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MWDI’s mission is to enhance Maryland’s Wood Duck population and to
generate a greater appreciation of the wetland habitats in which
they live by advocating and demonstrating a “Best
Practices” approach in artificial nest box programs. Educational
and other youth oriented activities which complement the
“Total Wetland Experience” are increasingly being incorporated
into our projects.
Beginning in late 2004, this all volunteer effort has made some notable
strides. Field operations began in Kent Co. at the Eastern Neck
Federal Wildlife Refuge, Chesapeake Farms – Dupont’s conservation
property and at MD DNR’s Millington WMA. Since then, MWDI’s scope
has grown to 57 public project sites in 2008, up from 20 during the
2004 nest season. More than 1,500 boxes are now involved on these
sites and a Best Practices resource management approach is now
either in effect or being implemented at each participating site.
Project sites will exceed 60 in 2009.
More than 1,600 new boxes and predator guards will have been installed on
public sites and in private programs for the 2008 nest season as a
result of MWDI’s efforts since 2004. Box capacity on public sites
has grown more modestly despite the increase in project sites
as many old boxes are being replaced to upgrade housing quality or
removed from existing sites to de-cluster the program design so that
productivity can be enhanced. Strategic placement (re-locations) and
predator protection have also being upgraded. As a result,
productivity of each functional box has been substantially improved
and further gains are expected.
MWDI’s statewide collaborators are currently the MD Dept of Natural
Resources’ Wildlife & Heritage Service (MD DNR), the US Fish &
Wildlife Service (USF&W) and Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (Collaborating
Partners). Many other wildlife and conservation organizations
are directly involved in MWDI’s efforts and collaborate in a variety
of ways. MWDI has received exemplary cooperation and support of many
Federal, State and County organizations and their employees.
Currently, more than 100 organizations and private program sponsors
are participating. This network is growing monthly! (See
MWDI’s February 2008
Director’s Message in the Archives for a specific list of our
public project supporters at that time!). MWDI is also actively
supported in numerous ways by members of its
Advisory Board.
Funding & Operational Support
MWDI does not seek dues. MWDI has obtained project funding for materials from more than 20
different sources whose mandate it is to support wildlife
conservation and from others who wish to sponsor box building
affairs. MWDI does have a seven year Partnering Agreement with MD
DNR’s Wildlife & Heritage Service which provides among other things,
funds to pay for predator guard metal and related box building and
mounting hardware as well as website support. MWDI provides all
labor and administrative support for its volunteers and utilizes
tool shops and equipment provided by certain companies. MWDI has
been able to provide embroidered hats to its key volunteers and
government cooperators as a result of a donation by one company.
Used street sign poles are salvaged with cooperation from the MD State
Highway Administration at various locations.
Predator guards for private programs are provided by Chappell
Central (Minn). The Hagerstown Correctional Facility manufactures
predator guards for use on MWDI’s public sites.
First Survey of Maryland's Public Land Nest Boxes
The first ever survey
of MD public land nest boxes has been completed. Once final 2008
data has been captured and analyzed, a detailed report will be made
available.
An important feature of the
Public Lands Survey has been to identify and quantify the other desirable “Creatures” that use artificial nesting structures intended
for wood ducks. A conservative 12% use was documented.
With the exception of screech owls, these nest
box occupants are often supplemental users and not typically direct
competitors.
Hooded Merganser Nests Located
MWDI volunteers documented 34 hooded merganser nests during the 2006
nest season. This data uniquely confirmed a substantial increase in
the nesting range for these birds. Detailed information was
submitted to the
Breeding Bird Atlas
Survey.
A formal wood duck nest inspector/instructor
Certification Program has also been approved for sponsorship by
MWDI, USF&W and MD’s DNR. Preparation of training materials and
instructor training are targeted for completion in early 2009.
Various research projects have been
initiated which will increasingly become statistically significant
over time. The re-cycled Freon canister nesting program and use of
horizontal nest boxes as starling deterrents are examples.
MWDI’s youth oriented projects have involved 18 box building programs and
more than 500 hours of effort.
Internships for three
high school individuals have been managed and a temperature study on
Freon canisters was conducted by another student on behalf of MWDI.
Presentations to various schools and collaboration with others on
their respective field programs have occurred. MWDI has also
arranged with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) to provide a
one year free subscription to NWF’s award winning children’s
magazine, Ranger Rick, to all MWDI youth volunteers. See our
September 12, 2008 Activity
Report for current highlights of youth oriented events.
Private
Wood Duck Program Support
One of MWDI’s ultimate goals is to leverage the Best Practices
results demonstrated on public sector projects into privately
managed artificial nesting programs since there are “thousands” of
these boxes. The productivity upside is large if all of these
programs will adopt a Best Practices approach. Cooperation and
active collaboration with private programs is growing. Data
collection to demonstrate the gains achieved from better quality
boxes, predator guard protection, re-locations, inspections and
cleaning is not available for public discussion at this time.
Progress has been significant and may exceed that portrayed in
MWDI’s public survey results.
MWDI assists private programs in many ways. Site inspections, project
evaluations and tactical advice have been routinely provided to more
than 50 projects. MWDI aggregates lumber orders between public and
private programs to obtain excellent wholesale cedar prices for both
parties and then obtains volunteer labor to cut up the boards into
kits at no charge. Occasionally, MWDI has arranged for kids to make
the kits into boxes for certain programs who pay the kids for this
service. At other times, when MWDI has obtained a small supply of
used boxes that do not conform to our program designs, we have given
them to private sponsors to repair and utilize in good habitat.
In early 2008, the J.M. Tawes Technology & Career Center fabricated 29
boxes which MWDI helped sell to private programs. Funds received by
Tawes will now support a 50 box program available to the private
sector in the fall of 2009 – the selling logistics for which MWDI
will handle for Tawes. Predator guard supply has been cost
effectively arranged on several occasions and a source developed for
individual orders going forward. Our primary limitation is time in
helping private program sponsors but many of these individuals are
also some of our best volunteers.
While MWDI’s website,
www.mwdi.net, has many content areas to more fully develop, we
hope you get a good perception of our direction and intent from what
is currently on display. For more information and to get on the
email distribution list, contact Cliff Brown, Executive Director, at
cliftonabrown@aol.com or call at 703-447-5142.
Come Volunteer -
Boat or Boots, Bring a Kid and Get
Outdoors!
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