Teen ambassadors strive to leave a legacy

The even-pitched trill of screech owls was audible during the early evening at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center. The short stocky bird, which become active at dusk and spend its days roosting in holes or dense cover is fortunate to have five-star accommodations at the sanctuary, thanks to Thomas Spillane, 15. He built seven boxes for the owls for his Eagle Scout project, placing them in the trees at the Cove Neck sanctuary in June.

Thomas, who attends St. Dominic High School, is a member of the sanctuary’s Conservation Ambassador Program for teenagers from 13 to 17 years old. The program, which meets once a month, is an opportunity for teenagers to become involved in conservation.

“We talk about environmental issues and brainstorm stewardship projects to participate in throughout the year,” said Julie Nelsen, the sanctuary’s education manager. “It could involve beach clean ups, planting projects, screech owl monitoring and other projects that our young adults wish to implement. The children will also be mentoring our younger campers and sanctuary visitors.”

At one meeting this fall the young ambassadors were engaged in conservation fieldwork, busy collecting data from Thomas’s owl boxes. The boxes, which he had painted red, were placed 20 to 30 feet into the air. Clipboards in hand they looked to discover evidence of the owls’ nesting.

Diana Wilson, 21, who works at the sanctuary as an educator, warned that flying squirrels sometimes find their way into the owl boxes as do colonies of mice.

“The owls are on the decline on Long Island,” she said, “because of lack of habitat and food source. They eat small critters. If they don’t have open woods they won’t find food.”

Stella Green, 13, of Locust Valley, attends the Green Vale School. She joined the program, she said, because she had gone on a picnic in the woods and fell in love with the sanctuary. The owner of a parrot, she loves birds of which there are many at the sanctuary.

Looking into one of the boxes, Stella said she could see nesting materials. On the ground she and the other ambassadors found pellets and what looked like a clump of fur. It was very possible, they decided that an owl was using the box.

Nelsen said the teenagers didn’t have to worry about startling an owl while looking inside the box. If by chance one was in the box, which would be unlikely during the early evening, it would flatten itself against the wall of the box to hide.   

The idea to form the Conservation Ambassador Program originated from requests from teenagers, Nelsen said, those who weren’t happy with the clubs offered at school. They wanted a place to go on Fridays or Saturdays to be with other like-minded teenagers.

Many, like William Conboy, of Oyster Bay, attended the sanctuary’s camp during the summer until aging out at 12-years-old.

“I really like nature,” said William, who added that he is a conservationist. “And I’m very into environmental conservation. I’m a Theodore Roosevelt type of conservationist. I like parks and planting trees.”

Kathryn DiAmico, the sanctuary’s manager, said she was looking for a way to keep the children like William involved after they were too old to go to the sanctuary’s camp. “I thought we could do work here that would interest them,” she said, “like field work on the beaches and monitoring birds.”

There’s a learning component to each meeting after the outdoors portion, where the ambassadors also enjoy pizza and friendship with the other teenagers.

“Has anyone done a conservation project?” Nelsen asked. “When you do conservation work you are leaving a legacy. Let’s discuss some projects we can do.”

Then she reminded them: “As Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘If you believe you can you are half way there.’”

For further information on the Conservation Ambassador Program call (516) 922-3200.