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Rugby eighth grader helps plan for ND Waterfowl Brigade

By Sue Sitter - | Jul 29, 2023

Submitted Photo Rugby’s Josh Arnold focuses on the fine details while painting a duck decoy at the Texas Waterfowl Brigade in Garwood, Texas.

Rugby eighth grader Josh Arnold was one of several North Dakota students returning from Texas after a five-day trip to study waterfowl habitats.

Sponsored by Ducks Unlimited of North Dakota, the group traveled to Garwood, Texas, to participate in Texas Waterfowl Brigade Camp, a program operated through the nonprofit Texas Brigades. The North Dakota Ducks Unlimited (DU) group hopes to establish its own program modeled after the Waterfowl Brigades camp.

“I went down and basically learned everything I could about the camp and I’m bringing it up here next year,” said Arnold. “There’s going to be a camp here in North Dakota that’s going to be at Washburn that they’re going to have. They’re trying to replicate it.”

Arnold learned about the program at the Pierce County Ducks Unlimited Club, where he is a greenling ambassador, which is a role available for youth in the organization.

“We basically are trying to get as much stuff as we can out of the experience and next year, when the camp is going on, we’re going to be basically helpers. We’re not going to be counselors. We’re just going to help out and kind of help how things run,” said Arnold. “I believe they’re going to use DU biologists and people from North Dakota Game and Fish and I’m going to help them learn and help things run. We’re going to help this grow.

The waterfowl brigades camp is a hands-on, five-day, immersive learning experience designed to educate participants about the importance of wetland ecosystems, waterfowl biology, flock dynamics, land and water stewardship and natural resource management.

“There were interviews that we did where they put you in front of a camera and asked questions. They had you make posters on stuff we learned at the camp using pictures you had taken at the camp,” said Arnold. “And there’s no access to the internet, so you can’t copy things. But they do a lot. I think they’re doing it pretty well right now, so we don’t have much to improve on for North Dakota except maybe base it more on the North Dakota landscape.”

Arnold hopes to use his experience in Texas and with wildlife throughout his life will lead to more.

“What I learned down in Texas is their habitat in general benefits more than just ducks. The marshes produce a lot of food and habitats for smaller animals like rodents, deer (and) some game like pheasants. It actually produces a lot of habitat and shelter,” said Arnold. “I’ve been learning about wildlife as much as I can and thinking about using this. I’m thinking about going into the wildlife biologist field, although I have a lot of other ideas right now. But I’m actually using this as an experience if I want to do that.”