Something Changed at the Bogs 

After Costco opened in Sharon in March 2025, I noticed something different during my walks near the cranberry bogs beside the site. It felt quieter. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first, but the absence of sound bothered me enough to wonder if I could do something about it. 

That nagging feeling became the spark for a year-long journey into habitat restoration. It taught me more about birds, community, and conservation than any classroom ever could. 

Finding the Right People to Ask 

I didn’t know where to begin, so I reached out to the Sharon Conservation Commission. That’s when I met Josh Philibert, who connected me with two members of Sharon Friends of Conservation (SFOC): Kurt Buermann and Gaurav Shah. What followed were site walks that turned into masterclasses in practical conservation. 

Kurt and Gaurav taught me everything. We discussed Peterson-style nest boxes, the ideal entry-hole size (1.5 inches for bluebirds), wind direction, mounting height, predator guards, and why cedar is the best wood because it weathers beautifully and lasts for years. These weren’t abstract lessons from a textbook. We were standing in the field, talking about real sites and real birds. 

With their guidance, I built and installed five bluebird boxes near the Costco area. We used U-posts for stability and flexibility so the boxes could be moved if conditions changed. Every decision had a purpose. 

Later, Kurt told me, “I am really happy to see a young person stepping up to help enhance Sharon’s newly acquired 28 acres of conservation land. As manager of SFOC’s Bluebird Project, I’m glad that, in addition to an osprey nesting tower, Ashika is installing a trail of bluebird houses.” 

Hearing that meant everything to me. 

Taking It Public at Borderland 

On September 20, 2025, we hosted a community build day at Borderland State Park. I worked with Andrew Buckley from the Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) to set up stations with pre-cut cedar, build instructions and simple tools. Parents showed up with their kids. Neighbors came on their own. Everyone rotated through the stations, drilling, gluing, and assembling. 

By the end of the day, we had twelve new boxes ready to mount across the park. Watching everyone work together, I realized it was as much about community as it was about habitat. 

Kate Mason, who came with her family, told me afterward, “All the wood and tools were ready, with Jim, Andrew, and Ashika guiding us. It felt great to help build the boxes and know they will shelter bluebirds soon.” 

Elizabeth, another participant, said, “It was a true community effort for our feathered friends. We even saw a couple of boxes already up along the pond walk.” 

The Invisible Work Not Everyone Sees 

Here’s what I learned: building birdhouses looks simple, but the real work happens behind the scenes. I spent days sourcing cedar, hardware, U-posts, and predator guards. I learned about batch cutting to reduce waste and stretch every dollar. I coordinated volunteer schedules and tracked in-kind donations. 

This wasn’t just field biology or ecology. It was budgeting, logistics, design, and public education all rolled into one. Every box had to be durable enough to last years and practical enough for volunteers to maintain. Limited funds meant making smart choices at every turn. 

When Ospreys Entered the Picture 

During one of our site walks, I asked about local ospreys. That simple question opened an entirely new chapter. 

Jared Blandino from Eversource, New England’s largest utility provider, answered my call for help. He joined us for a site visit, helped us identify potential locations, and guided us through the approval process. Eversource had done similar osprey-relief work on Cape Cod, so they knew exactly what would work. 

With their support, I designed and built an osprey platform that was eight feet wide and would be mounted on a 40-foot pole by Eversource crews using their bucket trucks. 

A similar effort is now underway at Borderland State Park, supported by National Grid, which has pledged to sponsor the construction and installation of several raptor platforms for owls, hawks, and eagles. 

Watching the project grow from bluebird boxes to osprey and raptor platforms showed me how one small question can lead to something much bigger. 

Leveraging Technology for Lasting Change 

I wanted these boxes to be more than a one-time effort. So I created NestBox, a platform where people can install, track, and care for nest boxes while learning about the birds that depend on them. 

Each nest has its own QR code, allowing volunteers to log what they see, report nesting activity, and flag maintenance issues. NestBox turns bird conservation into a visible, shared community effort. 

It Takes a Village (Really) 

None of this happened alone. 

Josh Philibert opened doors and helped with policy. Kurt Buermann shared his expertise in design and siting. Gaurav Shah offered steady guidance every step of the way. Andrew Buckley and Jim led the work at Borderland. Jared Blandino and the Eversource team made the osprey habitat possible. National Grid pledged materials. And neighbors showed up to build and learn together. 

Every mentor shared years of practical knowledge and time. I just asked the first question. 

What Happens Next 

The next phase is all about bringing more people in. We will mount the newly built boxes at public events so residents can see why each location was chosen and learn safe installation techniques. Each post will have a NestBox QR code for quick observations or maintenance notes. 

Anyone interested can adopt a box for the season. Volunteers will handle simple checks, and we will host weekend trainings on inspection, predator guards, and off-season maintenance. 

Once timing and safety conditions align, Eversource crews will install the osprey platform. That will expand the project to larger birds and give the public a front-row seat to real conservation in action. 

The Lesson I’ll Carry Forward 

Along the bog path and at Borderland, the small cedar boxes on posts are easy to miss. But they mark something important: a local answer to a local change, built from shared knowledge, steady hands, and a few well-spent dollars. 

I’m a high school senior. In a few months, I’ll graduate and move on. But these boxes will still be here. The community will still be here. And that’s the point. 

Real conservation isn’t about one person doing something admirable. It’s about creating systems that outlast you, inviting others in, and trusting that shared work creates lasting change. 

The bogs are still quieter than they used to be. But now, there’s a response. And it’s growing.

 

Ashika Reddy, is a senior at Sharon High School. Reddy is passionate about solving problems where sustainability, finance, and technology intersect and aims to build smarter systems that benefit people, protect ecosystems, and make impact measurable.