St. Charles – The 2023 GRHA Wetlands Habitat and Management workshop dates have been set for July 17-19^th. The workshop is part of GRHA’s Public Awareness and Education pillar and provides training and information regarding the fundamentals of habitat management, options and techniques for waterfowl hunting properties. A combination of in-class presentations and on-site field tours demonstrate the current state-of-understanding of waterfowl and wetland ecology and contemporary hunting strategies in a practical management format. The workshop focuses primarily on moist-soil wetland types and includes landscape considerations for agriculture, forest, shrub-scrub, and emergent habitats, along with perspectives of hunting pressure of individual properties in relation to their location, size, and management objectives.

GRHA has put together a world class team of instructors. Rarely will there be a chance to have a such wetland and waterfowl knowledge in one room! The course is limited to 15 attendees so be sure to get registered early!

Dr. Mickey Heitmeyer, owner Greenbrier Wetland Services, is the lead instructor. Mickey’s forty plus years of experience encompasses waterfowl and wetland ecology, and practical wetland and hunting management, as well as a research and teaching staff at University of Missouri and University of California - Davis, national Group Manager of Conservation Programs for Ducks Unlimited, Inc. including being the International Director of the Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research, and private consultant on over 200 waterfowl clubs. Mickey has been involved in more than 100 management workshops in 32 states, Canada, and Mexico. Dr. Heitmeyer is among the leading worldwide experts in migration and wintering waterfowl ecology, especially wintering mallards, and moist-soil and bottomland hardwood wetland habitats.

Rounding out the all-star team of instructors are Doug Helmers, retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Private Lands Coordinator for Iowa and former NRCS Administrator of Wetland Reserve Programs (WRP) for north-central Missouri; Jody Graff Owner, of Graff Habitat; Andy Raedeke, Missouri Department of Conservation Migratory Game Bird Coordinator; Casey Bergthold, Ducks Unlimited’s Conservation Program Coordinator for Missouri; Dan Crigler, USWFS Missouri Private Lands; and our own Mike Checkett, GRHA Executive Director.

The event will be held at the Elm Point Holiday Inn and local clubs. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included with registration.

WETLAND WORKSHOP REGISTRATION PAGE HERE.