Wood duck nest boxes installed by Eagle Scout candidate at Plant Farley

Recently, Eagle Scout candidate Will Smith, of Troop 106 from Dothan, completed his Eagle Scout service project at Plant Farley. Smith and four other Scouts removed and replaced seven wood duck nest boxes across the site. Farley Environmental Specialist Seth Harrison and Facilities Foreman Corby Dolar worked with the scouts to mount the boxes and complete the project. “Will developed the plans and completed the design of the nesting boxes and Plant Farley provided the funding to make the project a success,” said Harrison. “We now have 10 wood duck nesting boxes across the site and plan to feature our wood duck nesting program with the Wildlife Habitat Council in 2022.”

The Farley Wood Duck Nest Box Program began in 1993 but had been dormant since 2014. Unlike our Bluebird Nesting Program, these boxes will only be checked once a year to look for signs of nesting. The boxes will be checked in December or January, at the end of nesting season, and new bedding will be added to the boxes in the hopes that wood ducks will return to lay eggs.

Harrison and Dolar were pleased to work with Smith and the Scouts to see this project to completion. “Not only did we help Will achieve a major accomplishment by earning his Eagle Scout rank, we enhanced the habitat for the wood ducks that call the land around Plant Farley home,” said Dolar. “This project is a great example of Farley’s commitment to community engagement and our environmental stewardship.”