SEVILLE — Village parks might see an increase in furry and flying friends thanks to the donation of several nesting boxes.

The village this month received a donation of 14 bluebird nesting boxes, six wood duck nesting boxes and six squirrel nesting boxes, most of which will be placed along the Eicheler Trail and in Leohr Park, Park Superintendent John Sobczak said.

“We’ll put them in the wetland area along the ‘marsh walk,’ which is along a large portion of Chippewa Creek,” Sobczak said.

Chippewa Creek runs parallel to High Street near Leohr Park, and eventually flows into the Tuscarawas River in Clinton.

The wood duck and squirrel nesting boxes were donated by people completing community service through Wadsworth Municipal Court. Sobczak said rather than having offenders pick up trash along the road, he asked the court whether they had any specific talents.

“You can put a vest on somebody and have them walk outside and pick up trash, but in the end that costs us because you have to provide transportation and a supervisor; but when you get someone with talent who is self-motivated and takes pleasure in their work, it’s beneficial to everyone,” he said.

While the most recent donation of bluebird boxes came from a 4-H group, nine already in village parks were made by offenders completing community service through the Wadsworth court system.

According to the Ohio Bluebird Society, the bird’s population has dwindled by 90 percent since 1900.

Sobczak said bluebirds need berry-producing plants to survive, so the nesting boxes will be placed near blackberry bushes and in out-of-the-way forested areas where they can seek protection when necessary.

At a recent Parks Committee meeting, Councilman Jim Lovejoy issued a challenge to residents: Find all the well-hidden bluebird boxes and receive pizza.

“I’m a park regular, and I’ve only been able to find two,” Lovejoy said. “So at the last Parks Committee meeting, I said I’d get pizza for anyone who found nine, and now we are going to have 14 more.”

Sobczak said he hopes putting the birdhouses off well-traveled trails will inspire people to explore the village parks a little more.

“We put them off the beaten trail so people get out and on the beaten trail, where they can see different flora and fauna,” he said.

Sobczak said while there is no shortage of ducks on the Eicheler Trail, he would like to see a more colorful variety.

“Across the road is another wetland (Chippewa Creek), so we always thought it would be a really neat place to invite more waterfowl,” he said.

As for the squirrels, Sobczak said some residents have expressed concerns about inviting them to breed in the village. However, he said the boxes likely will keep the squirrels “where they belong — in the parks.”

“I know a lot of times cities end up with a huge population of squirrels, but it’s better if they nest in woods than somebody’s attic, so we’re trying to provide a niche so they stay in woods where they belong,” he said.

Eventually, boxes will be placed in all four of the village’s parks, Sobczak said.

“We’d like to put them in all of the parks, eventually,” he said. “I have a feeling that now that this is started, other people will want to help, too.”

Contact Lisa Hlavinka at (330) 721-4048 or lhlavinka@medina-gazette.com.

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