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Feature Stories (Vol. 110 No. 9--2/27/2008)

Golde wants to spend
$1 million on landowners

By Caroline Downs

Curtis Golde is looking to help landowners in northwestern North Dakota earn their portion of a million dollars provided by the federal government.

Golde started a job at the Lostwood Wetland Management District in January as the North American Waterfowl Conservation Act (NAWCA) technician in a position that represents a partnership of agencies. "I’m actually employed by Ducks Unlimited, funded through the state and supervised by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service," he said.

The son of Duane and Sherry Golde in Kenmare, Golde described himself as an avid hunter and fisherman. He graduated from Kenmare High School in 2001 and continued his education in wildlife management with an associate’s degree from MSU-Bottineau and a bachelor’s degree from South Dakota State University, majoring in wildlife and fishery sciences.

His position at Lostwood WMD is his first fulltime job with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but Golde is no stranger to the national wildlife refuges in this area. He started working at Des Lacs NWR while still a senior in high school, spending a few hours each day under the supervision of then-project leader Fred Giese. After graduation, Golde was hired as a seasonal employee and primarily worked with biologists Bob Murphy and Cory Rubin on the nest survey crew.

He continued in that capacity for three seasons, then spent four summers working at the Upper Souris NWR. During his first season, he completed vegetation surveys and small mammal surveys for Cory Rubin. The next three summers, he worked under refuge manage Tom Pabian replacing refuge boundary signs, banding birds and spraying noxious weeds like spurge, Canadian thistle and wormwood.

Golde laughed as he talked about all the hours he spent riding four-wheelers during his seasonal employment. "I would see corners of the refuge a lot of people don’t get to see," he said.

He considers the NAWCA position as a stepping-stone for the next few years as he develops his career in wildlife, and he looks forward to working with property owners. "My main focus is to contact landowners and get them signed up for a grassland or wetland easement," he said. "Next season, I may also be working with grazing systems."

The easement program with the USFWS is included in the $1 million NAWCA two-year grant just awarded to the Lostwood Wetland Management District, the sixth such grant received there. The majority of money from the grant is used to make payments to landowners who sign a perpetual agreement with the USFWS regarding how they will use and treat qualified land. "If you’re not planning on ever breaking your land, it’s a really good deal," Golde said about the grassland easements.

He also likes the flexibility of the wetland easements. "You can’t drain, fill or level the wetland, but if it’s dry, you can farm right through it," he said. "And you’re allowed to burn it once every three years, by permit."

Mineral and wind rights are not affected by either type of easement, although Golde said the USFWS cooperates with drilling and wind companies to minimize impact from those types of activity.

Golde will be talking more specifically with area landowners in the coming weeks as he makes phone calls to follow mailings sent from the Lostwood and Audubon WMD offices. "I want to spend that million dollars," he said, grinning. "Our main goal right now is to distribute that money to landowners."

After his contacts with landowners, Golde also surveys the acres under consideration, maps the area and submits the paperwork. He does not make the final decision regarding an easement agreement or any other private lands projects funded by the grant, such as grass plantings, grazing systems or wetland restoration, but he can make himself available to assist with those projects once the plans are accepted.

Even though Golde started his job just a few weeks ago, he already has four projects submitted for approval. "I like knowing the wetlands and grasslands I put into an easement will always be there," he said.

The current NAWCA grant is designated for projects in Ward, Burke, Divide, Mountrail and Williams counties and the northern portion of McLean County on a first-come, first-served basis.

Golde invited any landowners interested in learning more about the easements and other private lands projects to contact him and private lands biologist Mike Graue at 848-2466 or 848-2722.