Date: 4/16/07
Contact: C. Doug Nielsen
Phone: (702) 486-5127, ext. 3500

YOUTHFUL CONSERVATIONISTS SWING HAMMERS FOR DUCKS

Members of the Las Vegas chapter of Ducks Unlimited (DU) brought the next generation of duck hunters – Greenwings -- with them to the Overton Wildlife Management Area recently and taught them a valuable lesson in conservation. The ten youth and their parents arrived with hammers in hand, ready to build supplemental nesting boxes for local ducks.

The Overton Wildlife Management Area is managed by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) as a conservation site for many species of waterfowl. Adding nesting boxes will enhance the attractiveness of the area as a breeding area for local duck populations. The boxes come in pre-fabricated kits from the national DU office, and are designed to attract wood ducks. But the bufflehead and goldeneye may also use the boxes.

“They will provide cover, one of the four requirements of duck habitat, along with food, water, and open space,” said Margie Klein about the nesting boxes and the role they play in conservation. Klein is the southern region wildlife education coordinator for NDOW.

The youngsters were very proud of their work, decorating the boxes with decals and other personalizations. Hayden, one of the Greenwing volunteers wrote a on his box, “From Hayden, To the ducks.” He also implored the ducks to “Grow big!”

In all, the group assembled six nesting boxes and installed them in areas specifically selected with ducks in mind. The kids put a few handfuls of wood shavings inside the boxes and then each box was hung about four feet above the ground and from the trunk of a tree which stretches over the water. That way, the ducks could easily see and access the nesting site.

“There is plenty of water, with four ponds, and plenty of open space, on the almost 18,000 - acre property,” said area manager Keith Brose. Agricultural fields on the area are maintained by a sharecropper, who grows cereal grains, strawberry clover and alfalfa, all of which are food for the wildlife. “Bulrushes,” Brose added, “are like candy to the ducks.”

Overall, the DU group expected good success with the boxes. The Greenwings will come back in a few months to monitor their habitat enhancement project, cleaning out the boxes and checking for their use. Those who are interested in the local chapter of Ducks Unlimited or the Greenwings can call Todd Pesavento at (702) 838-2204.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.