Kayla Ishida’s Eagle Scout Conservation Effort

Hi everybody! My name is Kayla, and I am a Life Scout/Eagle Candidate with Troop 305! I have been in my troop for four years and Scouts for more than seven years. I have dedicated my life to Scouts and made it my personal goal to become the youngest Eagle Scout in Troop 305 at 14. I enjoy the outdoors and love wildlife. That is exactly why for my Eagle Project, I centered it around conservation.

My project can be found next to the playground at Joaquin Miller Park. I have been a member of the Joaquin Miller community for my whole life. I vividly remember strolling in Joaquin Miller Park and playing on the swing sets with my friends. In my current life, I have done lots of service projects in Joaquin Miller Park with an organization called Friends of Sausal Creek. They mainly focus on environmental rehabilitation and have a devout passion for native plants. I am also working with Friends of Joaquin Miller Park on my project.

My project is on the right of the playground next to a large oak tree. My project is a conservation and restoration project that focuses on the rehabilitation of the planter bed. One of the things I will be doing is clearing out all of the invasive species in the area.

A big invasive species is Black Acacia. This plant truly has no purpose. However, the giraffes at the Oakland Zoo love to eat it. I hope to work with the Oakland Zoo and find a way to deliver the acacia.

I will be planting native species, which are mainly wildflowers that will give the space a pop of color. I have picked a wide variety of colors, and I want to showcase the beauty that native California nature has. The last step of my project will be installing an interpretive sign that explains the need for native plants and links to the various organizations I've worked with.

So, why did I pick this project? I picked this project because Joaquin Miller Park has a close spot in my heart, and I want to give back to what it gave me. I have built lasting connections with the people in Joaquin Miller Park, and I would love to help the insect population with the resources they need to survive in a declining environment.

Joaquin Miller Park is arguably one of the most historical parts of Oakland. Poets would meet in the park to perform and build a community. Many included Joaquin Miller, Bret Harte, John Muir, and Jack London. The beautiful designs of cobblestone were created by artists in the area. This is a very historical site and would not be what it is without the community. I hope to leave a lasting impact on the area, just like other talented Eagle Scouts have done in our community.

My project is NOT tax-deductible, and all remaining money will be given to the beneficiary, Friends of Joaquin Miller Park. I am specifically raising money for native plants and a printed sign.

Thank you so much helping me reach my goals and contributing to the communities biodiversity.

Kayla

BSA Troop 305