# On the Ground project enhances duck habitat at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area



## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

*On the Ground project enhances duck habitat at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area*

Contact: Zach Cooley, 734-379-9692 or Holly Vaughn, 313-396-6863
Agency: Natural Resources







April 13, 2015

A group of 25 volunteers, including nine youths, recently gathered to enhance duck habitat at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area in Rockwood, Michigan. This work day was an On the Ground*project, a cooperative partnership between the Department of Natural Resources and Michigan United Conservation Clubs to improve Michigans fish and wildlife habitat with the help of volunteers.

The hard-working volunteers and DNR staff members installed 10 new nesting structures for mallards and cleaned and maintained 20 existing mallard nest structures in the state game areas Vermet, Humphries and Long Pond units. They also spread cattail seed heads in the Vermet Unit to increase cattail cover for ducks. The group cleaned and maintained 30 wood duck nest boxes in the Lautenschlager, Walpatich and Humphries units.

Duck habitat improvement volunteers came from several organizations, including Americorps, Gibraltar Duck Hunter Association and the Urban ******* Association (a hunting group out of Canton, Michigan), and also included individual hunters and trappers who regularly visit Pointe Mouillee.

As a reward for their hard work, volunteers were given an On the Ground T-shirt and were treated to lunch, provided by MUCC. Special thanks go to those who volunteered the use of their boats for this project.

Pointe Mouillee State Game Area, located on the western shore of Lake Erie, is one of the largest freshwater marsh restoration projects in North America and is composed of 4,040 acres of cattail marsh, field, coastal wetland and forest.

Dabbling and diving ducks can be found at Pointe Mouillee and on the adjoining waters of Lake Erie. Visitors also can see Canada geese. Mallards are the most commonly harvested duck, with a good number of wood ducks and teal taken early in the season.

To learn more about Pointe Mouillee, visit www.michigan.gov/wetlandwonders*or contact the Pointe Mouillee office at 734-379-9692.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the states natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to*www.michigan.gov/dnr.











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