South Middleton Habitat Club

This group focuses on all aspects of nature and wildlife in and around Boiling Springs. It was started 8 years ago as the Bluebird Club. We put an article in our newsletter and asked residents to donate $10 to install a bluebird home in our parks. Each home was painted and installed in a park or on a trail. The first year we put up 22 homes. We are now up to over 80 bluebird homes! We average between 120 – 200 baby bluebirds a year. Each year 10 – 15 volunteers inspect each home every week and maintain all the bluebird homes along the trails and in the parks. This is critical to the bluebirds success. We have now expanded and added other types of bird and bat homes as well as a purple martin home last year.

The Habitat Club also has a program to help save the monarch butterflies. The program is designed to help residents learn how they can provide a safe environment for the butterflies in their own backyards, as well as providing gardens for them in our parks. We have created and maintain 2 pollinator gardens with tons of flowers and a field of milkweed and grasses that are mowed once per year. Monarchs, hummingbirds and animals love this area. It is right next to our cell tower at Spring Meadows Park. We also steward different areas where we are continually planting new preserves of trees. Our 2 staff arborists have designed these mini-forests to establish habitat for years to come. We will continue to add new trees everywhere we can and will continue to add new habitat and wildlife management practices.

Additionally, this group is always looking for ways and ideas to enhance waterfowl and wildlife at Children’s Lake, provide nesting boxes and homes in the Wittlinger Nature Preserve, and helping bats, purple martins, meadowlarks, and other birds that live in our parks. We are looking to improve the water quality of our lake so it can provide habitat for more trout. We also want to provide immediate care for injured birds or animals. If you love nature and wildlife, we would love to have you join our group! Please contact Duff Manweiler at rdm1028@aol.com if you are interested in joining or finding out more information.