 Once on the brink of extinction, the now common wood duck was able to make a comeback through conservation efforts. This is due in large part thanks to the organized effort to create artificial nest boxes. Mal Meyer has more on the story. Have any of you made a wood duck house before? Using free kits through the Mantrap Valley Conservation Club, the junior Girl Scouts from Park Rapids Elementary are learning about the waterfowl and how to build the nest boxes. In addition to the conservation effort, they learn, they earn a badge. There's an eco-action badge and a do-it-yourself badge. But today the fourth grade girls are getting a little bit of advice from their family. He told me that it's easier when you're bigger. Tori Hargo has built different projects like this with the Boy Scouts, but never the Girl Scouts. After figuring out the instructions, their box was starting to take shape. We just got it started and I think we figured out which piece is which and the order they should be attached. Some of the adults had a little bit more experience with this type of project. The activity gave Jay Wolf the chance to pass on his more technical knowledge. Basically just attention to detail, you know, chamfers, bevels, radiuses. I know she doesn't understand a lot of that stuff yet, but we're getting there. While the girls were happy to be putting together the boxes with their parents, they had another favorite part as well. Helping nature, I'm kind of like an outdoorsy person. It makes me feel happy because I want the population to go up. In Park Rapids, I'm Mel Meyer, Lakeland News. According to the Mantrap Valley Conservation Club, the organization has been able to distribute 400 nesting boxes over the last year for bats, bluebirds and wood ducks. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.