Gold Award Spotlight: Norfolk Botanical Garden Bluebird Box Project
Girl Scout Ambassador Sydney of Troop 4161 earned the Girl Scout Gold Award by working to help threatened bluebirds. After becoming aware of the shrinking availability of habitats for native species, like the Eastern Bluebird, in the Hampton Roads area and beyond, Sydney organized a plan and took action to improve the livelihood of those affected species.
“My project addressed the declining population and nesting habitats of the Eastern Bluebird. A combination of factors has led to this decline in population. They have lost their habitat due to land development, removal of dead trees, and people using metal fence posts rather than wooden ones. Habitat loss began increasing due to the introduction of two non-native species, specifically, the European Starling and the House Sparrow. They chase the Eastern Bluebirds away from nesting sites and take them over.”
Sydney organized with Theresa Augustin, Norfolk Botanical Garden’s Director of Environmental Engagement & Outreach, to designate locations available on site for the bird boxes. Sydney then built and installed three bird boxes along the trails of Norfolk Botanical Garden as well as informational signage about the project and how individuals can get involved on their own.
Sydney applied for and received a $400 grant from the Virginia Bluebird Society, an affiliate of The North American Bluebird Society, to fund this project.
