james k. ringelman Rainwater Basin Initiative

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1 james k. ringelman Rainwater Basin Initiative

2 The Rainwater Basin is a spectacular place Steve Donovan Nebraska Mgr., Conservation Programs sdonovan@ducks.org Millions of ducks and geese descend upon this landscape each spring, stopping to rest and feed during their annual migration to the prairie pothole breeding areas. The incredible concentration of birds that occurs here is indeed awe inspiring, creating bird watching opportunities that are truly rare in North America. Anyone who has witnessed this spectacle will begin to understand, and appreciate, how important the Rainwater Basin is to migratory birds. However, timing is everything. This point was driven home to me during a conversation with one of our neighbors. While Tim Horst and I were inspecting some work on DU s Verona Tract, one of our neighbor farmers stopped by to visit. I explained to him the Rainwater Basin provides important spring migration habitat to millions of waterfowl. He replied, You will never have any birds here because you will never have water in those areas. As he drove away, I was confused how this long-time resident would not know about the millions of birds that travel through the area each spring and fall. Tim provided the answer. Our neighbor spends the winter in more favorable climates and does not witness the migration spectacle that occurs during the first two weeks in March. Also, like many people, he associates waterfowl habitat with large, permanent wetlands and lakes, not the shallow, temporarily flooded wetlands that provide critical food resources during migration periods. By the time Rainwater Basin farmers return to the fields in the spring, many of these shallow wetlands are already dry and their value to waterfowl is largely unappreciated. The abundant food like bugs, freshwater shrimp and seeds from native vegetation that emerge in temporary wetlands here are the reason millions of waterfowl stop here each spring. The food resources help maintain and improve body condition during the strenuous migration period, allowing birds to arrive in the northern breeding habitats ready to lay eggs and reproduce. It is upon this biological fact that DU has built the Rainwater Basin Initiative. The program continues to grow each year, restoring and protecting important waterfowl habitat. I hope you enjoy reading our 2009 Annual Report. Rainwater Basin Initiative Accomplishments FY 09 To date Acres Protected 560 7,798 Enhanced Restored/Created 1,940 17,830 Technical Assistance 1,200 $ 2,713,291 8,716 $10,215,808

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4 Sound science is behind habitat goals in the Rainwater Basin Bioenergetic model shows area habitat lacking - A new scientific model has been developed to measure whether the bird habitat available in Nebraska s Rainwater Basin provides enough food to meet the needs of migrating waterfowl. The Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, of which Ducks Unlimited is a member, has created a bioenergetic model that shows the area does not have enough habitat to feed the more than 12 million migratory waterfowl that use this region each fall and spring. The high density of waterfowl and limited wetlands create intense competition for food resources. Results of the model show the RWB needs to provide 24.1 billion kcals (kilo calories) of energy to meet the needs of migratory waterfowl. The abundant waste grain in this region does provide some of this energy, but does not by itself satisfy the nutritional requirements of waterfowl because it lacks some essential amino acids, inorganic elements, and vitamins. The RWBJV calculated that 39 percent of the energy demands of waterfowl need to be provided by natural foods found in properly functioning wetland habitats. Migrating waterfowl traveling through the RWB acquire significant lipid and nutrient reserves. These reserves not only provide fuel for the northward migration, but also significantly impact reproductive success on the prairie breeding grounds. Research has shown hens arriving on the breeding grounds in better condition nest earlier, produce larger clutches, and have a higher propensity to re-nest. All of these behaviors have been tied to increased duck populations, which, to duck hunters, means more ducks heading south in the fall. The RWBJV estimates that properly feeding these birds during spring migration would take 37,000 acres of high quality wetland foraging habitat that is flooded on an annual basis. Only a few more than 30,000 acres of wetlands remain in the RWB today, and many of these wetlands are in poor condition. The model helps the Joint Venture partners develop habitat goals to make up the difference. DU is working with the other partners in the RWBJV to implement a variety of programs designed to meet this goal and ensure that the skies will be filled with ducks today, gadwall tomorrow and forever.

5 5 chicago man s children invest in dad s favorite hunting spot Daniel Bryan Sr. would have been pleased that Ducks Unlimited shared his vision. The long-time Chicago police officer and avid duck hunter traveled twice a year to hunt Hanson Waterfowl Production Area and Mallard Haven in Nebraska s Rainwater Basin. Bryan and his sons had permission to hunt from the Carey dike that ran east and west along the south border of the Hanson Marsh. Dan often said, It would be nice if one of the fish and game departments came in and bought this other 320 acres (the Carey place) and opened it up public hunting. DU last year bought the Carey tract, is restoring it now and plans to turn it over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Having heard about the purchase, Dan s son, Jerry, contacted DU Nebraska Manager of Conservation Programs Steve Donovan to congratulate him on the purchase and tell Steve about his dad. Now, the Bryan family has made a major gift to DU in memory of their father, who died in 2000, and to contribute to the restoration of the property. This gift is to honor the legacy my dad left us in his passion for duck hunting. My brothers and I still try to make the trip to Nebraska each year to hunt some of my dad s old stomping grounds, Jerry said. Our wives don t quite understand why some of us will drive 10 hours, then get up at 4 a.m. and go sit in a cold, wet marsh just to hunt ducks, but there s just something about being out there when the sun first kisses the sky. He says on opening day, he and his brothers are sometimes sitting in blinds in different states waiting for the sun to come up, texting each other, Are you ready? My older brother will let the morning s first group of ducks fly through his decoys in honor of my dad, Jerry said. The property was purchased with gifts from Major Sponsors of the Rainwater Basin Initiative and a grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust. Restoration will include removing the levee that separates the two properties, plugging drainage ditches to restore water flow to wetlands and replanting the uplands to native grasses. Because the property lies adjacent to the Hansen WPA, this is one of the most important wetland acquisition projects in the Rainwater Basin, Donovan said. Dan s son, Cliff, has fond memories of the two of them traveling for the 12- hour drive to Nebraska. My dad was always trying to catch the height of the fall migration into the Rainwater Basin, Cliff said. We didn t always hit it, but we knew at least we were going to see ducks. Jerry says his father lived for duck season but was a realist. If the ducks had passed through or the basin froze up while we were there, he would pack up and travel 12 hours back home, he said. It didn t matter that we traveled across the country to hunt with him. Dan hunted up until a year before cancer took him at 76. The cairn at the property that will carry his name seems so appropriate, Jerry said.

6 DU and NGPC acquisition and restoration now open to migratory waterfowl and hikers, hunters and bird-watchers alan d. wilson Wagon wheel ruts from the Oregon Trail and buffalo wallows are still visible on a tract of Nebraska land purchased by Ducks Unlimited. DU and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission restored the 115-acre Rainwater Basin property to the native grassland and wetland it had when settlers and buffalo traveled there. Using North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant dollars, DU split the purchase costs with NGPC. DU restored a 35-acre wetland on the land with substantial contributions from DU major sponsors, U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service Wetlands Reserve Program and the Nebraska Environmental Trust. The property was transferred to NGPC, which restored the grassland and made the land part of the Bluewing Wildlife Management Area. None of this would have been possible without the enthusiastic participation of the landowners, said Steve Donovan, manager of conservation programs for DU. pied-billed grebe DU purchased the tract from Rose Mary and LaVern Shaw. The Shaws originally acquired the land from long-time residents Mick and Millie Hoyt, Rose Mary s parents. We really liked the proposal Ducks Unlimited presented to us, Rose Mary Shaw said. Knowing that the property would be restored to wildlife habitat and protected forever was very appealing. Rose Mary and LaVern s daughter, Lisa Hannah, has special memories of the property. As a child, my grandfather used to take me for walks on the property, showing me the old wagon wheel ruts from the Oregon Trail and buffalo wallows, which can still be seen today, Lisa said. NGPC District Manager Bob Meduna says the parcel is a valuable addition to the WMA. This property and its restored wetlands and grasslands will provide excellent habitat for ducks, pheasants, quail and many other species of wildlife, Meduna said. The property will be open to a variety of public uses, including bird watching, hiking, hunting, and wildlife photography, another aspect of the project that was appealing to the Shaw family. It was important to us to know that we could continue to visit the property, walk through the prairie and enjoy the wildflowers and wildlife, Rose Mary Shaw said. Omaha World Herald Outdoors visits with DU s Steve Moran at the Bluewing WMA.

7 7 DU gives migrating ducks three more RWB wetlands full of food Ducks Unlimited has completed habitat restoration work on the Dedrickson property in Clay County. According to DU Engineering Technician David Hoferer, DU restored a total of 65 acres of wetland habitat, providing significant benefits to migrating waterfowl. DU bought the property two years ago as part of its Revolving Habitat Program. Under this program, DU acquires properties in the Rainwater Basin that offer a significant opportunity to restore waterfowl habitat. DU then restores the property, places a permanent conservation easement on the tract, and ultimately sells the property to a conservation buyer. Proceeds from the sale of the tract are then used to acquire additional habitat and repeat the process. The Dedrickson tract is located about three miles southeast of DU s Verona Complex. Restoration work included filling a large, excavated pit that had originally been dug to drain a 45-acre marsh. Filling the pit with compacted soil restores natural water flow to the former marsh. Additional sediment was removed from the wetland and placed on an upland site. Small levees were constructed to restore two additional wetlands. A pipeline was installed to connect a well on the site to the two largest wetlands, providing an additional source of water during dry periods. DU Lands Manager Tim Horst has been using DU s tractor, Big Red (see photo), to disk the restored wetlands in order to manage the plant community and promote a diverse mix of native and annual species that produce the vast quantities of seed waterfowl need during migration. Tim also disked the adjoining Green Acres Waterfowl Production Area to improve its wetland plant community. Grass was planted on the former cropland areas to restore native prairie. DU is selling a conservation easement on the Dedrickson property to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, providing additional revenue to the revolving program and ensuring the property will be protected in perpetuity. During the time DU owns the site, it will be DU s new tractor, Big Red, surrounded by its fans open to public hunting for hunting seasons.

8 Nebraska donors find an easy way to give to DU and encourage others to do the same Jim and Patty Donelan from Leshara, Nebraska are benefactor level sponsors who found an opportunity to give to Ducks Unlimited in a way they never could before, by using their IRA. It s not complicated; the DU staff made this type of gift simple and easy for us. I encourage people to talk to their tax advisors and explore their giving options, and do it right away, Jim said. The Donelan s gift was tax free and made possible by the Pension Protection Act of 2006, which was extended through The Donelans hold Nebraska s wildlife and wildlife habitat in high esteem. The property they now live on was owned by Jim s parents when he was young. I grew up hunting on this property and would spend my summers and weekends here, he said. The couple is now diligently working to restore the property s wetlands and grasslands on their own and with some guidance from DU staff. They are taking special care of the land because they know that places like theirs are disappearing in Nebraska. They want to make sure local wildlife and migrating ducks and birds are provided for now and into the future. When their two sons were young, Patty would watch as Jim took them on adventures into the wetlands for early morning hunts. She became passionate about waterfowl conservation and founded the DUGals ladies DU chapter in Omaha. She served as chairwoman of the chapter for two years which cemented her dedication to the ducks. Today, Jim and Patty have five grandchildren with whom they now share their love of the outdoors. Their gift to DU will infuse their legacy into Nebraska s wetlands and grasslands and ensure their great-grandchildren will have places to hunt, fish and watch wildlife just as they have done throughout their lives. (L to R): Jim Donelan, Patty Donelan and Clay Rogers. DU board member

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10 DU volunteers come together to honor Nebraska s fallen heroes The families and friends of Nebraska s fallen heroes have a new place to remember their loved ones through enjoying the habitat so important to many of these service men and women. The Fallen Heroes Marsh memorial stands on DU s Verona complex, a natural area that attracts thousands of ducks each year as they migrate between wintering and breeding grounds. The memorial honors Nebraska s veterans who were killed or wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Volunteers on the Fallen Heroes Marsh committee raised nearly $400,000 for this effort. These funds will be directed toward waterfowl and wetland conservation efforts throughout Nebraska. The inspiration to memorialize the legacy of our fallen heroes and their individual contributions to our country through wetlands conservation will serve generations of Nebraskans just as the sacrifices that our heroes made will continue for generations. It seems extremely fitting to honor their sacrifice this way, said Kyle Hildebrand, DU volunteer and Iraq War veteran. The family of U.S. Army soldier Adam Herold inspired the marsh memorial efforts. They wanted to honor his memory and the memory of all of Nebraska s military killed or wounded in the two wars. Adam was an avid waterfowl hunter and ardent DU supporter as are other members of his family. Adam s family felt strongly that conserving waterfowl habitat in Nebraska would be the perfect way to honor his sacrifice for his country. The Herold family, along with many supporters and volunteers, have made this dream a reality, said Steve Wilson, regional director for DU. We are honored that Adam s family came to us with this request. The Fallen Heroes Marsh will be a place where friends and families can come to hunt, watch, photograph or simply listen to ducks and remember loved ones who dedicated their lives to the United States. Colonel Kevin Neumann, chief of staff for the Nebraska National Guard, (left) spoke at the marsh dedication. He is an avid duck hunter and recently returned from Afghanistan. DU Volunteer Kyle Hildebrand (middle) and DU Regional Director Steve Wilson

11 11 DeHaan joins Rainwater basin development team donors Born and raised in Platte, South Dakota, Adam DeHaan appreciates life on the prairie. He grew up fishing for walleye, chasing pheasants and waterfowl hunting. DeHaan has a biology degree and a masters in sport administration. He coached at four universities in the Great Plains region, culminating in a four-year stint as the head basketball coach at Valley City State University in North Dakota. A former regional director in eastern Nebraska, DeHaan moved to Memphis in 2007 to work as the manager of volunteer services. He is excited to be back on the plains as a director of development for IA, MN and NE. Through major gifts and the Rainwater Basin Initiative, Nebraskans have a great opportunity to conserve traditional shallow water lakes, DeHaan said. Not only do we have an opportunity to show future generations what this region historically looked like, restoring and protecting habitat is important for waterfowl by providing critical nutritional needs during spring migration. I am excited to be a part of such a great opportunity to work with motivated, caring people. Adam lives with wife Rebecca, children Jacob and Isabella, and dog Max in Lakeville, Minnesota. We wish to recognize the following donors for their commitments and contributions to the Rainwater Basin Initiative during 2008 and major sponsors partners diamond legacy sponsor ($1 Million - $4.9 Million) Neal C. Hansen Bruce R. Lauritzen George B. Storer Foundation Inc. Gold legacy sponsor ($500,000 - $749,999) Anonymous - Goldeneye benefactor ($100,000 - $249,999) Howard & Rhonda Hawks James Stuart, Jr. & Susan Stuart Foundation heritage sponsor ($50,000 - $74,999) Dave Ellingson diamond life sponsor ($20,000 - $29,999) Anonymous - Wigeon Larry Baker Thomas & Patricia Hastings life sponsor ($10,000 - $19,999) Gale & Paula Beirow Dennis & Lois Beran John H. Bergmeyer Mike & Susan Blaha Thomas L. Bowen In Memory Of Daniel E. Bryan, Sr. Jason & Sandra Christiansen Joseph C. Dowding T. K. & Janel Foote Daniel J. Herold, M.D. James & Patty Hill John Hoggatt Tim & Rita Hughes George Landgren, M.D. Don & Stephanie Leeding Chuck G. Olsen Michael & Diane Schroeder Gregg A. Silverberg Farm Land Irrigation, Inc. Clay Center Spring Wing Ding Friends of the Rainwater Basin Little Blue Natural Resources District Nebraska Environmental Trust Nebraska Game and Parks Commission North American Wetlands Conservation Council Pheasants Forever, Inc Rainwater Basin Joint Venture The Nature Conservancy Tri-Basin Natural Resources District U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District

12 Recovery This is a time of recovery. The economy is beginning to recover and so is Nebraska s Rainwater Basin. Ducks Unlimited is working tirelessly to restore some of the thousands of wetlands that once dotted this landscape. Also, we re protecting this new habitat so it doesn t go away again. Your support for DU s Rainwater Basin Initiative is what keeps us getting up each day and working to provide the waterfowl habitat we know is needed to feed the millions of birds going through the basins each spring and fall. As you have read in this publication, we have a long way to go to meet the needs of waterfowl and other birds that depend on this area for resting and refueling. We know you ll be there walking the walk and talking the talk and supporting DU along the way to recovery. Major Supporters make the difference in DU meeting its goals in Nebraska. Your gifts are the glue that keeps the Rainwater Basin Initiative together and working for the continent s waterfowl. To discuss your opportunities to help, please contact Ron Stromstad or Adam DeHaan. Ron Stromstad (MN/IA/NE ) Sr. Director of Development rstromstad@ducks.org Adam DeHaan (MN/IA/NE) Director of Development adehaan@ducks.org Great Plains Regional Office 2525 River road bismarck, nd RWB0109