​Waterfowl and Wetland Ecology Lab

Discover Where Science Takes Flight

At the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife, our Waterfowl and Wetlands program harnesses cutting-edge research — from thermal drone surveys to field-based population studies — aimed at safeguarding the future of waterfowl and their critical wetland habitats. Guided by the Kennedy-Grohne Chair in Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation, students and faculty lead diverse projects across Wisconsin, the Prairie Pothole Region and beyond. Dive into our work to explore how education, innovation and conservation come together to protect one of nature’s most vital ecosystems.

Current Projects

From Wisconsin wetlands to the Arctic tundra, our research team uses cutting-edge tools and field studies to uncover how habitat, climate and landscape change shape the survival and success of waterfowl across North America.

A group of people pose at a Ducks Unlimited Meeting

UW-Stevens Point Student Chapter of Ducks Unlimited

Ben Sedinger serves as faculty advisor for the UW–Stevens Point Student Chapter of Ducks Unlimited (DU). Formally established in 2015, the chapter is one of the fastest-growing student organizations on campus and among the most active in the nation. University chapters play an increasingly important role in DU’s conservation mission, which recognizes that a vibrant collegiate program is key to the future of wetland conservation. DU continues to place strong emphasis on developing what has become a highly successful student program. Members get involved for many reasons, including social events that build community and school pride, conservation education and fundraising, résumé building, networking and volunteer opportunities, leadership development and national competitions with other university chapters. In 2024, the UW–Stevens Point chapter earned the “Gold All-American Award,” the highest honor a chapter can receive, and was ranked among the top 10 in the nation for the amount of conservation funding it raised.

Two people riding on a four wheeler in a marsh.

Waterfowl Ecology Field Trips

A major component of the Waterfowl Ecology course (Wildlife 361/561) involves multiple experiential field trips to wetlands across Wisconsin. Ben Sedinger takes students to Mead Wildlife Area (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources), the Mississippi River, Goose Pond (managed by the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance), Shoenberg Marsh Wetland Production Area (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Lost Creek Wetland (Wisconsin Department of Transportation Restoration Area) and local community parks, where they interact with state, federal and nongovernmental biologists and land managers to learn about habitat and wildlife management.

TWS Woodcock Project

Students assist with a woodcock habitat restoration project at Sandhill Wildlife Area in Babcock, Wisconsin. They also capture and band woodcock at the Buena Vista Wildlife Area.

Let’s Connect!

Ben Sedinger, Ph.D., is the Kennedy-Grohne Chair in Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation. He grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, where he developed a passion for wildlife and the outdoors. He honed this passion into a career during his university studies in Reno, Nevada, and while working on ecological research projects across North America. Sedinger is especially interested in waterfowl ecology and in using quantitative tools to advance the conservation of wildlife and the habitats they rely on. He began instructing at UW–Stevens Point in 2019, where he teaches a unique waterfowl ecology course and courses on population dynamics. Sedinger also advises graduate students and undergraduate research projects and serves as faculty advisor for the UW–Stevens Point Student Chapter of Ducks Unlimited. When he is not on campus, he enjoys hunting, biking, playing hockey and spending time outdoors with his daughters.

Benjamin Sedinger

Kennedy-Grohne Chair in Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation
Associate Professor of Wildlife

College of Natural Resources, Outreach and Extension, Wildlife, Wisconsin Center for Wildlife

ben.sedinger@uwsp.edu

715-346-2529

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Meet Our Outstanding Students

Hannah Sabatier

Saskatchewan Waterfowl Production Project

Hannah Sabatier is a graduate student researching nesting behavior and nest survival in upland nesting ducks in the Prairie Pothole Region of Saskatchewan, Canada. Specifically, Hannah is investigating if grassland quality and diversity affect nest survival and how edge effects influence nesting behavior and nest survival. The results of this study will help to inform habitat management practices that maximize land use and support high waterfowl productivity.

Amanda Griswold

Wisconsin Waterfowl Productivity Project

Amanda Griswold started her graduate research with Sedinger in Fall of 2022. Her work continues a research project that began in summer of 2022 and uses drones equipped with thermal cameras to locate and estimate waterfowl pair and brood densities. Part of the objective is to better understand where waterfowl breeding habitat exists throughout the state. The data will be used to help understand which Wisconsin watersheds to prioritize for conservation action and habitat improvement.

Photo of a man holding a duck in his hand.

Jack Johnson

Prairie Pothole Region, SD Waterfowl Production

Jack Johnson started his graduate research in fall of 2024. He is studying the breeding ecology of upland nesting waterfowl in the Prairie Pothole Region in the Northeast corner of South Dakota. Specifically, he’s examining nest survival, along with brood density/movement across a wide gradient of perennial cover and predation pressure. The results of this study will inform managers of the factors affecting waterfowl populations and guide conservation initiatives.

Matt Misewicz

Alaska Nesting Goose Population Dynamics Project

Matt Misewicz is a graduate student in the Sedinger lab studying the effects of density dependence and spring phenology on population dynamics of arctic geese on the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. His project will examine the role density dependence plays on overall nest survival and how varying spring phenology impacts gosling growth. The results of this study will inform managers of the critical drivers of arctic goose populations and how climate change can impact recruitment in long-lived herbivores.

A Special Thanks

The Kennedy-Grohne Chair in Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation Endowment, established by James C. Kennedy and David F. Grohne for their dedication to waterfowl and wetlands preservation, supports research, outreach, and activities at UW-Stevens Point. The endowment funds graduate and undergraduate opportunities, travel, research, publications, equipment, and outreach efforts. The Chair encourages mentorship, advises the Ducks Unlimited student Chapter, secures funding, publishes research, organizes events, improves courses, and leads in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. Long-term goals include strengthening education, expanding research, attracting students to careers in conservation, increasing graduate applications, and fostering collaboration. 

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The Douglas and Carol Federighi Waterfowl Endowment Fund was established to honor Douglas and Carol Federighi. This fund supports graduate Assistantships and undergraduate Fellowships for research on waterfowl and wetlands conservation within the College of Natural Resources (CNR) at UW-Stevens Point. Named awards include the Douglas and Carol Federighi Waterfowl Graduate Assistantship and the Douglas Federighi Waterfowl Undergraduate Fellowship. The endowment aims to attract top students, foster leadership, and advance research in waterfowl conservation. Under faculty mentorship, it contributes to the long-term goals of strengthening waterfowl education, expanding research opportunities, and honoring Douglas Federighi’s legacy in wetlands preservation and restoration.

Lab History

Since 2019, Sedinger has advised several graduate students and undergraduate researchers who have now graduated and moved on to graduate studies or employment in wildlife positions around the United States.

Thesis: The honeymoon phase: Breeding duck habitat selection and its associated effects on nest survival in the prairie pothole region of central Saskatchewan, Canada. Hannah is now a PhD student at University of Saskatchewan (August 2025).

Thesis: Validating habitat conservation models: UWS-based density estimation of breeding duck and sensitivity analysis of the Wisconsin Waterfowl Habitat Conservation Strategy. Amanda is now a Biologist with The Nature Conservancy.

Thesis: Movement ecology of emperor geese that breed on the Yukon Delta, NWR. Mairin is now a Research Biologist with University of Texas El Paso.

Jacob undertook an independent research project on Arctic goose breeding ecology in Alaska. He is now a Research ecologist at University of Montana.

Wisconsin Center for Wildlife