7th MWDI Lumber Cut Day – a Record!!

On February 22nd, 15 MWDI volunteers cut up a record 265 wood duck kits and 49 bluebird house kits at MD DNR’s Millington WMA field office in Kent Co.

We also delivered 825 linear feet of cypress lumber to J. M. Tawes School in Somerset Co. to make another 75 assembled wood duck boxes for sale to private program sponsors this fall. 182 of the kits will be used by MWDI on its various public lands projects.

The balance of the kits will be used on various private programs. Funding for MWDI’s lumber was provided by Maryland Waterfowler’s Association, Delta Waterfowl, The Maryland Sportsman Association, the Chestertown Wildlife Exhibition & Sale, Queen Anne’s Parks & Recreation and the M-NCPPC via the Jug Bay Marathon (Prince George's County).

NOTE - MD DNR’s Wildlife & Heritage Service provides funding for predator guards, 2x4 mounts, related assembly hardware and inspection supplies. Poles are salvaged from various State Highway Administration yards.

A huge and special thanks is due MWDI’s dedicated volunteers including many lumber cut day “veterans” such as Scott Jasion, Jim Colbeck, Steve Seningen, and Aaron Ward who were joined by Brian Jasion, Terry Lemper, Clay Robinson, Colin Jones, and Jordan Kane.

In addition, we had the diligent support of MD DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service including John Moulis, Hutch Waldbridge, Bill Martin, Edmund Cook and Josh Homyack. The Millington location causes us to miss our post-cut libations at Davis’ Pub in Eastport but the snow goose poppers and the red beans/andouille sausage dish that Edmund and Josh prepared were special.

The opportunity to offer blue bird kits and assembled houses was useful as we helped lower the average cost of lumber to all and it helped fill an apparent need for several of our wood duck program sponsors in a very cost-effective manner. Have you checked out the cost of wood duck boxes and bluebird houses on the internet lately?!!