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 Des Moines, IA – A conservation project for wood ducks has opened the eyes of three dozen middle school kids to the world of great apes.
Wood ducks, once common throughout Iowa, have declined in number over the years because of habitat loss to their nesting areas. They will, however, raise ducklings in carefully designed and positioned artificial nesting boxes. With that in mind, Jody Beimer and Ilka Daniels, teachers at St. Augustin School in Des Moines, developed a hands-on conservation project for their eighth-grade students.
“It’s important our students give back to their community,” says Beimer. “We thought a conservation project on the campus of Great Ape Trust of Iowa would be a perfect fit for them.”
 Over the winter, the students constructed 32 wood duck nesting boxes while learning the importance of conservation. On a cool, overcast March morning – with the wood duck nesting season approaching – students and Great Ape Trust staff members installed a half dozen boxes around the scientific research center’s 30-acre lake.
“Conservation begins at home,” says Dr. Benjamin Beck, director of conservation at The Trust. “If Great Ape Trust is to have international credibility, we must manage our own campus and operations in an environmentally responsible way.”
While the experience taught the eighth-graders the significance of local conservation, the class project didn’t end with wood ducks. For their efforts, the students were provided an opportunity to meet Azy and Knobi, two orangutans involved with Dr. Robert Shumaker’s language and behavioral research at Great Ape Trust.
 “We want the students to learn about and respect the great apes – and understand the importance of saving them,” says Beimer. “We also hope that by introducing them to a place like Great Ape Trust, we may have some future scientists.”
From his reaction, student Matt Fifield might be one of them. “This was the greatest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Fifield said as he and classmates walked out of the orangutan home after meeting Azy, the 275 pound adult male.
For the students of St. Augustin School, what began last fall as a conservation project for wood ducks turned into a great deal more – for the kids and the apes.
“These kids went home changed,” said Beck. “And the apes made some new friends today.”
Great Ape Trust of Iowa is located five miles southeast of downtown Des Moines on 230 acres of lowlands, riverine forest and lakes. When completed, Great Ape Trust will be the largest great ape facility in North America and one of the first worldwide to include all four types of great ape – bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans – for noninvasive interdisciplinary studies of their cognitive and communicative capabilities.
Great Ape Trust is dedicated to providing sanctuary and an honorable life for great apes, studying the intelligence of great apes, advancing conservation of great apes and providing unique educational experiences about great apes. Great Ape Trust of Iowa is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization and is certified by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). To learn more about Great Ape Trust of Iowa, go to www.GreatApeTrust.org.
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