The Society for Sustainability Club recently worked to create a safer environment for bats.

Ian Mahalek, senior environmental science major and an officer of the Society for Sustainability Club, worked as an intern in the summer at Lacawac Sanctuary Foundation where he discovered some bats were suffering in the heat.

“It was just so hot out that the bats were actually roosting inside of ... the visitor center. And it was just so hot that in the middle of the day, bats just started swooning and then, like, just flying out. ... It was a very strange thing to see in here. Like it was dozens, I think,” Mahalek said.

He had the idea to donate bat boxes to replace older ones at Lacawac Sanctuary. The nonprofit protects Lake Lacawac and serves the Lake Wallenpaupak communities. It also protects aquatic and forest habitats in and around Lake Lacawac.

Bat boxes provide shelter during the day in the warmer months. As an important part of the ecosystem, bats help maintain pests, pollinate and disperse seeds.

“(The bat boxes) have a winded frame and then aluminum exterior, which is what these guys are here for. So that way they can be much more durable," Mahalek said. Bat boxes in the past were made of plywood.

The club, in collaboration with Lacawac Sanctuary, worked in the Idea Center to create two new bat boxes. Mahalek said it would take more than one day to complete the process.

It is an intensive process, between sourcing material, comparing and cutting material and making sure everything is ready. It is also a rewarding process and a way to get students involved in the community.

“These are endangered species, like the little brown bat or the Indiana bat too. It's a way that we can serve the community as well and get students more involved here at the Idea Center ... giving them hands-on experience with using all the tools ... but also inform them about bat boxes as well,” Mahalek said.

Theresa Black, who works at the Pocono Lake Ecological Observatory Network at Lacawac, worked with Mahalek in this project. The organization is glad to work with community members in conservation efforts.

“We're really thrilled to be able to bring this to the University of Scranton. We've done a few things with some professors who have come out to talk at Scranton. We've had some that have helped with camp programs. And so we like that community involvement, but this is very exciting for us. This was a brand new idea,” Black said.

She said Mahalek came to her with the idea and asked if they could take a donation of bat boxes.

“We were like, yeah. … This will be great. So we're just very excited for that,” Black said.

The progam itself is Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Lacawac Sanctuary. There is information online about specifics and how to get there.

It is a meaningful time for Lacawac Sanctuary, as it is coming up on its 60th anniversary. If you are interested in learning more, head to lacawac.org/history.