If Eagle Slough Natural Area (ESNA) were a Biggest Loser competitor, she would win HANDS DOWN!
If just three days, ESNA lost over TWELVE TONS (of trash, that is). The most recent episode of our Biggest
Loser competition occurred on Saturday, November 7. Between 40 and 50 volunteers came out to help on
a beautiful fall morning.

This year's work was especially important because we're making a push to get our "infrastructure" done.
We had a special need for people who knew which end of a hammer to grab. During the morning, a team
of workers built a platform and photo blind at Teal Wetlands (the small pond east of the main trail about
half way back). Another team constructed six trail benches and a new Visitor Kiosk. The trail benches will
be installed with the interpretative signage. The frame for a road sign on Waterworks Road also went up.
That sign should be in place by mid-December.

    
       Ben Rupert’s Eagle Scout Project                 Teal Wetland photo blind                       3.9 Tons of Tires/Trash came out of ESNA

Special thanks go to Eagle Scout candidate Ben Rupert of Evansville Troop 373. Ben designed, funded, and
directed construction of the trail benches, Visitor Kiosk and road sign frame. He's the second Scout from 373
to select ESNA for his Eagle Scout project, and we are very appreciative of his hard work and expertise.

We are also fortunate that ESNA was designated as one of the volunteer sites for Alcoa’s Worldwide Month of
Service. A big collective pat on the back goes to Jan Schrader, Jim Beck, Dan Schrader, and our many new
friends from ALCOA.

Speaking of new Eagle Slough friends, local nature photographer Steve Gifford was instrumental in the site choice,
design and construction of the Teal Wetlands photo blind. Steve has been a regular visitor to ESNA this fall. His
amazing photography can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/groups/eagle-slough/. The photo blind is now open for
public use.

The photo blind would not have been possible without a generous grant from the North American Nature Photog-
raphers Association (NANPA)and assistance from Annette Rogers of the NANPA staff. You can learn more about
NANPA at www.NANPA.org.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day came when Veolia weighed the dumpster which was completely full of
ESNA debris. The scales reported 3.97 tons! That tonnage, combined with previous clean up days, pushed our
total over 12 tons, an amazing feat! Thanks to Dan Elpers from Veolia for providing the dumpster and disposal
services on clean up day at Eagle Slough Natural Area. We continue to remove trash of every kind, especially tires
that house mosquito nests.

The only projects we haven't yet completed are the Observation Deck at the end of the main trail and the parking lot. Unfortunately, we don't have the money (yet!) for those projects. If you would like to contribute, or if you know of a
corporate donor interested in a "green" project, please contact Bonnie Bittner (812-867-0729)
bonnie.bittner@in.nacdnet.net at the SWCD office.

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