TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP -- If you ever visited Kalahari Resort near Mount Pocono, you've noticed the theme is wildlife.
But now, thanks to a group of Environmental Science students from Stroudsburg High School, actual wildlife can call the place home.
"Well, we built kestrel boxes to put on Kalahari," said senior Tyler Rayne Nero.
Environmental Science teacher and Pocono Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Director Kathy Uhler says she noticed last year that kestrels were flying around the resort.
Since the birds had no shelter, she decided to do something about it.
"They were migrating through but it can obviously support kestrels so we thought let's get the kids involved, get some kestrel boxes made," said Uhler.
Six kestrel boxes were made at the school and then hauled to the resort.
Senior James Burden helped to build most of them. He says each one took five days to make.
"I take wood shop and I was already previously making birdhouses and Mrs. Uhler created this project so I said I already have bird houses so I will just make the design bigger and we will go from there," said Burden.
Not only will these kestrel boxes create a home for the birds, but the birds will also do a lot of good while they are here. They are nature's exterminators, eating any mice or bugs that might be living in these fields.
Senior Tyler Rayne Nero hopes to study Environmental Science. She says the habitat rehabilitation project taught her a lot about her future field.
"It's hands-on, literally, like you can't just do this stuff. This is probably what I am going to be doing later on, so it's what made me want to do it and it's also a fun experience," said Nero.
The hope is that the boxes will attract kestrels to stick around, bringing a new kind of seasonal visitor to Kalahari Resort.