HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 29, 2024) – Girl Scout Troop 296 joined other community volunteers and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park rangers Saturday to spruce up and make minor improvements to the Environmental Study Area on the shoreline of Old Hickory Lake.
Park Ranger Chee Hill said they constructed, painted, and installed bird houses throughout the area to attract different bird species.
“The teamwork and dedication of the Girl Scouts and other volunteers was truly inspiring to witness,” Hill said. “Not only did the group install bird houses, but they also took time to learn about pollinator gardens and how butterflies can live and thrive within the Environmental Study Area.”
The Girl Scouts, led by Troop Leader Carrie Darling, also spread mulch around the flower beds and pulled weeds to prepare the area for the spring when the flowers bloom and butterflies return to the pollinator gardens. Darling said the girls had a lot of fun volunteering and noted they want to come back to paint the benches and clean the signs. The park rangers really appreciated the hard work put in by the Girl Scouts to spruce up the area, to mulch the gardens, and build and install bird houses.
“Their commitment to environmental conservation and eagerness to learn made this winter workday a memorable and impactful experience for everyone involved,” Hill added. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Girl Scouts and other community groups to protect and preserve this area.”
Aprele Griffin, a lead volunteer, also lauded the young girls that joined the effort and put in the time to improve the Environmental Study Area.
“Three of us volunteers spread a mulch path around the pollinator garden we restored earlier in the fall. We talked to the Girl Scouts about the garden and invited them to come back in the spring to see the pollinators and help with spring cleanup,” Griffin said. “One special treat was getting paid a surprise visit by four bald eagles flying overhead!"
Dylon Anderson, Old Hickory Lake Resource manager, said the Environmental Study Area is a wildlife viewing area located off of Walton Ferry road in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Anderson said there are different species of shrubs and trees that were planted to attract a variety of different species of wildlife such as birds, bees, butterflies, rabbits and squirrels. The area has small mowed open areas and trails as well as untouched areas to provide cover for the wildlife. The shore has also been rip rapped to demonstrate on proper way of erosion control.
“The Environmental Study Area is unique and is enjoyed by sightseers, bird watchers, fishermen hikers or anyone else that wants to get away from everything and enjoy the aesthetic and relaxing beauty that it has to offer,” Anderson said.
The area is a prime location for outdoor education, environmental studies and demonstrations because of fits size and close proximity to several surrounding schools.
The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps. The public can also follow Old Hickory Lake on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/oldhickorylake. Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest Nashville District employment and contracting opportunities at https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-army-corps-of-engineers-nashville-district.