Are you looking for a meaningful Eagle Project or a community service project for your troop that will help our
wildlife and natural environment? Waste Management would like to team up with Eagle Scout candidates to
construct the following Wildlife Habitat Projects in West Chatham: a nature trail, floating island and bird
boxes. If you are interested and would like more information on working with Waste Management to
complete these worthwhile projects in our area, please contact Amanda Fairley at Waste Management 910445-1094 or [email protected] . Below are detailed descriptions:
1. Nature Trail: Construct a trail around onsite pond with educational kiosks explaining unique flora and
fauna in the area. Trail is currently a semi-maintained road and needs a minimal amount of clearing. We
would create the educational kiosks, but we would certain appreciate their assistance in placing the kiosks on
the trail at the appropriate locations.
This project is a creative way to educate visitors and employees about the management areas. Wellconstructed signs could educate employees and the local community about the Superior Landfill?s
commitment to the community, the environment and education. Interpretive signs should be designed to
inform visitors about the surrounding plants, wildlife and natural features that can be seen from the vantage
point of each station. They should also highlight the ongoing projects and efforts of the Wildlife Team.
Specifically, a variety of information could be made available to visitors about the importance of wetlands,
biodiversity and bird species found on site.
2. Floating Island- Construct a floating island for waterfowl.
To provide nesting and loafing habitat for waterfowl, away from terrestrial predators, the Superior Wildlife
Team could install floating islands in the pond. Floating island structures offer the opportunity to create viable
wildlife habitat that will not inhibit the pond’s volume, maintenance, or capacity requirements. The islands
consist of flat platforms mounted on floats (either closed-cell foam or air filled tanks). A length of chain or
cable, slightly longer than the maximum water depth, should be attached to the platform and fixed to one or
two concrete blocks which act as anchors. To attract nesting waterfowl, such as ring-necked ducks, a plastic
tub or large truck tire with a U-shaped opening and drain holes in the bottom, may be placed on the platform
and filled with straw, hay, or grass. The tub or tire should be lined with soil and seeded with wetland plants or
bunch grasses to give it a more natural appearance. An example is below.
3. Build and monitor bird boxes- Construct along the pond bird boxes for local blue birds or waterfowl, and
monitor use of boxes by birds. Monitoring frequency varies depending on season, with mating season
requiring more monitoring than other times.
Place waterfowl boxes properly for wood duck nesting. Wood duck boxes should be placed at least 600 feet
apart and out of the direct line of sight of other wood duck boxes or hidden in vegetation so as to decrease
the rate of the behavior commonly known as 'dump nesting'. Dump nesting is a form of intraspecific nest
parasitism, a competitive behavior in which a female wood duck is stimulated to lay eggs in a nest box that she
has seen another female wood duck enter or leave. Boxes placed in highly visible locations are also more
frequently abandoned, produce fewer fledged young, and experience higher rates of competition from
European starlings than hidden boxes. Wood duck boxes should be located either on poles over open water in
the wetlands or near the shoreline.
Boxes located over water should be erected at least 4 feet above the water's surface with the entrance facing
the open water. Alternatively, boxes can be located on land, 30 to 150 feet away from the shoreline on poles
near trees around the wetlands. Boxes placed directly at the shoreline or attached directly to trees appear to
be more susceptible to predation. Conical predator guards should be placed approximately 6 to 12 inches
from the bottom of pole-mounted duck boxes to limit predation.