Talkin’ Trash Tuesday: Girl Scout Troop 1056 protecting ponds, tadpoles, and frogs

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - In today’s Talkin’ Trash Tuesday, some Girl Scouts in our community are learning the importance of keeping our water and other resources free of trash for the sake of wildlife. Katie Hilton is the volunteer troop leader for Girl Scout Troop 1056. She joined WIS Midday to preview what the young women are learning and working toward in their Bronze Award project.

Hilton says that when the girls were starting on their Bronze Award journey, they were tasked with looking within their community for ways they could make a positive impact. They discussed their findings and from there decided as a team which project they wanted to complete.One of the girls saw litter in her neighborhood pond around some frogs. While it was a small amount, it still was there. It made the group of girls wonder about areas for camping and other scout activities, like Sesquicentennial State Park. The park sees on average 800,000 visitors annually.Meeting with one of the park rangers, the young women learned the park has more than 25 species of frogs, one of which is the bronze frog. The park has existing signage for other projects but not specifically about litter and the impact on frogs and their habitat.The Girl Scouts learned that the frog population has been on the decline (vanishing at a rate of 3.7% per year) and their largest threat is habitat loss due to actions of humans. Frogs play an important part of every ecosystem as they feast on insects. Impact to the amphibian population would then result in an increase in insect populations which would have negative effects on humans, livestock, and plants.Because of the efforts by Troop 1056, I am thrilled to highlight in this week’s Talkin’ Trash Tuesday highlight.

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