Elle Walker is a Girl Scout and lover of Briarlake Forest Park. For her Gold Award project, she decided to do something that would benefit the park as well as the community and environment. She worked with Margo Reynolds and Jack Weeks to create something spectacular. Thank you to Elle for her hard work! Following is her description of her project:
The bluebird is a well-known species in our community. You may see their beautiful blue wings flapping all around the park. Sadly, these birds lack a specific home within our ecosystem. With their specific habitat niches, these birds require a lot more. That is where the new Bluebird Sanctuary comes in. While this sanctuary is home to all birds, bluebirds are the specific birds targeted with this project.
The sanctuary is set up all around the park. Be on the lookout for a few birdhouses we have set up on poles around the meadow. We spread them out because bluebirds tend to be territorial and cannot be close to another family of bluebirds. They are also high up on poles so no other animals, like squirrels or snakes, are able to reach them. Along with these houses, we have set up a bird feeder. We are so thankful to Jim Bearden for helping us set up these birdhouses and the feeder. Jim is Coordinator of the Blue Bird Program at Green Meadows Preserve and is known as ”the Bluebird Guy” throughout metro Atlanta.
Aside from these basic necessities we have set up for the birds, we have planted native plants all around their environment. The park is filled with many invasive plants, such as liriope (known as monkey grass) and English ivy. These are not beneficial to bluebirds or any other species in our park. So we and many volunteers helped clean up the invasive plant species. From this, we were able to plant new beneficial native plant species, such as native azaleas. These plants are not only helpful to the environment, but they help our bluebirds and other animals by providing them with a clean and safe ecosystem.
This project's main focus was to help better shape our environment and help bluebirds specifically. Birds need to be protected and conserved, and the Briarlake Forest Park was very willing to help with this mission. I will continue to preserve this sanctuary and help with the birds as much as I can. I am so thankful to have been able to do this and to have worked with such great people. So, please enjoy this little addition to the park and take care of the birds.
The bluebird is a well-known species in our community. You may see their beautiful blue wings flapping all around the park. Sadly, these birds lack a specific home within our ecosystem. With their specific habitat niches, these birds require a lot more. That is where the new Bluebird Sanctuary comes in. While this sanctuary is home to all birds, bluebirds are the specific birds targeted with this project.
The sanctuary is set up all around the park. Be on the lookout for a few birdhouses we have set up on poles around the meadow. We spread them out because bluebirds tend to be territorial and cannot be close to another family of bluebirds. They are also high up on poles so no other animals, like squirrels or snakes, are able to reach them. Along with these houses, we have set up a bird feeder. We are so thankful to Jim Bearden for helping us set up these birdhouses and the feeder. Jim is Coordinator of the Blue Bird Program at Green Meadows Preserve and is known as ”the Bluebird Guy” throughout metro Atlanta.
Aside from these basic necessities we have set up for the birds, we have planted native plants all around their environment. The park is filled with many invasive plants, such as liriope (known as monkey grass) and English ivy. These are not beneficial to bluebirds or any other species in our park. So we and many volunteers helped clean up the invasive plant species. From this, we were able to plant new beneficial native plant species, such as native azaleas. These plants are not only helpful to the environment, but they help our bluebirds and other animals by providing them with a clean and safe ecosystem.
This project's main focus was to help better shape our environment and help bluebirds specifically. Birds need to be protected and conserved, and the Briarlake Forest Park was very willing to help with this mission. I will continue to preserve this sanctuary and help with the birds as much as I can. I am so thankful to have been able to do this and to have worked with such great people. So, please enjoy this little addition to the park and take care of the birds.
