Oliver Agar's Eagle Scout project

Hi, everyone! My name is Oliver Agar, and my friends call me “Olbie.” I’m a Life Scout and an Eagle Scout candidate with Venturing Crew 276 in Byram, N.J.; Troop 203 in Scotch Plains, N.J., and Troop 126 in Franklin, Mass. Scouting has been a wonderful journey, during which I’ve had the opportunity to earn more than 50 merit badges, be awarded the honors of district Venturer of the Year and the national Medal of Merit; be elected to the Order of the Arrow and seal my membership in the society as a Brotherhood member; and be one of the first special needs Scouts to participate in the Zia Experience – an adaptive program for Scouts like me who are unable to complete a full wilderness trek but nonetheless want the experience of Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. Outside Scouting, I'm a multi-sport Special Olympics athlete and have won gold medals in state-level swimming and soccer competitions and competed in bowling sectionals.

Please let me tell you a little bit about my Eagle Scout project, with the hope that maybe you’ll be able to help me make my vision a reality.

Brightwood Park, an area of preservation land here in Westfield, N.J., has been affected by Japanese knotweed and Chinese wisteria, which are invasive plant species that have “choked out” many of the park’s native trees. A small area of the park has lost all its trees, which were compromised by the wisteria’s

 overgrowth and were vulnerable to some severe weather events that have hit the area, including Hurricane Sandy.

My project is re-forestation of that area, in which the knotweed has now been eradicated by the use of herbicides used by trained, licensed adults with the Westfield Parks Invasive Plants Strike Team (WPIP). This fall, I’ll be overseeing the planting of sugar maple and white oak saplings, which will be caged to protect them from deer over the next several years as they continue to mature and get stronger. Additionally, I’ll be coordinating the watering of the trees every three days until the winter freeze, and again after the spring thaw. I’ll also be directing the installation of a bench in this area that can be used by parkgoers to enjoy the surroundings, read, play a game of chess, or do whatever they want in this setting that will only become more beautiful as time goes on.

Would you please consider supporting this project? I really appreciate it! Thank you!