POWERGRAMS

ENVIRONMENT Photo by Bryan Taylor Plant Barry employees come to aid of wood ducks by providing shelter Coleman, left, and Padgett check box at Plant Barry pond. When Keith Coleman saw wood ducks swimming in Plant Barry's ash pond, he knew they needed a home. "Wood ducks are the only ducks that build their nest in hollow, often rotted trees," said Coleman, plant control operator and chairman of the North Mobile Chapter of Ducks Unlimited. "Because there are no trees around the ash pond, I talked to the plant's environmental team about installing wood duck boxes as nesting places." In response, Barry's Environmental Stewardship Team purchased its first five wood duck boxes about three years ago. To make them more accessible to the ducks, the boxes were installed atop 7-foot steel posts set in the bed of the pond. "People think the ash pond is a bad place," said James Kyle, Plant Barry mechanic/welder and one of the environmental team members who helped install the boxes. "But I've worked here for 10 years, and I can tell you wildlife in the ash pond is booming. I've seen ducks coming in and out of the pond for years. We just want to give back by helping the ducks have a place to build their nests." Since then, two additional boxes have been placed along the Mobile River. Coleman and Assistant Plant Control Operators Josh Padgett and Bryan Taylor have assumed the job of maintaining the seven boxes, which includes removing broken egg shells, old feathers and brush, and ensuring no snakes or other critters have taken up residence. Meanwhile, the environmental team found 10 damaged wood duck boxes downstream from the plant during the Renew Our Rivers cleanup in April. Coleman and the environmental team are working to develop a partnership with Forever Wild, the organization that installed the boxes. Plant Barry employees have offered to repair and maintain the boxes, which were damaged during hurricanes. The environmental team is made up of 18 representatives from departments throughout Plant Barry, along with eight alternate members. The group meets monthly to discuss environmental issues affecting the company and to plan stewardship activities. "Our goal is to keep members up to speed on environmental issues so they can go back and share what they have learned with their team," said Plant Barry Compliance Specialist David Griffin. "The more people we can get involved in looking for environmental issues, the more it helps us with overall compliance." The environmental team has been busy this year. Its volunteer efforts have included taking part in the Robinson Island Restoration workday, the Alabama Coastal Foundation's Restore Oyster Reefs project, the Mobile County Water Festival, the Mobile Renew Our Rivers cleanup, the Alabama Coastal Kids Quiz and planting trees at Splinter Hill Bog. The group also volunteered for the Alabama Coastal Cleanup on Sept. 21 and plans to take part in Mobile County's Paint Recovery Day on Nov. 23. Although he has enjoyed hunting since boyhood, Coleman is committed to doing his part to preserve wildlife. For several years, he has been a leader in Ducks Unlimited, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of wetlands and associated upland habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife. "I'm a firm believer that if you're going to take something, you need to put something back," said Coleman, noting the duck boxes at Plant Barry will help preserve this species. "One nest can produce up to 10 eggs. If all survive, that's 10 more wood ducks," he said. Plant Barry Manager Jay Burdette said installing wood duck boxes is just part of the "bigger picture." "Helping the local duck population is a positive thing, but it's about a whole lot more than just the ducks," Burdette said. "On a broader scale, we have a vested interest in conservation and environmental stewardship. Through this project, we are partnering our environmental stewardship efforts with those of Ducks Unlimited as well as supporting our employees who are active in that organization." By Carla Davis 7

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