History
I began my Eagle Scout service project in the spring of 2013, mostly by accident. I'll explain why it was an accident in a moment. First, I love to fish. I live near several tributaries to Utah Lake. I fish for white bass, blue gill and catfish a lot in these tributaries. I also like to bow fish for carp. One day my dad and I were bow fishing for carp. I saw what looked like a big carp, but the light was dim in the area we were fishing. I drew back and let the arrow fly. Unfortunately, I did not hit a carp, but I hit a June sucker fish. Knowing the June sucker is endangered, we notified the local Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) in Springville. I was able to talk to a biologist at the DWR who helped me come up with an idea to help increase awareness of the June sucker. This is how my Eagle Scout service project started.
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| June Sucker, 2014 Utah Fishing Guidebook, p. 63 |
My Project
As I talked with the biologist at the DWR, I learned about why the June sucker is so important to Utah Lake. I learned how the June sucker feeds in the middle of the water column and how carp feed on the bottom. I learned that the abundance and behavior of carp make it hard for the June sucker to thrive. I learned about the things that the DWR and other people are doing to reduce the carp and to create a better environment for the June sucker. My project will increase public awareness of the June sucker at the Lower Hobble Creek tributary to Utah Lake. I plan on organizing people to build an informational kiosk at the entrance of the Lower Hobble Creek tributary. I need to raise money to build the kiosk. I have been raising money by having yard sales and recycling aluminum and metal. I also plan on organizing a cleanup effort at the Lower Hobble Creek tributary.
Fund Raising
Thanks for all who helped raise funds! We exceeded our goals, thanks so much!Project Phases
The phases of my project are:- Planning - Spring 2013
- Approval - Summer 2014
- Fundraising - Summer 2014
- Advertising - Summer 2014
- Sign design and creation - Spring 2015
- Obtaining supplies - Spring 2015
- Kiosk building - Summer 2015
- Tributary cleanup - Summer 2015
- Unveiling - Summer 2015
- Reporting - Summer 2015
I think this is a great project. I would LOVE to find out if you could coordinate with DNR biologist to do "tours" of the spawning sites when the June sucker are spawning. I think you could organize tours, asking people to donate to your project... and it would be successful.
ReplyDeleteFrom a marketing aspect (which I could help you on), how many people have EVER seen an endangered species of ANYTHING live? I live a mile away from the Hobble Creek reclamation site, have floated it a few times, and have never seen a June Sucker... could be a good fund raiser.
Just a thought.
We are looking in the possibility of having the June Sucker at the Utah Lake Festival.
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