Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

I am a Boy Scout, soon to be an Eagle Scout. The Eagle project I chose benefited my community of Chesterfield, Missouri. I selected a project for which I researched, built, and installed Bat Boxes at one of our community lake/conservation areas. First, I had to research how Bat Boxes are built, the purpose behind them, and how to install them. The purpose of bat boxes is to attract 100s to 1000s of bats so that they will eat mosquitoes, which provides an environmentally safe way to eliminate a high mosquito population.
After I researched this, I drafted up plans to build and install the boxes. I also had to have a plan to get volunteers to help me and then lead this team. I went before a Board to get approval for my project and once approved, I worked with the Superintendent of Chesterfield Parks and Recreation to obtain access to the area.
My team built the 4 bat boxes over several weekends. My dad had to climb the trees to install the bat boxes while my team and I conducted the necessary safety measures to help my dad as he climbed and installed the boxes. I then worked with our Parks Web Administrator to provide information and photos for the Chesterfield Facebook page.
My project benefited my community because many of our community members enjoy kayaking and fishing in this conservation area and now they can do that without the nuisance of mosquito bites. This has especially become more important with the introduction of the Zika virus into the U.S. My project also has helped me learn how to lead a team to a common goal. This will help me in college and with my career in the future.