Eagle Scouts Endeavors
Two Great Projects Built in
2007
In a given year, it is not unusual for Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation to receive several inquiries from Boy Scouts who wish to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. The Eagle Scout project, an exercise in leadership, requires that a Scout plan the project, in some way provide materials, recruit volunteers, and finally, lead the volunteers in the work. Sometimes Scouts come up with the project idea and sometimes they choose to take on a project suggested by Parks staff. In the past, Eagle Scout projects have provided new trails, cleared and marked; bridges and boardwalks over streams and wetlands; and prairie habitat restoration work in County parks and preserves.
2007 proved to be another great year for our
department as the recipient of Eagle Scout endeavors. In Park Lyndon South
(located on North Territorial Road, just east of M-52), a new boardwalk
leading out onto Lake Genevieve was built by Boy Scout Michael Carpenter,
age 17 of Gregory, Michigan. Michael is a member of Troop #425 and also a
member of Venture Crew #412. His project included design, construction and
installation of the new boardwalk, as well as removal of the old one.
Michael and his "crew" had the extra challenge of hauling lumber and tools
quite a distance, since the steep hills and narrow trails of Park Lyndon do
not allow vehicle access to the boardwalk. This project, which involved over
250 hours of volunteer time, resulted in an eye-pleasing, safe and sturdy
structure that allows park visitors to walk out past the lake edge and
better experience the aquatic habitat of
the park.
At the Leonard Preserve just
north of Manchester, Boy Scout Ryan Paul built and then installed 12 bat
boxes throughout the preserve. Ryan, age 15 of Manchester, is a member of
Troop #426. His project involved natural history research that included what
to consider when choosing bat box locations that are the most likely to be
successful at attracting bats. Ryan and his volunteers built the houses
off-site, mounted them on 15 foot metal poles, and then placed the poles 4
feet into the ground at his carefully selected spots; a total of 134
volunteer hours. Ryan’s crew also had the challenge of hauling materials to
several far-in, off-road locations without the use of a truck. Bats
sometimes have trouble finding suitable roosting locations; when properly
built and placed bat boxes can be very beneficial to several species of
bats. Because of Ryan’s attention to detail, I feel confident that the boxes
will someday be "home" to some of the Leonard Preserve’s bats.
Michael’s and Ryan’s Eagle Scout projects were
well planned, well directed and yielded very beneficial results. Our
department says "Thanks for a job well done!"
to them both.
