William and Jean Damm (above) received a Dedication Award from the Columbia/Marquette County Pheasants Forever (PF) Chapter. William was involved with establishment of the chapter over 12 years ago and has been the treasurer for most of his tenure on the board. Jean assists William with the annual PF banquet coordination and tracking the membership. Last year the Chapter banquet raised $10,000 - money that is spent on habitat and youth outdoor education in Columbia County.
Jean and William have been very active volunteers with Madison Audubon Society for over 25 years. William's well stocked metal and wood shop has produced many bird boxes for Goose Pond Sanctuary! William also serves on the Goose Pond Sanctuary Committee. Jean is also a very active volunteer with the Portage hospital, library and food pantry.
Ohne Raasch (above) was also recognized at the recent banquet; Ohne received a Faces of Wisconsin Award from Pheasants Forever. Ohne and Karen own about 300 acres of wildlife habitat adjacent to Faville Grove Sanctuary. Recently, the Raasch's entered 150 acres into the Wetland Reserve Program to permanently restore and preserve it for wildlife and generations to come. Faville Grove Sanctuary staff and volunteers assisted them on planting 53 acres to prairie. They have also planted over 5,000 trees and are active in invasive species removal and prescribed burning.
When Ohne worked with WeEnergies he helped erect 3 osprey nest platforms around Lake Koshkonong. Ohne has also been active with the Conservation Congress for over 15 years.
Wildlife Management staff from the DNR band wood ducks and morning doves on their land and Ohne maintains the banding site and also helps with the banding.
For many years Ohne has erected, maintained, and checked wood duck boxes on DNR, private, and MAS land. This past year he checked 303 nest boxes and reported that 276 were used and at least 184 had successful hatches of wood ducks and 9 hatches of hooded mergansers. At Zeloski Marsh where MAS erected nest boxes he found 41 hatches in 60 boxes. At Faville Grove Sanctuary he found 24 hatches in 34 boxes. He also found 4 screech owls using his boxes in late winter.
We would like to congratulate and recognize William, Jean, Ohne, and Karen for all they have done to help maintain habitat and benefit wildlife in southern Wisconsin.
