Partnerships with local community groups and volunteers have been making a large impact on our local ecosystems. You might recognize the little bird on the cover, the Eastern Bluebird. Once common in Ohio, these birds thrived in a landscape of small fields, pastures, and orchards. However, as farming practices shifted toward large fields of corn and soybeans, bluebird habitats began to disappear. Bluebirds are cavity nesters, meaning they seek out tree hollows or stumps to build their nests. The introduction of invasive species, such as European starlings and house sparrows, has intensified competition for the limited number of natural nesting sites. To combat this decline, naturalists across the country have encouraged the installation of bluebird boxes, which help support and increase bluebird populations for future generations.
In recent years, the Bellbrook Sugarcreek Park District has placed bluebird nesting boxes in several parks to help support these environmental efforts. We are fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers who monitor these bluebird boxes each season. They carefully inspect each box for nests, eggs, and hatchlings, recording their findings along the way. This season, our volunteers contributed over 70 hours of monitoring! We are thrilled to report that their efforts are paying off: in 2024, we saw our highest number of bluebird fledglings yet—right at 100 individuals! This is a significant increase from the 76 fledglings last year, and we are excited about the continued success.
Further enhancing our impact on local ecosystems, scout Jonah Grismer from Troop 375 recently completed his Eagle Scout project by establishing bat boxes at Morris and Sweet Arrow Reserve. Building bat boxes is especially important in Ohio, where several bat species, including the endangered Indiana bat and the little brown bat, face declining populations due to habitat loss, disease, and environmental changes. Bat boxes provide safe roosting sites for these bats, helping to support their recovery. Bats play a vital role in pollination, seed dispersal, and controlling insect populations, making their conservation crucial. The Park District is incredibly grateful to Jonah for his dedication in planning, organizing, leading, and completing this impactful project!
Have you considered building bluebird and bat boxes in your own backyard? Check out these resources below: