Eagle Scouts
The Eagle Scout Leadership Project is the highest advancement rank in scouting, whereby a Boy Scout must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service and outdoor skills. Only about 5% of all Boy Scouts earn this rank. The Refuge is proud to have had the following Boy Scouts achieve this level of success by implementing their Projects here. The narrative below briefly describes the projects as being performed by the individual Scout, however, many volunteers were involved in the following endeavors.
Eagle Scouts at Unexpected
Kyle Gehring — Troop 65, Haddonfield, NJ: Spring 2005
Kyle constructed an observation blind on the south shore of Main Pond, a perfect location for morning bird watching. He also redesigned two existing blinds to meet bird watching specifications, with flat black paint inside and out, latching doors and blackout flaps on all viewing windows. These blinds are available to anyone interested in watching or photographing wildlife from a dry, secure and comfortable location.
Chris Keane — Troop 65, Haddonfield, NJ: Spring 2005
Chris designed and constructed a large scale, free-standing trail map of the Refuge. Using boards recycled from redwood furniture and a dremel, Chris routed out property lines, roads, streams and trails. He then used different colors for each feature and created a legend and map key. He installed the sign across from the parking area so that visitors can quickly orient themselves to Refuge surroundings.
Evan Wojtkowiak — Troop 65, Haddonfield, NJ: Summer 2006
Evan restored and enhanced bluebird habitat by cutting back encroaching invasive species like multiflora rose, Japanese honeysuckle and autumn olive plants. Evan also removed quite a few fallen trees that were impeding the mowing program. He left several standing dead trees, which are an important part of the ecosystem. Using benches, he created seating areas and installed a beautiful information sign about the eastern bluebird.
Andy Eklund — Troop 65, Haddonfield, NJ: Fall 2006
Andy selectively cleared a lovely area across from the parking area. He put down wood chips and constructed two full-size cedar picnic tables with attached benches. After placing and leveling the benches, Andy selectively cleared vegetation to open a vista across Main Pond, creating a comfortable and very interesting location for eating lunch.
Bob Burton — Troop 54, Lindenwold, NJ: Fall 2006
Bob created and installed wooden directional and location signs throughout the Refuge. Using 5 1/4 decking, he and his crew cut, sanded, stenciled, painted and hung hundreds of signs along the trails and at important features, like Otter Dam and Wild Goose Blind. Bob’s signs show you which way to go, and tell you where you are.
Ted McLeon — Troop 8, Cherry Hill, NJ: Summer 2007
Ted took the trail color key from Chris Keane’s trail map project and applied it to the trails themselves. Using spray paint and cardboard templates, Ted blazed the trees along each trail with a specific color paint so now hikers can choose a trail and follow it easily throughout the ten miles of trails that cover 700 acres of forest and wetlands here at Unexpected Wildlife Refuge.