SOUTH COUNTY — Lockwood 4-H member Seralyn Colton has reported that the Give A Hoot! 4-H project succeeded in making 20 owl-nesting boxes for the community last year.
“The Give A Hoot! 4-H project finished the 2018 year with a total of 20 boxes sponsored, thanks to all of the sponsors and 4-H volunteers who made this project possible,” Colton said.
The service learning project, developed by Colton, gave an opportunity for 4-H members to learn about barn owls while building nesting boxes that provide shelter for the birds to breed and raise their young. Colton even hosted work days for other 4-H clubs in Monterey County to participate, including members from King City Rural and King City Blue Ribbon 4-H clubs.
“The owl boxes will provide safe and secure nesting places for barn owls, who in turn provide the surrounding areas with natural pest control and hopefully reducing the use of pesticides,” she said.
As part of the project, Colton asked local businesses and individuals for donations to purchase the needed wood and supplies.
One such business, Franscioni and Griva Vineyards in Greenfield, sponsored four owl-nesting boxes to aid in its ongoing commitment to sustainable agriculture.
Colton said many other individuals throughout Monterey County also helped to meet the project goal. The 20 wood boxes were distributed at locations in the county that would benefit from the natural rodent control that owls can provide.
For more information on this service learning project, contact Monterey County 4-H Program Representative Lorin Hofmann-Lurz at 831-759-7386 or email lh**********@uc***.edu.
