ATLANTA, July 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing its
commitment to natural resource conservation and stewardship,
Southern Company, in partnership with the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and other public and private partners,
has awarded approximately $2.2
million in grants to 58 community-led projects nationwide as
part of the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program.
Southern Company's funding of the 2016 grants directly supports
eight habitat-restoration projects within the southeastern states
where Southern Company operates electric utilities, helping to
restore more than 35 acres and 1,200 feet of streambank in
Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
"Southern Company has long demonstrated our commitment to the
customers and communities we serve by partnering to conserve our
local natural resources," said Southern Company Chief Environmental
Officer Larry Monroe. "Through the
Five Star and Urban Waters Program, we are pleased to support
hands-on projects that educate and strengthen communities, while
protecting and restoring our wetlands and streams for generations
to come."
Nationally, the 58 grants are being awarded through a
public-private partnership that includes NFWF, the Wildlife Habitat
Council, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Forest
Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southern Company,
FedEx, Bank of America and Alcoa.
The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program emphasizes
local community stewardship of natural resources by providing
financial assistance to diverse local partnerships for wetland,
forest, streamside and coastal habitat restoration.
Since 2006, Southern Company has contributed nearly $2.5 million to 109 Five Star and Urban Waters
Restoration grants, resulting in an on-the-ground conservation
impact of more than $12.4 million.
Altogether, these efforts are restoring or improving more than
1,200 acres and more than 127,000 feet of streamside buffer in the
Southeast.
"The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program is such a
wonderful example of a successful community-focused conservation
effort," said Jeff Trandahl,
executive director and CEO of NFWF. "The program is in its 17th
year, so it represents a long-term commitment to environmental
challenges. And because a major program component is engaging
communities in conservation, not only do we see the conservation
benefits of the individual projects, but we also see the tremendous
rewards of involving and educating citizens in the restoration and
protection of clean water, healthy fish and wildlife habitat in
their own communities."
Grant recipients were selected based on criteria that included
critical habitat restoration, partnerships established with local
government agencies and businesses, and their ability to provide
educational and training opportunities for youth and the community
at large, as well as other ecological, cultural and economic
benefits.
The following projects have been awarded 2016 Five Star and
Urban Waters Restoration grants supported by Southern Company:
In Alabama:
Birmingham-Southern College
and partners will expand educational programming and conduct
restoration activities on 9 acres of the Turkey Creek Nature
Preserve. Invasive removal and native replantings will support
habitat of the endangered Vermilion Darter, as well as bat
populations including the only confirmed Alabama colony of threatened northern
long-eared bats. A bioswale native plant demonstration garden and
surrounding pavilion will reduce stormwater runoff and enhance
learning opportunities for visitors. Partners include Freshwater
Land Trust, the City of Pinson,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Cawaco Resource, Conservation and
Development Council, Myhand Services, Goat Busters and Friends of
Turkey Creek.
The City of Birmingham
and partners will retrofit a portion of Bertram A. Hudson K-8
School with a bioretention basin and pervious pavers. Activities
include restoration planning and design, stream/site maintenance
and monitoring, outdoor learning and community outreach. The
project will provide a reduction in pollution to Village Creek, a
priority watershed, help control the volume runoff exiting the site
and create learning opportunities about stormwater for the
Birmingham City School system and community. Partners include
Bertram A. Hudson K-8 School, the University
of Alabama at Birmingham School of Engineering, George Washington Carver High School and Belgard
Hardcastle.
The City of Montevallo
and partners will protect Shoal
Creek through restoration and communication activities. The
project will engage students and volunteers in stabilizing the
creek through dredging, invasive plant removal and native
replantings. A plant identification booklet produced by university
students will assist volunteers in restoration and educate the
public on the importance of native plantings for erosion control.
Partners include Montevallo Arbor and Beautification Board, ARGOS,
Shelby County and the University of Montevallo.
In Florida:
The Northwest Florida State College Foundation and
partners will construct 1 acre of oyster reefs to address the
decline of oyster habitat in Choctawhatchee Bay. Reefs will be
built from recycled shell collected from local restaurants and
bagged and placed through volunteer events. Choctawhatchee Basin
Alliance (CBA) will enhance these reefs with living oysters grown
through the Choctawhatchee Oyster Gardeners and Spat On! Youth
Outreach programs, which will harness 300 trained stewards to move
matured oysters to restoration sites during community events.
Partners include CBA, the City of Fort
Walton Beach, the City of
Valparaiso, Bluewater Bay
Marina and NWF AmeriCorps.
In Georgia:
Trees Atlanta and
partners will remove 6 acres of invasive species and trash, replant
native species to stabilize slopes and streambanks, and highlight
the project through adult and youth education programming by
including the park site on walking tours and as an education site
for KIPP STRIVE Academy students. Partners will redesign the
portion of Proctor Creek that flows through the site and complete a
full park design. The project capitalizes on the proximity of the
Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail project (Enota Park portion) set
for completion by the end of 2017. Partners include Atlanta
BeltLine, Park Pride, the
City of Atlanta and Westview
Community Organization.
The Emerald Corridor Foundation and partners will engage
the community in creating a rain garden as a demonstration site and
platform for community education and engagement. The rain garden
will use native vegetation and drainage techniques to restore
habitat, support natural hydrology and reduce stormwater runoff
flows. The project will showcase green infrastructure and land
stewardship as tools for urban watershed restoration and
conservation. Partners include Proctor Creek Community Partnership,
Greening Youth Foundation, Grove Park Neighborhood Association and
B+C Studio.
The Atlanta Audubon Society and partners will restore 15
acres of bird habitat on two sites in the Peachtree Creek watershed
and create baseline bird data to aid conservation planning. The
project will provide numerous citizen science and education
opportunities to the local community and double the partnership's
local impact on bird habitat. Activities will engage 125 community
volunteers, with educational opportunities for 500 people. Partners
include Olmstead Linear Parks
Alliance, City of
Clarkston, Friends of Friendship Forest, Greening Youth
Foundation, National Audubon Society and Georgia Native Plant
Society.
Coastal WildScapes and partners will enhance the Cay
Creek Wetland Demonstration garden through native wetland species
planting and stormwater control measures, and will engage the
community through various education and outreach activities. The
project will provide the coastal community with a model for
enhancing native floral and faunal diversity at the intersection of
wetland habitats and urbanized areas. Partners include the City of
Midway, the University of Georgia, the
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Keep Liberty Beautiful,
The Orianne Society and Verdant Enterprises.
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is America's premier energy company,
with 44,000 megawatts of generating capacity and 1,500 billion
cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput
volume serving 9 million electric and gas utility customers through
its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and
affordable energy through electric utilities in four states,
natural gas distribution utilities in seven states, a competitive
generation company serving wholesale customers across America and a
nationally recognized provider of customized energy solutions, as
well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company
brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability
and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through
an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and
its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by
developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including
carbon-free nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas,
renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and
services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has
been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer,
recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by
DiversityInc, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40
Best Companies for Diversity and designated a Top Employer for
Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company has earned a National
Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic
Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear
development and is continually ranked among the top utilities in
Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas
Utility rankings. Visit our website at
www.southerncompany.com.
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