Nuclear energy represents a significant portion of the energy mix used to meet the ever-increasing demand for energy production in the United States and around the globe, and many consider it an important strategic element in reducing the introduction of carbon to the atmosphere.

Although this point has received increased attention because of increasing climate change discussion, the opportunities that nuclear power plants provide for healthy wildlife habitat has received less visibility.  A new program by the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) will help to raise the profile of this overlooked resource.

WHC has launched its newest program, Signatures of Sustainability, to help celebrate the organization’s 20th anniversary by looking back on its successes and ahead to the next 20 years of collaborations for conservation.  A blue-ribbon committee of judges chose 21 WHC-certified habitat programs that demonstrate the potential of private-sector involvement for biodiversity conservation and conservation education.  Two of these programs are at nuclear facilities owned and operated by Ontario Power Generation—the Darlington and Pickering nuclear plants in Ontario, Canada.

The Darlington and Pickering facilities received the exclusive Signatures of Sustainability designation after their evaluation on a ranking system with points given per level of involvement in focus areas, such as conservation education, habitat enhancement and community involvement.  Both facilities maintain established Wildlife at Work and Corporate Lands for Learning (CLL) programs and are past winners of WHC’s International Conservation Awards.

A volunteer employee wildlife team manages 830 acres of habitat at Darlington Nuclear.  Members of the community are an integral part of many habitat projects at the site.  Local students helped to install more then 71 nest boxes after breeding-bird surveys of the site determined the presence of 76 species of birds, including the regionally rare pied-billed grebe.  Area Boy Scouts planted more than 3,500 native trees around the site.  Walking trails further improved community relations, opening up areas of the site for conservation education through the site’s CLL program.

Wildlife habitat enhancement projects at Pickering resulted from employee participation in an off-site marsh rehabilitation project at Duffins Creek Marsh.  One of the goals of Pickering’s Site Biodiversity and Natural Areas Management Plan is to create a wildlife corridor around the Pickering site that connects Frenchman's Bay with Duffins Creek.  Community partners played an integral role in bringing many of these projects to fruition.  Educational programs teach the community about environmental and sustainability issues and encourage individuals to join with Pickering to make a positive difference in the region by enhancing natural habitats.
These sites and all the Signatures of Sustainability facilities will host events each month of 2008 as part of a national media tour.  Visit www.wildlifehc.org to learn more.