western region ( Prairie/ Boreal ) Yukon • Northwest Territories • Nunavut • Alberta • Saskatchewan • Manitoba
volume 30, number 3, 2009
Wildlife and agriculture coexist at Lizard Lake
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Lizard Lake, Man., is a perfect example of how Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) manages its projects so wildlife and agriculture can coexist. The wetland is 125 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg and is surrounded by several intensive agricultural operations. For decades there was disagreement about how the land in the area should be used. Some wanted to drain the water and others were interested in conserving it for wildlife. About 22 years ago DUC became involved and since then, many people in the area have come to believe there are benefits to both wildlife and agriculture through maintaining the project. Flood control and water quality are just some of the benefits people in the area see. Prior to DUC’s involvement, the Lizard Lake area was unattractive to both wildlife and local landowners. Haying was hit-and-miss most years and there wasn’t enough natural cover to provide proper habitat. DUC was called in to fix the problem and designed the back-flood system now used in the area. In 1987 a central ring dike was built. It created a marsh and ensures there is enough water to support about 580 acres of wetland and wildlife habitat. Outside of the main area is another 1,560 acres. This land can handle temporary and overflow flooding and is a great place for grasses and sedges to grow once the water level is lowered. The current system creates a win-win situation. The grasses provide plenty of hay for neighbouring landowners and the water and habitat can be used as feeding and nesting sites for migrating waterfowl. In any given year the water levels in both the main ring dike area and temporary flood zone can be maintained using the control structures. These controls help DUC staff and neighbouring landowners manage both flooding and drought.
In fact, the landowners are working with area staff to monitor the rainfall and run-off. They are able to let the staff know of any concerns and help with operations when needed. S
Saskatchewan First Nations Moose Jaw chapter youth learning about wins Wakamow wetland conservation Conservation Award
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First Nations youth in Saskatchewan are now learning about wetland conservation through Project Webfoot, thanks to a partnership between Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the First Nations Agricultural Council of Saskatchewan (FNACS). “This partnership is allowing Ducks Unlimited Canada to reach 19 classrooms of children in eight First Nations schools across Saskatchewan,” says Barbara Hanbidge, DUC’s education specialist in Saskatchewan. “It is truly wonderful to see these young people learning about our precious habitats and how they can contribute to wetland conservation through the many different wetland and environmental education resources offered through Project Webfoot.” Hanbidge points out while the Project Webfoot program has been taught to more than 240,000 Grade 4 to 6 students across the country, until now DUC has never had the type of sponsorship needed to make an impact with First Nations kids in this province. The two organizations held a fundraising banquet to raise the money needed. Ticket sales, raffles, auctions and cash donations raised over $25,000 for the project. All of the funds are being used for youth programming, including Project Webfoot. “Our long-term strategy is to teach youth about agriculture and land, environmental land use and management, and why it is important to the future of First Nations,” says Keith LePoudre, the general manager of the FNACS. “That’s why this partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada is a perfect fit for us.” FNACS is an organization designed to help First Nations communities and individuals achieve their land management objectives, and produce a viable agriculture sector both on and off reserve. Vanessa Chamakese, youth development co-ordinator with FNACS, says the feedback from teachers so far has been excellent. “Teachers are finding the resources, and particularly the visual aids, very useful and say they are an excellent tool to help their children learn,” says Chamakese. To learn more about Project Webfoot visit www.ducks.ca/ resource/teachers/index.html.
"Project Webfoot has an in-depth focus to create an ecologically aware citizen – the content is extensive and can be readily taught using fun and diverse teaching methods.” – Diane Sutherland, Grade 5/6 Teacher, Muskoday First Nation
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The Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) chapter at Moose Jaw was recently recognized by the South Saskatchewan Wildlife Association (SSWA) for outstanding fundraising efforts over the past 26 years and particularly for their contributions to the local Upper Buffalo Pound and Nicolle Flats projects. “Ducks Unlimited has led many projects in the Moose Jaw area for conservation and continues to do an excellent job,” says Russ Becker, director with the SSWA. “Their committee has done very well in the amount they raise and the good people they bring on board.” The money raised by the local volunteers often goes to fund projects such as Nicolle Flats, in which water levels and water movement is controlled using earthworks and pumps to preserve nesting areas for waterfowl. At another local project, the Upper Buffalo Pound Marsh, DUC supports a 1,300-acre project to preserve natural habitats for many species of waterfowl, wildlife and fish. Larry Johnson is a Moose Jaw businessman who chairs the DUC chapter in the area. He feels that preserving wetlands should be a priority for everyone. “This is the legacy we can leave our kids and generations to come: fresh drinking water and one of the most beautiful natural habitats in Canada,” Johnson says Since 1954, SSWA has worked with communities and landowners in the southern part of the province to preserve the natural habitat for wildlife. Each year, the SSWA presents the 2008 Wakamow Conservation Award to a recipient involved in protecting or propagating wildlife and promoting conservation. “We’re lucky to have such a supportive community and great volunteers,” Becker adds. “Our club has been a supporter of DUC since Day 1. We’re all out for the same objective – to promote wildlife.” Bret Goodyear (far right), board member with the Wakamow Valley Authority, presents the 2008 Wakamow Conservation Award to Larry Johnson and members of the Moose Jaw Ducks Unlimited Canada chapter.
western region (prairie/boreal)
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2009 Minister’s Dinner a success For the superstitious 13 is often seen as an unlucky number. But when it comes to raising money for the Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre, the 13th annual Manitoba Minister’s Dinner was another big success. This year, the event raised more than $120,000 to support the Centre. In total 185 of Manitoba’s business, corporate and political leaders joined the Honourable Stan Struthers, the province’s minister of conservation, at the St. Charles Country Club on Feb. 26. “By raising the level of wetland awareness and knowledge in the people who live, work and play in this vast watershed, the Interpretive Centre paves the way for stronger publicly supported wetland policies,” Struthers explained to the guests in his opening address, emphasizing the Centre’s critical role in helping to educate the community about the importance of conserving wetlands. In the last 12 years, the Minister’s Dinner has raised $1.1 million. The money is used for educational programming at the Oak Hammock Marsh, a partnership between Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Province of Manitoba. The Centre, just a 20-minute drive north of Winnipeg, is a world-class environmental education facility that has generated awards and garnered recognition from around the globe. In 2008 Oak Hammock Marsh was awarded the Interlake Tourism Association Award of Distinction and the Wildlife Society, Manitoba Chapter Conservationist Award. Thank you to all who attended and supported this successful corporate event.
Right (L-R): Sam and Larry Vickar, Vickar Community Chevrolet, Lawrence Prendiville, Prendiville Industries, and Stephen Olyniuk, Vickar Community Chevrolet.
Left (L-R): John Milne, DUC, Curt Vossen, president and CEO, Richardson International, Larry Licharson, HR AdWorks Ltd., Loraine Nyokong, DUC, and Gary Goodwin, DUC.
Above: Carmela and Kevin Cymbaluk, RAC Refrigeration, took home this stream bed coffee table from the Minister’s Dinner.
Below (L-R): Jack Palmer and Bob Filuk, past president of the Thomas Sill Foundation Inc., try out the golf cart up for auction at the 2009 Minister’s Dinner.
Above (L-R): Hon. Stan Struthers, DUC directors Mauri Rutherford and Ross Gage.
New waterfowlers wanted
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Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) began over 70 years ago through the leadership of waterfowlers concerned about the loss of wetland and upland habitats and the impact of this loss on waterfowl populations. Despite our many conservation successes since our origin, abating the loss of wetlands across Canada continues to be DUC’s No. 1 challenge. As such, we feel it’s vital to educate the next generation about continuing the waterfowling and conservation tradition. Since the 1970s the number of Canadian waterfowl hunters has dropped by more than 70 per cent. To support waterfowlers DUC, along with our partners, delivers a program to teach novice waterfowlers how to hunt. Our primary goal is to have new waterfowlers learn and enjoy the waterfowling tradition and thereby increase the number of responsible conservation-minded hunters. Our Waterfowling Heritage program links experienced adult mentors with novice waterfowlers. The program includes a classroom setting as well as an actual waterfowl hunt where mentors and their apprentices take to the field and marsh to put all of the theory into practice. The emphasis is on having fun, learning ethics, taking part in hands-on practices and becoming a Canadian waterfowler. Key components include waterfowl identification, use of decoys, duck and goose calling, using retrievers, firearms safety and much more. At the end of the day, participants will learn how to clean their birds and how to prepare them for the table. DUC invites all youth ages 12 to 17 who have successfully completed the Hunter Safety course to learn how to hunt. There are also a number of women’s-only hunts and events for university and college students across Canada. With your help and interest we will add many more! For information on learning how to hunt, becoming a mentor or organizing a mentored hunt on your own, email c_benson@ducks. ca or call 1-800-665-DUCK (3825) to get your free Greenwing Event Planning Guide.
Upcoming Hunts/Waterfowling Heritage Days 2009 September
Dauphin, Man.
Don Stokotelny
204-638-4510
September
Netley, Man.
Chris Benson
204-467-3249
September
Alexander, Man.
Kim Poppel
204-729-1959
September
Douglas, Man.
Kim Poppel
204-729-1959
September
Minnedosa, Man.
Barry Good
204-867-2984
September
Delta Marsh, Man.
Cam Meuckon
204-956-7766
September
Ashern, Man.
Bryan Carmichael
204-768-2368
September
Pilot Mound, Man.
Kerry Coleman
204-873-2532
September
Gimli, Man.
Randy Woroniuk
204-642-6100
September
Delta Marsh, Man.
Carly Michie
204-956-7766
September
Manitoba Women’s Hunt Dale Garnham Oak Hammock, Man.
204-633-5967
September
U of M Hunt Delta Marsh, Man.
Rick Baydack
204-474-6776
September
High River, Alta.
Perry McCormick
403-476-1873
September
Whitewater Lake, Man.
Ritchie Barwick
204-534-7627
September
Asessippi, Man.
Geordie Daneliuk
204-773-2758
September
Lethbridge, Alta.
Carly Michie
204-956-7766
September
Edmonton
Carly Michie
204-956-7766
September
Killarney, Man.
Mike Kramer
204-523-8498 204-523-6075
September
Winnipeg, Man.
Rob Bruce
204-945-7750
October
Souris, Man.
Bryan Klein
204-483-2720
October
Delta, B.C.
Dennis Zentner
604-940-1017 604-841-5369 cell Email: drz@telus.net
Our partners are Delta Waterfowl, Manitoba Wildlife Federation, Manitoba Conservation, Long Point Waterfowlers Association, Long Point Waterfowl Association, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Hunting for Tomorrow Foundation and Notre Dame Rod and Gun Club.
Farm family recognized for conservation
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Earlier this year, Trent and Carolyn Walls of Alameda, Sask., were recognized with the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association’s (SSCA) Farm Family Award for 2009. Sponsored by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), this award recognizes a farm family
that has made an outstanding contribution toward promoting production systems that reduce soil degradation, enhance water quality and maintain economic viability. The couple farm with Trent’s parents, Doug and Arlene Walls, and together have converted their cropland to forages for their growing cattle herd. The Walls are developing rotational grazing plans up to one year in advance, which helps use the grass better, increases the health of the forage and distributes the manure more evenly. The Walls are familiar faces among forage producers: Trent is a grazing mentor and also shares his experience with forage conversion and planned rotational grazing as a member of the Upper Souris Watershed Agri-Environmental Group Planning (AEGP) committee. Congratulations to Trent and Carolyn and their family. (l to r) Vicki East of DUC, Trent and Carolyn Walls, 2009 Farm Family Award Recipients, and Edgar Hammerstein of the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association.
western region (prairie/boreal)
Yukon waterfowl surveys underway
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If a duck flies across the still-frozen Yukon in early spring and no one’s there to see it, does it really matter? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” – especially since that one duck is likely to be accompanied by thousands upon thousands of his waterfowl friends, many of whom make the journey to northern breeding grounds as part of a life cycle that replenishes North American populations of these wetland-dependent birds. In an effort to add real numbers to our knowledge of waterfowl staging sites in the Far North, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) launched its first-ever spring staging surveys in the southern Yukon Territory this spring. Working with the Yukon government and First Nations governments, DUC surveyors are counting swans, ducks and geese on about 15 of the region’s many lakes, says Jamie Kenyon, a conservation programs specialist with DUC based in Whitehorse. Survey work in the region is complicated by distance and accessibility, as well as the sheer size of the bodies of water surveyed, adds Kenyon. Unlike the Prairie region with its ephemeral wetlands and shallow bodies of water, “spring staging sites in the Yukon tend to be located at outlets on massive bodies of water. Many of them are 60 to 70 kilometres long and 500 to 800 feet (151 to 242 metres) deep.” To keep the surveys manageable, DUC surveys mainly target lake outlets, which are the first to open in the spring. Focusing on the peak migration period between early April and the third week of May, surveyors are establishing baseline
DUC proud of volunteers
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15, 20, 23, 19, 25, 17. They may look like the lucky numbers for the next winning lottery ticket, but they actually represent the number of years many local Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) events have been taking place. From Lethbridge to Lloydminster, many of these events have been drawing crowds and raising funds to support DUC’s wetland conservation efforts across Alberta for decades. “In my region we have 10 events that have been taking place for more than 25 years, and many more that have been around for more than 20 years,” says Murray Hampshire, DUC’s fundraising manager for the Peace Boreal region. “People here are committed to DUC and what we stand for.”
information about the relative value of different bodies of water to different species of waterfowl. And early results do appear to show key differences. On April 16, for example, more than 500 swans were counted on Tagish Lake, while Teslin Outlet attracted the highest duck count of the day at 122 birds. Quality spring staging habitat is critical to the North American population of waterfowl, since many of these birds go farther north to breed. Scientists estimate the state of Alaska and the Yukon region known as Old Crow Flats – located 73 km north of the Arctic Circle and 110 km south of the Beaufort Sea – are home to five to six million breeding waterfowl. Kenyon says a similar survey will be repeated in the fall, when migration stretches from August to early October or freeze-up. The information gleaned from these first-time surveys will be used to guide management decisions that are part of land claims settlements in the region, says Kenyon. “It will also be helpful information to have in advance of decisions about where pipelines will be built in the region. One of the proposed pipelines is close to spring staging sites. But until we know how important these sites are to regional migration, it is difficult to recommend management options.” Over time, similar counts may also help conservationists understand the impact of climate change. In recent years, a few swans and some goldeneye and merganser ducks have overwintered on at least a couple of Yukon lake outlets. S He adds that rural people traditionally have an affinity for events that place locally, and the fundraising dinners held annually by DUC have a direct connection to the communities where they are held. In Alberta there are 120 standard events each year. “It’s a good opportunity for the whole town to get together with like-minded people for a good time and a good cause,” explains Hampshire. “Everyone in the room knows each other and they know exactly what DUC has done for their area.” DUC has been holding fundraising events in Canada for 30 years. These events are run by a virtual army of volunteers. “It’s a matter of finding the right people and there are some great people who lend their time to DUC,” says Hampshire. Archie Balaski, fundraising manager for the Prairie District, says that he too has events that have lasted more than two decades. He adds that in many smaller communities, DUC dinners are the main event in town. He points out that even in larger centres like Lethbridge, DUC has a significant presence. In fact, two Lethbridge volunteers recently celebrated 30 years of volunteerism. “We never have trouble recruiting volunteers for these events, and those who join in tend to stick around,” he adds. “It’s great to get new ideas at the table, but we’re very proud of the longevity of our members and our events.” S DUC's Peace Boreal region fundraising manager Murray Hampshire honours Don Nelson of Beaverlodge, Alberta for 20 years as DUC volunteer.
Reconnecting with nature at Frank Lake
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Getting a glimpse of a rare bird at a Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) project turned a casual hobby into a lifelong passion for Cliff Rhodes. Rhodes, now the president of Nature Calgary, was on a City of Calgary-sponsored birding tour at Frank Lake when he caught sight of a white-faced ibis. “Our guide was very excited when the bird flew over us, because it is a rare species in Alberta,” Rhodes says. “When I went back to Frank Lake later on my own, I saw a pair of white-faced ibis prancing in the water and felt that same thrill.” DUC began working at Frank Lake in 1952. By the 1980s the organization was partnering with industry and government to stabilize the lake and prevent it from drying up during drought years. For the past 12 years, the City of Calgary has co-ordinated an education program at the site for elementary students, university groups, naturalist clubs and others who want the chance to learn about wetlands and experience nature up close. Visitors say Frank Lake is an opportunity to reconnect with nature. Like Rhodes, they often have experiences that affect them for a lifetime. “Frank Lake is the most significant wetland for breeding and staging waterfowl in southern Alberta,” says Rosemarie Ferjuc, education specialist with DUC. “It is one of our longest running projects and its close proximity to Calgary means that it has been well used by the public. It is a real treasure that provides educational opportunities for young and old alike.” Many of the students who visit the area on field trips have never seen a wetland environment up close. They are often amazed by how many different plants and animals they see. “Frank Lake offers such diversity,” Ferjuc says, pointing out that 190 plant species, 194 bird species and more than 16 mammal species have been recorded at the lake. “I can’t think of a better place to reconnect with nature and wild places.” S DUC project at Frank Lake provides a way for Southern Albertans living in urban areas to learn about nature.
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 Western Region Prairie-Western Boreal: Marci Dube British Columbia: Wendy Fister
Flyway production staff Director of Communications and Marketing: Madeleine Arbez Editor: Duncan Morrison Assistant: Deb Menard Art Director: Tye Gregg Graphic Designers: Lindsay Pikta-Marie, Aquila Samson, Jeope Wolfe
© Ducks Unlimited Canada, 2009 Printed in Canada on 100% recycled paper including 100% post-consumer fibres
Area Contacts Marketing/Communications Anh Hoang, Western Boreal Karli Reimer, Manitoba Lori Gasper, Saskatchewan Kristina Dembinski, Alberta
(780) 489-8110 (204) 467-3279 (306) 665-7356 (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 Rosemarie Ferjuc, Calgary Barb Hanbidge, Saskatoon Bob Laidler, Oak Hammock
(403) 476-1877 (306) 665-7356 (204) 467-3000
Western Boreal Program Eric Butterworth
(780) 489-8110
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