by Judy Marden, ALT Board Member
Got Bats? We do! After Ben LaFlamme camped in the Bates Outing Club Lean-to at the Marden-Chittick Refuge in Greene with Boy Scout Troop 113, he wanted to learn more about the Androscoggin Land Trust (ALT), which holds a conservation easement on the property. He was working on his Citizenship and Community badge, and asked if ALT had any work projects he could do to fulfill the requirements. Of course we did! The first was helping to build brush piles in a recently cut area, for wildlife safety. With more hours to fill toward the badge, he wondered if ALT needed some birdhouses or bat houses.
Since bats in Maine have been impacted by White Nose Fungus Disease, ALT was excited about having a positive way to help these beneficial creatures. Ben built two prototypes; the Board approved the idea, and Ben went on to build 12 more, with the assistance of his father, Jim. During the project, Ben learned more about the use of power tools.
He made approximately 1020 kerf (angled) cuts with the radial arm saw to create the horizontal grooves that allow the bats to climb up into the bat houses from the bottom. He made another 312 cuts using the compound miter saw and table saw to kit up all the pieces needed for the houses.
ALT has been presenting one of Ben’s bat houses, complete with an ALT logo insignia and directions on where to hang the house for best results, to each landowner with property on which ALT holds an easement. Several houses are already occupied by families of bats. How do you tell? Simply look underneath for bat poop!
Ben spent his summer as an instructor at Pine Tree Council’s Camp Hinds in Raymond. Now 16 and beginning his junior year at Leavitt, Ben is looking toward a career as a civil engineer. He is a Life Scout and will soon be working on his Eagle Scout project. We hope Ben and Troop 113 will stay close to ALT and continue to work with us on many great projects to come!