed to help Alberta farmers and ranchers identify, protect and manage wildlife habitat on their properties. It’s also an extension of the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) program’s habitat management Beneficial Management Practice. Participation in the EFP program is a prerequisite to the Natural Advantage process, says project director Kim Schmitt with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), which manages the project.
“Some of the options in the EFP process involve on-farm biodiversity planning and wildlife habitat enhancement. We found that not a lot of people are doing this. Through this project, we hope to get more people to look at wildlife in a broader sense to gain an understanding of habitat and how cropping and farming practices can be complementary. “We believe that when people have a solid plan built on a strong technical foundation, they’re in a much better position to implement beneficial practices.” The Natural Advantage process is designed to be a straightforward one for producers. The first step is to sign a simple one-page letter of understanding to outline how the habitat analysis component of the process will work. A phone interview in which biologists from DUC discuss the project with the participant follows. From there, biologists will analyze and classify on-farm habitat using air photos and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping. They then spend up to half a day meeting with the landowner on the farm to discuss their findings. Biologists also spend time completing field verification and a rapid assessment of the condition of the areas identified. In the end, the producer will receive a comprehensive written report based on the information gathered, including resource materials and contact information to assist with the implementation of recommendations in the report. “Integrating this type of conservation management into farm operations can have significant environmental, social and economic advantages,” says Schmitt. “In many cases, the value of land today is driven by esthetics and diversity, including the quality of its wildlife habitat. Doing this today could well result in significant reward in short, mid- and longer terms.” For more information about the Natural Advantage process, in Alberta please contact Kim Schmitt at (403) 342-1314.
western region (prairie/boreal)
Taking watershed partnerships to another level
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Since the 2005 proclamation of the Water Protection Act, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has worked closely with community-based watershed planning groups in Manitoba to address water-related challenges on a watershed basis, and emphasize the important role of wetlands in healthy watersheds. For example, this summer, DUC joined with the Turtle Mountain Conservation District (TMCD) in a partnership that sees the two groups working together to sign Conservation Agreements with landowners in the important Whitewater Lake watershed. “Partnering with the TMCD allows us to protect much more habitat in this critical area,” says Mark Francis, DUC conservation programs specialist. “The TMCD has very strong ties to the community and has developed wonderful insight into the importance of wetlands to waterfowl, other wildlife and people. Our new partnership will just continue to build on our successful relationship.” Whitewater Lake is officially recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) of global significance and a Manitoba Heritage Marsh, because it provides valuable habitat to over 110 species of birds as well as over 40 species of other wildlife. Francis explains that the wetlands surrounding Whitewater Lake are vital not only to the health of the lake itself, but also to the feeding, staging, pairing and breeding of many waterfowl species, particularly northern pintail. Unfortunately, these wetlands are at high risk of harm from agricultural and industrial development, which make the long-term Conservation Agreements even more important. The partnership will help protect wetlands in perpetuity and also promote restoration of these important pothole wetlands. The program will be equally funded by both partners; TMCD will promote the program to landowners and community groups, while DUC will draw on previous experience to negotiate and hold all Conservation Agreements.
DUC helps educate producers about winter wheat benefits
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Winter wheat is on a roll in Saskatchewan, with about 500,000 acres seeded last fall, an increase of 200,000 acres from two years earlier. (Winter wheat acres were up significantly across the three Prairie provinces, reaching 1.2 million acres seeded last fall.) Three well-attended “Winning with Winter Wheat” field tours at Esk, Bruno and Dinsmore hosted by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) in mid-July will help keep the momentum going. Farmers saw first-hand on large-scale farm plots how different winter wheat varieties perform, and learned about the many benefits – additional cropping options, lower herbicide, fungicide and pesticide costs, reduced wind and water soil erosion, a wider harvesting window and higher yield – of making winter wheat part of their cropping plans. “Why is Ducks Unlimited interested in seeing winter wheat acres expand?” was often the first question DUC staffers Larry Durand and Mark Akins fielded during the tours. The explanation illustrates how agriculture, research and conservation can work together effectively. Some waterfowl, especially the northern pintail, prefer nesting on sparse cover, like cropland. Since winter wheat does not require spring tillage, it provides early spring nesting cover for waterfowl and much less risk of nest damage from farm equipment. Recent research by DUC indicates that ducks that nest in winter wheat are 10 times more likely to successfully hatch as those that nest in spring-seeded cereals. “Winter wheat often escapes infestations of wheat midge, wheat stem sawfly and fusarium head blight because it’s further developed than other crops, and that’s driving interest,” says Durand. Akins adds, “Winter wheat is an agronomic practice that growers can do well with, it reduces herbicide and pesticide use, and it’s also good for waterfowl habitat, so it’s a win-win-win.”
Larry Durand, a winter wheat agronomist with DUC, discusses the benefits of growing winter wheat as farmers from the Bruno area of Saskatchewan inspect this year’s crop.
DUC honours employee milestones
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Conserving wetlands is more than just a job for Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) employees, and there is no better way to celebrate the loyalty, innovation and hard work of some of our most dedicated staff than with a wetland project dedication under Manitoba’s warm summer skies. On June 25, in The Pas, Man., about 30 colleagues, friends, family and DUC employees gathered at the home of Tom Heape to celebrate his 38 years of service with the organization. Heape’s home overlooks Watchi Bay, one of DUC’s first wetland projects in the area. The project was dedicated in Heape’s honour at the ceremony. Known for his innovation in overcoming the challenges that come with wetland conservation in a northern climate, Heape, along with wife Carol and their family, played an important role in restoring and conserving wetlands in the Saskatchewan River Delta, one of the largest delta complexes in North America. Heape retired in 1995 but remains active in the community. On July 9, a DUC project near Killarney, Man., was dedicated to longtime employees Isabel Curwain, Lawrence Kelly and Paul Winslow. As an engineer for DUC in Manitoba, Paul Winslow spent much of his time in the field at wetland projects. His innovations influenced the management of many wetlands throughout the province.
Winslow retired in 1993 after 33 years working for DUC. L awrence Kelly showed a great ability as area manager to understand the need to balance wetland and waterfowl conservation with the needs of the community. His friendly nature and dedication led to many strong relationships and wetland projects with local landowners. Kelly retired in 1986 after 35 years with DUC, but remains involved to this day. In the early days of DUC, Isabel Curwain played an important role as the one-person accounting department for DUC in Manitoba, and also acted as office manager. As the organization grew, she continued to play an important role in daily operations and retired in 1986 after 36 years with the organization. Provincial manager Bob Grant says that the recent honourees embodied all that DUC was, is and wants to be. “The DUC story has always been one of innovative ideas, motivating passion, and a steadfast determination to protect Canada’s wetlands,” he explains. “Our staff know the value of what they’re protecting, and we’re proud to celebrate their unique work.”
western region ( Prairie/ Boreal )
The Flyway newsletter is published by Ducks Unlimited Canada Oak Hammock Marsh Conservation Centre P.O. Box 1160, Stonewall, Manitoba R0C 2Z0 tel (204)467-3000 fax (204)467-9028 toll-free 1(800)665-DUCK Please direct your inquiries to the following: Eastern Region Atlantic: Kelly MacDonald Quebec: Bernard Filion Ontario: Lynette Mader Marci Dube Western Region
Flyway production staff Director of Communications and Marketing: Madeleine Arbez Editor: Duncan Morrison Assistant: June Finnson Art Director: Tye Gregg Graphic Designers: Lindsay Pikta-Marie, Aquila Samson, Jeope Wolfe
© Ducks Unlimited Canada, 2007 Printed in Canada on 100% recycled paper including 100% post-consumer fibres
Area Contacts Marketing/Communications Anh Hoang, Western Boreal (780) 489-8110 Sarah Hodges-Kolisnyk, Manitoba (204) 467-3252 Lori Gasper, Saskatchewan (306) 665-7356 Lee Moats, Saskatchewan (306) 569-0424 Kristina Dembinski, Alberta (780) 489-2002 Manager of Operations, Manitoba Bob Grant, Brandon (204) 729-3500 Manager of Operations, Saskatchewan Brent Kennedy, Regina (306) 569-0424 Manager of Operations, Alberta Dave Kay, Edmonton (780) 489-2002 Education Jerry Brunen, Calgary Barb Hanbidge, Saskatoon Bob Laidler, Oak Hammock
(403) 201-5577 (306) 665-7356 (204) 467-3000
Western Boreal Program Eric Butterworth
(780) 489-8110
The Mac Project near Killarney, Man. was dedicated to three longtime DUC employees. publication agreement #40064849