Chadwick’s Haley House recently became the first member of Chadwick FFA to win a State Proficiency award.
Her experiences have encouraged her to attend College of the Ozarks, beginning next spring, and pursue a degree in conservation/wildlife management. House has also been accepted into the six-month Conservation Corps program and will gain even more experience this summer as she continues her work in Montana.
“I chose this project because I wanted to find something to do over the summer that involved traveling and some type of conservation work/learning experience,” she said.
While working in Yellowstone, Idaho and South Carolina, House rebuilt pedestrian bridges by replacing rotting boards with weatherized timbers, weatherized the metal railings and reconstruct existing floating docks to ensure their safety and longevity.
“It is important to maintain the wood and metal on existing bridges, floating docks, and horse corrals to ensure safety for animals and people,” she said.
House also rebuilt visitor campsites, replanted grass on a formerly-used trail to reestablish a wildlife-friendly environment and helped build retaining walls and waterways near the trails to help ensure their longevity.
“I wanted to learn as much about conservation management and wildlife habitat preservation as I could because I am interested in conservation and wildlife management as a future career,” she said. “I am intrigued by the wildlife management aspect I experienced in Yellowstone. They have successfully rebuilt wolf habitat and increased the population through relocation and tracking methods.”
