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<br />give you helpful hints on building and <br />erecting nesting structures. <br />If Canada geese occur in your area, <br />they can be attracted to your marsh by the <br />addition of an appropriate nesting struc- <br />ture. Almost any large tub or platform will <br />be usable by geese. The best structures <br />provide raised sides with side bars for the <br />adults to use. If the structure has a solid <br />bottom, drainage holes should be added. <br />Nesting material should also be added <br />and changed each year. In some parts of <br />the country large bales of straw (such as <br />flax straw) are readily available for use as <br />nesting structures. These may be placed <br />on the ice in the winter and allowed to <br />settle to the marsh bottom to provide an <br />artificial "island" for nesting geese and <br />ducks. The bale should be securely <br />wrapped with extra-strong wire to make it <br />last and it should be placed in water that <br />allows about half of the bale to be above <br />the surface. <br /> <br />One of the most effective methods of <br />producing more waterfowl and other <br />marsh birds is by creatinl~ one or more <br />small islands in your wetland. Small <br />islands may be created by a minor dredge <br />and fill operation. When wetlands are dry <br />a small bulldozer or even a tractor with <br />backhoe or scraper blade will be suitable <br />for creating islands. Usin!~ fill material <br />from the wetland will allow you to create <br />open areas that will also benefit water- <br />fowl. Islands that are placed in large wet- <br />lands must be carefully located since they <br />are very subject to wave ,erosion. In large, <br />open wetlands lining the edges of islands <br />with rock riprap will help to prevent such <br />erosion. Professional guidance on island <br />construction and location is a must if you <br />are to successfully meet your manage- <br />ment goals. In most caSElS, island con- <br />struction in a wetland will require one or <br />more local, state, or federal permits. <br /> <br /> <br />17 <br />