A Preview of the Activities of the Delta Waterfowl Foundation - 2011
Hello from the Breeding Grounds!
The breeding season is in full swing and so are Delta Waterfowl's cutting-edge programs. Delta is celebrating its 100th anniversary, a historic occasion that's a time for reflection but also taking stock of the future.
As you will see, our innovative programs continue to improve the landscape for waterfowl and waterfowl hunters. For 2011, Delta has an impressive roster of graduate students and associated research projects from across North America. Our flagship conservation initiative in Canada, Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS), is growing in popularity and making huge strides. We continue to demonstrate promising results with predator management on the breeding grounds, as well as with Hen Houses and Adopt a Pothole.
In January, Delta launched First Hunt, the most comprehensive waterfowl hunter recruitment and retention program in North America. We're extremely excited to introduce all new hunters to the glories of waterfowling, as well as build a robust mentorship base.
Our anniversary and program accomplishments are only possible because of our dedicated members, supporters and volunteers who continue to provide the passion, dedication and resources necessary to support this important work. Thank you for your generous support!
I. Research: The University of Ducks!
This year's impressive roster of Delta graduate researchers carries on the rich tradition of conducting quality scientific research on waterfowl and their habitat. The research spans a diversity of topics, from mottled ducks in the Gulf Coast to predators on the prairie breeding grounds to sea ducks in Alaska.
Here are some brief highlights of Delta's 2011 research:
Evaluating predator management in Manitoba and low-grass sites in North Dakota
Michael Buxton (MS Candidate, Louisiana State University), a long-time Delta technician, is running Delta's ongoing predator management evaluation. This year marks the third year of evaluations in both locations with positive results in both Manitoba and North Dakota. One consistency at both sites is the chronically low nest success, with non-trapped sites hovering near five percent (far below population-expanding levels). Trapped sites, meanwhile, have shown significant increases in nest success
Understanding the bluebill decline
Beth Ross (PhD Candidate, Utah State) is developing a comprehensive scaup population model that will help determine what's causing the long-term decline in bluebills. This is Beth's final research year, and her model has already yielded some very interesting results. For example, scaup occur in much lower densities and appear to be breeding less intensely across many areas of their range, while low reproductive rates seem to be suppressing scaup populations across Alaska and the western Boreal Forest.
The impacts of water scarcity on California's wintering waterfowl
California waterfowl managers have long been concerned that consumption rates and water scarcity could significantly reduce water for wintering waterfowl habitat. Recognizing the issue's importance, Delta is partnering with Dr. Joseph Fleskes (U.S Geological Survey) and Dr. John Eadie (UC-Davis) to model the consequences of water scarcity on wetland habitat and ultimately the carrying capacity for wintering waterfowl. The project will use state-of-the-art water modeling capabilities and marry those tools with existing habitat/food resource models to determine the implications of water scarcity—now and in the future.
Hunter satisfaction in the Mississippi Flyway
Luke Laborde (PhD Candidate, Louisiana State University) is conducting a comprehensive survey of waterfowl hunters to determine their satisfaction with waterfowl hunting and ascertain why they are leaving the heritage. Luke has already finished a comprehensive survey in Louisiana that highlighted some interesting trends about hunter participation.
Do local landscape features impact nest success?
Utilizing a huge database of nests from previous Delta research in North Dakota, Jason Stelzer (MS Candidate, Louisiana State University) is seeking to determine what role nest site has in determining its success or failure. Jason is looking at landscape features (proximity to wetlands, roads, abandoned buildings, etc.) to determine how these features impact nest success.
Predator movements and duck nest success
Since predator populations have a huge affect on nest success, you would think we'd know more about the interaction between predators and ducks. But that difficult work has yielded only mere insights. Kevin Ringleman (PhD Candidate, UC-Davis) has worked for two years in California and will be spending his final field season in North Dakota, where he will track predator movements and monitor nest success.
Does tree removal increase local nest success rates?
Sarah Thompson (Ph.D., University of Minnesota) is evaluating whether tree removal from duck habitat in western Minnesota is aiding hatching rates. Many managers have used tree removal to more closely emulate historic prairie ecosystems and deprive predators of den sites, travel corridors and perches. Sarah is finishing her analysis this year to determine if tree removal is a cost- effective strategy for increasing duck production.
What is causing the mottled duck decline?
Bruce Davis (PhD Candidate, Louisiana State University) is part of a comprehensive research effort to determine what's causing the Gulf Coast mottled duck decline. Bruce is using telemetry to determine habitat uses throughout the year and make inferences to when mottled ducks are suffering the highest mortality. Bruce's early analysis suggested the molt/post-breeding period was when mottled ducks were especially vulnerable, a period that hasn't received much attention from waterfowl managers.
Eiders in Alaska
Many sea duck species have experienced significant population declines, although what's causing those declines isn't completely clear. David Iles (MS Candidate, Utah State) is evaluating the role nest predation plays in suppressing eider populations. While we believe low nest success is the key driver in duck production across most of the breeding range, it hasn't been considered for arctic-nesting species like eiders. David's preliminary results suggest eiders are suffering from high predation rates, similar to prairie-nesting ducks.
II. ALUS: Fixing the Canadian Duck Factory
The Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) policy vision has been one of Delta's highest priority efforts for more than a decade. Ongoing wetland and grassland loss has reduced the capacity of the Canadian duck factory to produce ducks. ALUS seeks to create a policy remedy by providing voluntary, incentive-based conservation programming to farmers and ranchers. The goal is a fully funded federal policy that provides the conservation and restoration of habitat on a scale that has evaded waterfowl conservation interests for decades. The following describes last year's progress on ALUS:
Alberta
In 2010, an ALUS pilot project was launched in the County of Vermilion River, historically a duck-producing stronghold. Momentum continues to build in the all-important prairie province. The County of Vermilion River has traditionally attracted high densities of pintails and mallards during the breeding season, exporting them each fall to hunters across America—particularly in the Pacific and Central Flyways. But intensive agricultural practices over the years, including ongoing wetland and grassland losses, and nest-destroying predators have hurt duck production. ALUS seeks to remedy those problems through wetland and grassland restorations, among other conservation treatments. Delta is actively communicating the ALUS concept to other jurisdictions in Alberta.
Saskatchewan
Provincial agricultural groups and influential outdoor organizations strongly support ALUS in Saskatchewan. A public launch of an ALUS demonstration project is slated for the fall. Several proposed sites are being considered. The fate of prairie ducks for all four flyways begins and ends in Saskatchewan. The province has the most private agricultural land in Canada and two-thirds of the wetlands. Saskatchewan is the key province in setting agricultural policy in Canada, and we believe ALUS is the perfect policy remedy to help prairie-nesting ducks and, by extension, waterfowl hunters.
Ontario
The momentum for ALUS in Ontario continues to build. The ongoing ALUS project in Norfolk, Ontario recently received $1.5 million from the W. Garfield Weston Foundation, a private family foundation dedicated to land conservation. The goal now is to expand the ALUS project to other locations, particularly in southern Ontario, and get more people and groups involved. With the help of multiple partner organizations, more than 100 farm families are currently enrolled in the Norfolk ALUS project, which includes both duck-friendly wetland and grassland restorations. An ALUS expansion into southern Ontario would provide a significant duck impact for Atlantic Flyway hunters.
Manitoba
The ALUS concept was first implemented by Delta Waterfowl and Manitoba's Keystone Agricultural Producers, one of Canada's largest agricultural groups. The pilot project ended in 2008. However, several groups have shown interest in developing another ALUS demonstration project in Manitoba, a vitally important prairie province for duck production. Discussions are ongoing with several agricultural groups, including the Keystone Agricultural Producers, and conservation districts.
Prince Edward Island
In 2008, the government of Prince Edward Island adopted ALUS as provincial farm policy, a development that created momentum for ALUS across Canada. The program continues to enjoy broad support in PEI. Farmers are compensated for providing ecological goods and services, including waterfowl habitat, on their working agricultural lands—a win-win for ducks and producers alike.
III. Delta Duck Production: Increasing Duck Production and Conserving Habitat
Delta staffers continue to make significant strides with Delta's Duck Production tools (predator management, Hen Houses and Adopt A Pothole) while continuing to refine their application with research and evaluation projects. Below are some
DDP milestones and results.
Predator management
Delta students continue to conduct research to determine the effectiveness of predator management. For the second consecutive year, research sites are located in northeastern North Dakota and in the parklands of southwestern Manitoba, areas of sparse nesting cover. Last year's results were very positive. Nest success in North Dakota over the last two years has been 28.3 percent on trapped sites compared to 6.4 percent on non-trapped sites. In Manitoba, under the first year of new trapping protocols, nest success was 43.3 percent compared to 3 percent on non-trapped sites. While we need additional data to confirm these results, managing predators in low-grass areas certainly appears to be a potential remedy for chronically low nest success.
Hen Houses
Delta's Hen House program continues to grow, with nesting structures installed and maintained across a broad swath of the mallard breeding range in both Canada and the U.S. They continue to garner the attention of waterfowl managers struggling with low mallard production. In all, nearly 9,000 nesting structures are in place as a result of Delta's partnership efforts with Hen Houses!
Adopt a Pothole
Adopt a Pothole continues to be the leader in conserving wetland and upland nesting cover across the Canadian prairies. In all, more than 30,000 acres have been conserved in perpetuity as a result of the popular program. The program protects those small temporary and seasonal wetlands that benefit ducks most. Adopt a Pothole is the only program in prairie Canada that protects these chronically at-risk wetlands.
IV. First Hunt: Recruiting Tomorrow's Waterfowlers
First Hunt is Delta Waterfowl's prescription for declining waterfowl-hunter participation across the U.S. and Canada. The program, the most comprehensive recruitment and retention initiative for waterfowlers in North America, was launched in January 2011. It is backed by dedicated staffing and educational materials (handbooks, videos and more) specifically created for first-time hunters and their mentors. In 2011, it's anticipated that 150 First Hunt events will take place, with more than 3,600 new hunters introduced to waterfowl hunting.
That includes 900 Delta mentors, who will help grow the mentorship pool by passing on their expertise to other Delta volunteers and chapter members. Delta Waterfowl has been putting on mentored waterfowl hunts since 2000, and that experience has been invaluable in developing First Hunt.
THANK YOU!
Again, from all of us at Delta, thank you for your tremendous support! Our 100-year anniversary highlights the ongoing challenges facing ducks and duck hunters, and your support for our programs is more crucial today than ever.