From MCBNC
Curtis Goodman, a 16-year-old sophomore at Van Vleck High School and a member of Boy Scout Troop 45, has enjoyed visiting the Matagorda County Birding Nature Center in Bay City since he was just a few months old when his grandmother and mother pushed him in a stroller around the walking trails.
He visited the Nature Center throughout his childhood and has accompanied his Boy Scout troop for several overnight camping trips. He said his fondest memory was the Birds of Prey exhibit, where handlers held a variety of hawks and demonstrated how they hunted in the wild.
“That is one of my best memories from childhood of the Nature Center, seeing those hawks,” Goodman said. “I had never been to an outdoor Birds of Prey show before, and I thought it was very cool.”
When it came time for Goodman to decide what Eagle Scout project he wanted to tackle, he said that he naturally thought about doing something at the Nature Center.
His uncle, Scott Evans (a former Eagle Scout from Troop 45), explained that the Nature Center lost some fruit trees during the Big Freeze in February 2021, and his project could include replacing those trees as well as adding a few more. He talked it over with his mother, Stacy Goodman, and decided the idea was perfect.
After discussions with some of the board members at the Nature Center, he decided to renovate and improve the Nature Center’s fire pit, too.
“I was excited about the project ideas,” Goodman said. “I saw that it would benefit the Nature Center, would be long-lasting and would upgrade the fire pit so it could be enjoyed during evening events, like the Food Truck Festival.”
After coming up with a design, tree locations and work plan, Goodman successfully located area companies willing to donate trees and other supplies from area tree farms and landscaping companies that were happy to help.
George Shakelford, owner of Brazos Citrus and Nursery in Wharton, donated 10 fruit trees, including lemon, orange, cocktail, peach, nectarine, pomegranate and pear trees.
Phil Neuszer, owner of South Texas Landscape Services, donated stone for the fire pit.
Rancho Encino Tree Farm in Bay City donated four olive trees and five hardwood trees.
Goodman cared for the trees while waiting for an opportune time when everyone who wanted to participate was available to help. Nine fellow scouts from Troop 45 volunteered to help Goodman with the ambitious project, including Levi Spears, Grant Friesenhahn, Collin Guerra, Kevin Harris, Merritt Fortenberry, Isaac Moya, Jason Cordova and Caleb Spears. Zachariah Simpson from Wharton Troop 326 also helped.
Eagle Scout Nevada Runk, currently attending Texas A&M University in College Station, made a surprise visit to the Nature Center to help
Together they added crushed limestone and limestone rocks to the fire pit and used palm tree trunks for seating around the fire. Next, they planted fruit and olive trees in Fruit Tree Alley. They also planted a Burr Oak near the fire pit and two Sycamore trees on the banks of the Cypress Pond for erosion protection.
Goodman and the Troop 45 scouts, with help from the Nature Center and community volunteers, will monitor the trees to ensure they receive water while they take root in their new surroundings. He also plans to ensure to keep watch on the weather and take needed action if freezing temperatures roll in over the next few weeks while the trees get established.
“Once they are established and healthy, they should survive South Texas weather and eventually produce fruit,” Goodman said. “My hope is that they’ll produce enough fruit that Nature Center visitors can help themselves to a grapefruit, lemon, peach or pear. I think that would be wonderful attraction and good for the community.”
“We are thrilled with Curtis’s Eagle Scout project,” said Sara Huebner, Nature Center board president. “He implemented his plan safely and professionally, including acquiring – on his own – donated trees and materials. We couldn’t be happier with the results.
“The project was very much worth all the effort we put into it,” Goodman said. “I look forward to the day when the trees produce delicious fruit, and I can try one.”