Laying the Groundwork

December may not be the time people are thinking about butterflies, but it was the perfect time for Nick Poaletti to get some work done on a fence for the Wigmore Acres Butterfly Garden. He is building the garden for STEM, Save the Environment of Moorestown.

Poaletti, a Life Scout in Boy Scout Troop 601, is working on his Eagle Scout. The 50-foot-by-25-foot plot has been cleared and tilled, thanks to a donation of machinery from Flying Feather Farm. Compost was added to the soil thanks to a donation from Leonberg Nursery. The next step was to put in a fence.

"Nick started researching fencing, we all knew that deer would be a issue," said Kathy Huffman, a member of STEM. "Without a fence we would just be putting in a deer grocery store."

Once the township and STEM approved the type of fencing to be used, Nick gathered his volunteers to cement the 8-foot poles into the ground. To raise money for the fencing, which will cost $2,000, Poaletti sold pickets, donated by Delanco Fence, for $5 each. People who buy the pickets can decorate them however they would like. The pickets will then be placed throughout the garden.

"The pickets were to raise money," said Poaletti, 14. "And they will make the garden look nice."

In addition, Poaletti will build two benches, with materials donated by Home Depot, so residents can enjoy the garden.

Poaletti, the youngest child of Sue and Steve Poaletti, is following in his older brothers' footsteps, both of who earned their Eagle Scout.

The road to Eagle starts with an idea. Then a project plan is submitted to the troop leader. From there it goes to the Boy Scout Council. Once approved, a scout can begin his project. One of the components of his project is to show management skills. When he completes his project, he will submit another report.

"I will have to rewrite my plan and tell them what I did, how I changed it, how many service hours were worked," said Poaletti. After all that, he will be interviewed. "You have to pass the Board of Review."

Planting will occur in the spring, said Poaletti. STEM will decide which plants to use, but, according to Huffman, some of the choices may include: New England aster, bee balm (monarda), gayfeather, cosmos, daisies, goldenrod, heliotrope, variety of milkweeds, Joe Pye weed, lantana, marigolds, Mexican sunflower, purple cone flower (echinacea), Queen Anne's lace and others. STEM would also like to incorporate shrubs, said Huffman. She also noted that watering could pose a challenge so plants that are hearty and heat tolerant will be looked at.

"The hope is that this can be an area that the schoolchildren can use as well as a nature site," said Huffman.

"Nick has been invaluable," she added. "We would never have gotten this far without his help."