Ducks Unlimited and TRLC Improve Wetlands Habitat
Granville County’s Knapp of Reeds Chapter of Ducks Unlimited has a new partner in improving duck habitat. In March, chapter members installed duck boxes on land protected by Tar River Land Conservancy, and they are looking to install boxes on new conservation properties every year.
“We all have a passion for waterfowl,” says Alec Kearns, a member of the Knapp of Reeds Chapter since 2006. “We really want to work locally to improve duck habitat.”
Two duck boxes were installed on land owned by Jennie Knoop and Joe Pfister on Tar River Road and Aycock Creek. The couple donated a permanent conservation easement on 63 acres to Tar River Land Conservancy in 2007. Three more wood duck boxes will be installed this year on conservation easements also managed by the Tar River Land Conservancy.
The Knapp of Reeds Chapter began installing duck boxes two years ago on land owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers at Kerr Lake. “We installed twenty-five nesting boxes on Corps property,” Kearns explains. “Working with Tar River Land Conservancy gives us the opportunity to keep this project going. The bottomland hardwoods on many of the conservancy’s properties provide excellent waterfowl habitat and are great locations for our boxes.” Once installed, each box is located by GPS so that chapter members can check on and maintain it annually.