The sights and sounds of the outdoors come to life for students in the Natural Resources Technician program. Recently, a group of students participated in a waterfowl-banding activity at Collins Marsh near Reedsville. The learning experience blended the serenity of an early morning sunrise with one of the region’s peaceful harbors for Wisconsin waterfowl.

Waterfowl-banding is an important process in monitoring the population of ducks, geese and related species. It’s common practice by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to gain data pertinent to population size estimates, migration patterns, annual harvest and survival rates, in addition to local waterfowl production rates. Information gained through waterfowl banding programs is shared with other countries to create international understanding of these migratory species, as they do not belong to any specific country.

Natural Resources students spent the early morning hours handling ducks at Collins Marsh to determine species, age, and more. Their experience will help prepare them for wildlife management careers. FVTC offers the state’s only two-year program in the study of natural resources.