Boro teen earns Eagle Scout rank

Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini (D-11th District) honors West Long Branch Eagle Scout Matthew Warshauer with a resolution for his accomplishments and service to the community. WEST LONG BRANCH — After years of hard work and dedication, a borough teen has been awarded the rank of Eagle Scout for his efforts in helping to increase the population of a threatened bird species in the state.

Matthew Warshauer, 16, of West Long Branch, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in March after completing a project that consisted of constructing a new nesting area for ospreys at the Owen Nature Preserve on Wall Street.

"I'm very proud to have accomplished so much," said Warshauer, a member of Boy Scout Troop 145. "It is a group of people I am glad to join."

In order to become an Eagle Scout, Warshauer, like all Scouts, had to advance through the ranks from Boy Scout to Tenderfoot, then on to Star Scout and finally Life Scout, earning merit badges and demonstrating newly acquired skills along the way.

After becoming a Life Scout, Warshauer had to complete what is known as a leadership service project in order to be eligible for recognition as an Eagle Scout. The project must prove to be helpful to the Scout's religious institution, school or community.

Matthew Warshauer (back row, center) poses with family and friends in front of the nesting platform he helped to construct to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. Warshauer said the idea to construct the nesting platform came to him after speaking with Mary Kinslow, a borough resident who is the chairperson of the West Long Branch Environmental Commission.

"When I was trying to come up with a project, I spoke with Mary Kinslow, and she said [the Environmental Commission] had a grant from Verizon to build an ospreynesting platform but they didn't have the manpower or time to complete it," Warshauer said, adding, "So, I took that upon myself."

He explained that the nesting platform was constructed using a utility pole donated by JCP&L and a series of 2-inch-by-6-inch pieces of wood aligned in order to make a base for the nest. A second pole was erected near the nesting platform in order to allow male ospreys to guard their nest.

"[The nesting platform] is meant to have ospreys build a nest near their food source at Franklin Lake," Warshauer said, explaining that the platform will help attract the birds to the area.

In addition to constructing the nest, Warshauer also created pamphlets describing the plight of the osprey.

The pamphlets, which Warshauer distributed to the public library and area schools in the borough, contain information about the bird, including its eating habits and where it can be found.

As one of the largest predatory birds in North American, the osprey's diet consists almost entirely of fish. Found on almost every continent, ospreys are one of the most widespread birds in the world. Yet, due to the use of chemical pesticides and overdevelopment in the state, ospreys are now considered a threatened species.

Warshauer's project sought to provide a safe nesting site for the birds in order to help regenerate the population.

"I was in charge of the project but was helped by my friends, the Scouts of Troop 145, Verizon, the West Long Branch Environmental Commission and JCP&L," Warshauer said.

"My parents have also been a part of this process throughout the entire way, and I couldn't have done it without them," he added.

Warshauer received approval for his project from the borough's environmental commission in April 2007 and from his troop in August 2007. Work on the nesting platform began in April and was completed in December 2007.

JCP&L dug a hole for the utility pole and raised it for Warshauer, and he was officially made an Eagle Scout in March.

Earlier this month, state Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini (D-11th District) presented Warshauer with a resolution acknowledging the completion of his leadership service project.

"Matthew is an extremely bright kid and will go places in this world," West Long Branch Councilman Christopher Neyhart said last week. "There is only a small percentage of kids that actually make it as far as an Eagle Scout.

"They work on their badges and advancements, and it takes several years to do it," Neyhart said, adding, "But once you are an Eagle Scout, you are always an Eagle Scout, and it shows a lot of people that you are a committed and dedicated person."

Warshauer said he has not seen any ospreys near the platform yet, but explained that it usually takes one to two years for the birds to realize there is a new nesting site in the area.

For now, Warshauer said he is just happy to have made it as far as he has.

"This is something that I've been working on for a very long time," he said. Contact Daniel Howley at dhowley@gmnews.com