If you live in the Sangaree Community in Summerville, South Carolina, chances
are you’ve seen the ducks that also live there. Perhaps you have even hand-fed
the friendly birds. Or maybe you have seen them on your back porch or even
blocking your driveway. At one time, the community pond was home to nearly 150
of the web-footed creatures! Keep in mind that the pond is only a half-acre in
size and is surrounded by a hard-paved road in the center of a huge subdivision
(over 2,700 homes). The problem was not only overcrowding, but the lack of food
or cover. This small pond had become a dumping ground for ducks, and
unfortunately it was the ducks that suffered the consequences. But, a special
group of dedicated ladies came to the rescue. Calling themselves The Lucky
Ducky’s, four middle-school girls (Mary Austin, Jaxie Eby, Jennifer
Kindle, and Kirby Grimes) and their teacher Denise Zacherl put their heads
together and came up with a plan. The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) assisted the team by providing technical assistance. NRCS Soil
Conservationist Lynette Savereno was instrumental in developing a resource plan
for the pond which included installing a 20-foot buffer along the pond bank.
"By using a variety of native plants and aquatic vegetation, we should
be able to provide a healthy and sustaining environment for the ducks,"
Savereno commented. The buffer serves as an excellent filter for keeping
pollutants out of the pond. It protects the water quality, and thus provides the
ducks with a healthy place to live. The buffer also keeps harmful runoff like
oil or gas from the roads out of the pond.
Zacherl contacted Savereno when The Lucky Ducky’s began their
research to help save the ducks. The students (sixth graders when the project
first began) presented their project before the Sangaree Special Tax District,
the board that maintains the neighborhood’s common areas. The problem was
really gaining attention, with many residents complaining about the ducks and
wanting them gone, while just as many residents wanted to ensure that the ducks
were safe and healthy. Frustrations were running high among the quarreling
residents, while the ducks continued to desperately search for food and cover.
Faded bread bags floated in the pond and a yellow-bellied slider turtle lay dead
along the bank.
Given the situation, the board members unanimously supported the idea of
restoring the pond to a livable area for the ducks, but also agreed to have some
of the ducks transported to other homes. "This was necessary to bring the
duck population back down to the carrying capacity which is basically nature’s
ability to support a certain number of living organisms, such as these ducks.
The capacity was greatly exceeded, and that’s why the ducks weren’t
surviving and began invading the neighborhood in search of food and cover,"
explained Savereno. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR)
Regional Wildlife Biologist Bill Mahan worked with the group to identify native
plants the ducks needed for food and shelter. He recommended the removal of
eighty ducks to other locations so that the plants would have a chance to
survive without being eaten down to the roots. He also invited the team and
community residents to come out and collect the native pond plants that would be
needed. Lucky Ducky parent Don Austin researched and found natural local
locations willing to take on ducks. Austin helped safely relocate the ducks, in
partnership with the Berkeley SPCA, who assured Sangaree residents that the
ducks were being carefully relocated to natural habitats. "Nearly fifty
ducks were moved to new homes," explained Zacherl. This helps the remaining
birds have healthier, longer lives, because there are more resources on which
they can survive. They won’t have to fight for food and shelter any longer and
the remaining plans that The Lucky Ducky’s have under their wings will also
ensure that these ducks thrive at Sangaree.
In partnership with the Lucky Ducky’s, Trident Technical College students
(assisted by the Berkeley Conservation Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD)
with maps and aerial photos) created detailed landscape plans for the pond. Some
of the suggested plant types include Verbena, Switch Grass, Lantana, Coneflower,
Live Oaks, Magnolias, Cypress, Asiatic Dayflower, Japanese Millet, Smartweed,
and Goldenrod. In addition, The Lucky Ducky’s are also planning and
implementing an education program for the Sangaree residents to help them
understand the project. "The girls are writing and designing informational
brochures to educate the citizens here about our project," said Zacherl.
"I’m working on a brochure about buffers and their benefits to
wildlife," said Jaxie Exby. Another student is working on a brochure about
wildlife. They hope to construct a permanent display at the pond where visitors
can pick up educational materials and view a photo collage on the evolution of
this project. "Education is the key when it comes to changing attitudes
about environmental preservation," explained Zacherl. "This is a case
where children can teach their parents about caring for the environment and
through their involvement in this project, they are experiencing the thrill of
seeing the results of their hard work." The group is also planning an
outdoor classroom area where local school children can experience activities
such as water quality testing, tree and plant identification, and observing
wildlife, just to name a few.
And speaking of results, The Lucky Ducky’s are attracting local and
national attention. Their efforts have won them several awards including SCDHEC’s
Champions of the Environment, a $20,000 Urban and Community Forestry Grant, and
most recently a Sea World Environmental Excellence Award.
"This is model project when it comes to the strength of
partnership," added Savereno. Partners include NRCS, Berkeley SWCD,
National Fish and Wildlife Federation (NFWF), Trident Technical College, SCDNR,
and many others who contributed volunteer time and technical assistance. She
also thanked Savereno and NRCS for the valuable technical assistance and moral
support provided to the group. "We have enjoyed working with NRCS and the
natural resource plan we’ve implemented has really helped us turn this dream
into a reality."
The future of this neighborhood pond is certainly bright. You might even say
these are the luckiest ducks in the world. With the help of The Lucky Ducky’s
and a whole host of supporting agencies and dedicated volunteers, they’ll be
around for a long time to come.
For more information and updates on this project, visit the Sangaree
Community website at www.sangareesubdivision.com/lucky_ducky's.htm.
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