North Dakota Man Travels To Canada To Help Waterfowl
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota man is overseeing modifications of a coffer dam in the Saskatchewan River delta to help ducks along their annual spring migration to the Canadian boreal forest.
Brad Karel is an engineer and construction manager with the Great Plains regional office for Ducks Unlimited in Bismarck. He has embarked on his third mission north to enhance habitat for waterfowl with his current project in The Pas, Manitoba. It’s about 400 miles northwest of Winnipeg, where French fur traders once met up to take goods down the Saskatchewan River.
The boreal forest covers 60 percent of Canada and is the second-highest waterfowl producing area in North America, the Bismarck Tribune ( ) reported. The top area for producing waterfall is the Prairie Pothole region in North Dakota and South Dakota.
Ducks Unlimited Canada says about 12 million to 15 million ducks use the western boreal forest for spring breeding and as refuge when prairies are in drought.
The coffer dam backs up water to enhance the habitat. Karel said work can only be done in winter when ice roads can be carved and snow removed to keep down frost.
Temperatures in the morning average minus 20 degrees. Karel said modern outdoors gear helps stave off the cold, but he said built up a tolerance for the chill as a boy delivering the Sunday newspaper in his hometown of Neche.
Karel lives in a government cabin, and he uses a propane torch to thaw its keyhole at the end of the day. He said he regularly sees spruce grouse, bald eagles, caribou, lynx and wolves.
“It’s gorgeous,” he said.
Ducks Unlimited Canada has a temporary contract with Karel for the project. Roger Smith, the chief engineer at the Great Plains office, said he cleared up time for Karel to do the project.
“They are in need of his expertise and, as is typical of Brad, he was willing despite the potentially brutal conditions,” Smith said.
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Information from: Bismarck Tribune,
