Active Hullett Projects
While Hullett is renowned for its wetlands, our management goes far beyond waterfowl. We view waterfowl as 'indicator species'—their success tells us our entire ecosystem is thriving. From the grasslands to the forest canopy, our projects ensure that every resident of the marsh has a place to grow. Click on the images below to learn more about active stewardship projects at the Marsh!
Mallard Tube Mangement
Our local Mallards get a "room with a view" and a vital safety boost against ground predators. These cozy, elevated hay-lined cylinders act as a high-rise haven, ensuring more ducklings make it safely from the egg to their first flight.​​​
Duck Box Monitoring and Maintenance
​These elevated boxes replace scarce natural tree hollows to give Wood Ducks a nesting head start. Annual cleaning and fresh wood shavings provide a dry foundation that protects eggs and hens from both the weather and ground predators.
Owl Box Project
We provide Eastern Screech-owls and Northern Saw-whet Owls secure nesting sites high above the forest floor. Annual cleaning and fresh bedding ensure these essential nocturnal hunters have a reliable home to raise their young each year.
Bluebird Monitoring
By checking these meadow-side boxes throughout the spring, we track nesting success and manage competition from other species, ensuring Hullett’s grasslands remain a stronghold for these vibrant songbirds.
Turtle Protection
Hullett’s turtles get a safer start with custom-built nesting mounds that provide high, dry ground away from dangerous roadsides. By pairing these nurseries with protective covers to keep predators at bay, we ensure more hatchlings safely make the trek from their shells to the water's edge.
Invasive Species Control
Protecting Hullett also means defending the landscape from aggressive invasive species like Phragmites and Buckthorn. We work tirelessly to manage these uninvited guests, ensuring they do not choke out the native plants that our local wildlife depends on for food and shelter.
Habitat Mowing
Strategic mowing maintains the perfect balance of open space and dense cover to prevent woody brush from overtaking the grasslands. We time our tractor work carefully to preserve these essential habitats without disturbing the birds nesting safely within the tall grass.
Bat Surveillance
As evening falls, our local bat populations take to the skies to provide the marsh with natural pest control. Through acoustic monitoring and roost surveillance, we track the health of these misunderstood mammals to help protect the species that keep insect populations in check.
MarshReach
Strategically placed photomonitoring stations allow visitors to become citizen scientists. By snapping and sharing photos from these specific vantage points, the public helps us create a visual timeline to track water levels, vegetation growth, and landscape changes over years of marsh history.
MOTUS
The MOTUS Wildlife Tracking System turns Hullett into a high-tech "ping" in a global network. Using automated radio telemetry, we track the incredible journeys of migrating birds and bats, contributing vital data to international efforts to understand and protect migratory pathways.
Grassland Enhancement
By seeding and managing native grasses, we create the vast, dense cover required by at-risk meadow birds like Bobolinks and Meadowlarks. These efforts restore critical upland habitat, providing the nesting space and insect-rich foraging grounds needed to support a diverse range of grassland wildlife.
Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Sampling
​The smallest residents of the marsh tell the biggest stories. By sampling the "creepy crawlies" in the water—from dragonfly larvae to water boatmen—we gain a scientific snapshot of the marsh's water quality and the foundation of the entire wetland food web.​