MALDEN – Call him a Renaissance Man.
That’s one way to describe Malden High School senior Harrison Zeiberg whose skills and contributions to the school community include musician, actor, baseball player and his latest exploit, creating a butterfly garden.
A member of Boy Scout Troop 603, hosted by Malden’s First Baptist Church, he returns to school next week along with fellow seniors. Summer saw him supervise and work alongside troop members to create a butterfly garden in O’Connell Park. The passive recreational park is located at the south end of West Street at Medford Street.
An honors student, Zeiberg did his homework in the form of extensive research on butterflies, studying their species and how to construct a garden to attract them. He found the plants and flowers best suited to appeal and attract butterflies and how to obtain and maintain them.
More research and planning followed on the best place to site the garden with the search ending at O’Connell Park in Ward Two in the Edgeworth neighborhood.
Zeiberg compiled a proposal for the garden and presented it to the City Council and Ward Two City Councilor Paul Condon, for approval.
“Everyone liked the idea and we went right to work on it,” he said. “It was great to see how the troop supported the plan and got it going.”
The scouts spruced up the site and installed areas for specific plantings. The planting will begin this fall, with the goal of having the garden alive with butterflies next spring.
Zeiberg said his research into the creation of a butterfly garden also revealed while bees are known as plant and flower pollinators, butterflies are also very important to the process. Bee and butterfly populations are on the decline according to his research.
Combining scientific research with community service is Zeiberg’s specialty. He has been involved in musical and drama productions, as well as some academic groups. In addition, he has been assisted in athletics on the Malden High baseball team.
“I have a lot of interests and I have learned how to manage time better,” he said.
Zeiberg said he is grateful for support from officials, including city Department of Public Works Director Robert Knox and Alpine Landscaping for garden site preparation. Private donations have also been received to offset costs of materials and other items needed to complete the project.
