Raising Future Conservationists

Delta program brings wildlife stewardship to Iowa children

Story by Jonathan Olivier/Photos by Keagan Keddell

Junior Stubblefield tightened one last screw into a panel of pine to put the finishing touch on a wood duck nesting box. He stepped back to admire his work, proud to know a hen might raise a brood in it come spring.

The hands-on experience, part of the Road to Conservation and Adventure program at the fifth annual Delta Waterfowl Duck Hunters Expo in Des Moines, Iowa, offered a window into the world of waterfowl conservation for young hunters interested in the outdoors.

“I like birds and ducks, and we came today so I could learn more about them,” said Stubblefield, a high school freshman from Urbandale, Iowa. 

Stubblefield was one of 12 participants who spent an afternoon building wood duck nesting boxes as part of the program, an initiative that demonstrates wildlife and environmental stewardship through activities for students of all developmental levels. Participants also learned about Delta Waterfowl's mission, honed their wildlife identification skills, sampled wild game, and took turns blowing duck calls.

Justin McGraw traveled from Waukee, Iowa, with his daughters Charlott and Kayanna. After the program wrapped up, each received a blind bag with a duck call, and they took turns trying out the calling sequences they’d just learned in a demonstration. 

“I brought them so they could get more exposure to hunting and conservation,” McGraw said. “These activities are a hands-on way for them to learn more.”

Delta brought the Road to Conservation and Adventure to Iowa to expand the program’s reach. The initiative was started in Pennsylvania in 2024 by Delta’s senior regional director Matt Kneisley and Andrea Fellows, a supervisor for Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13, an organization that provides special education services throughout Lancaster and Lebanon counties in Pennsylvania.

“Having the program in Iowa was another opportunity for us to reach more kids who could go on to be advocates for waterfowl and other wildlife,” Kneisley said. “It also gave our Iowa chapter members a chance to meet people from the surrounding communities who haven’t been involved with Delta before.”

The Road to Conservation and Adventure has grown steadily since the first event at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Pennsylvania, where students built wood duck nesting boxes, painted duck silhouettes, and learned about waterfowl conservation. Over the past two years, Kneisley has added activities such as tracking ducks with GPS, identifying waterfowl using drones, banding demonstrations, a Delta STEM competition, and an upcoming wildlife photography workshop.  

“This is such a cool opportunity for our students to learn to be in the outdoors, to respect their environment, and then to be informed citizens later on to benefit our wildlife and the earth,” Fellows said. “We’re also hoping to open new doors for them for things like hobbies and possible jobs in the future.”

Nearly 600 children have benefitted from the program since its inception. Kneisley said his goal is to connect with a demographic who might not be familiar with the outdoors or hunting in an effort to foster lifelong conservationists.

“Building a wood duck box is an act of conservation,” Kneisley said. “Picking up trash along a stream is an act of conservation. Having a mindset towards a better Mother Earth is an act of conservation. Through our program’s activities, we’re able to expand the minds of these kids, including their faculty, mentors or family members who also attend.”

With the program taking place in Iowa, Kneisley has now brought the Road to Conservation and Adventure to three states. Last year, he hosted an event with students in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and this year will again work with local chapters to put on the program there. He envisions taking the program throughout the United States and Canada to introduce the outdoors to children of all developmental levels. 

“It was an amazing experience having the chance to connect with the kids in Iowa at Delta’s Expo,” Kneisley said. “With the help of our local chapters and teachers, we can bring the Road to Conservation and Adventure to children everywhere.”