Rye Scout Installs Urban Farming System at Rye Nature Center (VIDEO)

Eagle Scout candidate Jacob Nurick spent the end of his spring break installing a BIOTOP Bioponic gardening system at the Rye Nature Center with the help of some other boy scouts, friends and volunteers. After learning about how biponics and how it can create efficient urban farming systems, Nurick, a senior at Rye High School, decided to install one at the RNC as his Eagle Scout Project. 

The BIOTOP system is a gardening container that can be used alone, or with other units to construct a low-maintenance, high yield gardening system. The system consists of 15 to 20 units inside the Nature Center and outside on the roof of the storage shed, creating a green roof. The green roof has nine units and nine platforms that keep the units securely in place. The indoor system is installed on a small portable display cart.

Nurick plans to grow flowers in the outside units and some edible plants and legumes in the inside units. 

Nurick also attached two sets of gutters to compare the runoff from the green roof side to the non-green roof side during rain.

The roof-top system is meant to serve as a display for RNC visitors and as a tool for teaching the day camp children. 

"The system provides a fantastic side by side comparison with traditional gardening and will also help educate the staff and the patrons of the Nature Center in roof-top gardening as well as microbial biotechnology," Nurick said.

"It provides a window into the future of gardening that can then be taught by the Nature Center staff, who I will train to teach the process and why it's beneficial compared to traditional gardening."

Nurick lead Boy Scouts from Troop 2 and several other volunteers in the installation of the systems. 

All of the materials used in the project were been donated by local businesses; Foley Hardware in Larchmont, Brewers Hardware in Mamaroneck, Harrison Paint Supply in Harrison, and Home Depot in Port Chester. Norwalk Woodworkers Club in Norwalk CT donated all of the wood and BIOTOP Canada donated the entire growth system and growth media.