Franklin Lakes November 23, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 9 Council approves Eagle Scout’s project in preserve by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Borough Council has unanimously approved a project proposed by a Boy Scout Troop 34 Eagle Scout who wants to install a number of nesting boxes at the Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve to attract wood ducks to the area. Eagle Scout Raymond Gonzo told the council that the wood duck is a shy and very elusive species; however, if there are nest boxes at the nature preserve, the ducks will find and use them. As he pursues the William T. Hornaday Award, Gonzo intends to install about eight or nine nest boxes around the nature preserve. He plans to fund the construction of the nest boxes and install them with the help of other members of the Boy Scout troop. According to Gonzo, the preserve is a wonderful spot for people to hike and observe nature, but it is also a precious resource in ecological studies. “I would like to attract the wood duck to the preserve by setting up nest boxes to attract them,” Gonzo told the council. “The nest boxes will be mounted on posts in the shallow sections of the lake and on trees that are near or in the water. This project will benefit the entire town because everyone loves to see new and interesting wildlife and wood duck populations have been decreasing in New Jersey. So, hopefully my project will help establish a population in our town.” Gonzo described the wood duck as a striking bird and a high-pitched whistle. “Like its cousin the mallard, the wood duck is a dabbling duck, which means that it will tip its head underwater in order to feed on underwater plant life,” Gonzo said, adding that wood ducks will also eat acorns, seeds, and insects. Wood ducks migrates during the winter and is a strong flier that can reach up to 30 mph. “For anyone who has ever seen a wood duck, it is not easily forgettable,” Gonzo said. “Wood ducks lay their eggs in the cavities of trees that are near or in the water of a swampy environment. Their nests are generally anywhere from two to 60 feet off the ground so that predators can’t reach them. When ducklings hatch and go swimming they tend to drop out of a nest that can be 60 feet off the surface yet surprisingly they are unharmed.” Gonzo said the project will not take very long because he will have plenty of people helping him. The Scouts will first scope out areas where wood ducks tend to live and nest. Once they have a location for the nest boxes, they will begin installing them one at a time. “Wood ducks like to nest in nest boxes that are in the water, so before the project, we will attach the nest boxes to metal poles so as to place the nest boxes in shallow water near the shore,” Gonzo explained. “The depth of the water will be about two to three feet deep and the nest box itself should be about four to five feet above the water. The pole will have to be about one to two inches thick, 10 feet long, and will have to be hammered into the mud about four feet deep. “Because the water is so shallow there will be no need to use a boat. Instead, we can simply use a wading suit, which will make it so much easier to hammer the pole in the mud.” Gonzo said the ideal time to carry out the project is in the fall because it may take a while for the ducks to locate the nest boxes. A system of monitoring will have to take place to make sure the nest boxes are being used. He expects that the monitoring can begin in the spring if the project is completed in the fall, or next summer if the project is completed in the late winter or early spring. Gonzo plans to raise the funds needed for the project by appealing to local businesses for contributions. He said he also plans to go to the Lion’s Club and other civic organizations for contributions since the project will help improve the town. According to Gonzo, the Boy Scouts of Troop 34 will help him with the project and the monitoring, and representatives from the New Jersey Audubon Society’s Lorrimer Sanctuary, which is located on Ewing Avenue, will help him pick out spots to set up the nest boxes. An adult male wood duck in breeding plumage.