NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The National Wild Turkey Federation recently honored the Southern Company for its outstanding efforts to improve wildlife habitat and promote conservation and our hunting heritage. The NWTF presented Southern Company with the Energy for Wildlife Achievement Award during Federation’s 31st annual Convention and Sport Show in Nashville, Tenn.
"The Southern Company, from its biologists and foresters up to the executive offices, works hard to promote sound management for wildlife on company rights of way and properties," said Jay Jordan, NWTF’s Energy for Wildlife coordinator. "Their employees have gone beyond our program expectations and are great supporters of the NWTF’s conservation programs. The folks at Southern Company have made this a partnership anyone would be proud to be a part of."
Energy for Wildlife is a membership-based certification program for all energy companies with the primary goal of enhancing wildlife habitat on company-managed, -owned or -influenced lands. These lands include power line and gas rights of way, plant sites, forestlands and other properties.
Southern Company is a charter member of the Energy for Wildlife program. As a member of the program, rights of way departments from all four operating companies, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, manage many acres of company land for multiple uses such as forestry, recreation and hunting through state access programs.
Last year, Southern Company became a certified member of the Energy for Wildlife program during the NWTF’s annual convention. To become certified in the program’s highest level of membership, members must write and implement a vegetation and wildlife management plan
To integrate wildlife into its land management programs, Southern Company land managers worked directly with NWTF’s Energy for Wildlife staff to revise existing plans.
"Southern Company’s land managers went to great lengths to become certified members because they believe it is important to their land management plans work for wildlife," said Jordan. "The company’s commitment shows that its staff is willing to make great efforts to benefit wildlife while providing safe, reliable and affordable energy to its customers."
In 2006, Southern Company treated more than 100,000 acres of transmission rights of ways with herbicides to encourage the establishment of native vegetation suitable for wildlife. Southern Company converted an additional 1,000 acres to wildlife food crops through incentive programs with landowners with transmission rights of way crossing their properties.
Southern Company supplies energy to 4.2 million customers in an area spanning most of Georgia and Alabama, 23 counties in southeastern Mississippi, and the panhandle region of Florida. By following certified wildlife management plans, Southern Company can improve wildlife habitat on more than 300,000 acres of energy transmission lines, parks and lakes.
"Southern Company is honored to receive the Energy for Wildlife Achievement Award," said Andy Dearman, chief transmission officer for Southern Company. "Within the last year, we have made significant progress toward enhancing wildlife habitat on our company’s 300,000 acres of transmission rights of way. We look forward to continuing such a rewarding partnership with the NWTF."
