Girl Scouts Continue Wood Duck Conservation Efforts

Once on the brink of extinction, the now common wood duck was able to make a comeback through conservation efforts. This is due in the large part thanks to the organized effort to create of artificial nest boxes.

Using free kits through the Mantrap Valley Conservation Club, the Junior Girl Scouts from Park Rapids Elementary are learning about the waterfowl and how to build the nest boxes.

But today the fourth grade girls are getting a little bit of advice from their family.

Tori Hargu has built different projects like this with the Boy Scouts, but never the Girl Scouts. After figuring out the instructions, Hargu and her daughter’s box was starting to take shape.

Some of the adults had a little more experience with this type of project. The activity gave Jay Wolfe the chance to pass on his more technical knowledge.

While the girls were happy to be putting together the boxes with their parents, they had another favorite part as well – saving the species.

According to the Mantrap Valley Conservation Club, the organization has been able to distribute 400 nesting boxes over the last year for bats, bluebirds and wood ducks.