The Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) honored Range with the Corporate Conservation Award at a statewide meeting in State College, PA on January 10, 2015. Range was recognized for their successful partnership on the Cross Creek County Park habitat project with the NWTF in Washington County, PA.
Manager of Community Development Mike Mackin accepted the award on Range’s behalf. “This project is directly aligned with Range’s philosophy of being good stewards for our shareholders, while also being good stewards of the environment and the communities where we work and our employees live. This conservation award is something very special to Range and all of our employees, many of whom are avid outdoors men and women.”
Range is an active participant in the NWTF’s “Energy for Wildlife” – a program that matches energy and utility companies with opportunities to improve wildlife habitat in and around energy projects.
The award was bestowed in recognition of a successful and important effort that began last year in Washington County. In early 2014 – Range collaborated with the NWTF, the county and NiSource Midstream come up with a plan to restore two separate areas that added up to approximately 33 acres of land in Cross Creek County Park. Cross Creek, which is home to more than 30 Marcellus Shale wellshas been a successful partnership for the community and Washington County. Prior to any restoration efforts taking place – the targeted land was mostly blanketed with an inhospitable mix of weeds and invasive plant species. A plan to reclaim, restore and replant the land with a mix of clovers and wildflowers was developed – with the ultimate goal of turning it into a wildlife friendly habitat that would attract and nurture an array of turkeys and smaller birds; along with deer and other wildlife.
Environmental Compliance Manager Jeremy Matinko was involved in the effort from the beginning – and describes the experience by saying, “It’s rewarding to work for a company that gets involved in conservation projects like this that benefit the community, and demonstrate that energy development and wildlife can easily coexist. I think we need to give special thanks to Washington County’s commissioners and the Parks staff, who worked so cooperatively with the Game Commission and the NTWF; this this a project that all park visitors can enjoy.”
The work was done in stages. In late spring 2014, the weeds and invasive plant species were eradicated. After that – crews began a process of clearing, brush-hogging and mowing. A rainy summer delayed efforts to plow the land until early August – and in September – the areas were seeded with a mix of clover species, a nurse crop of oats, and a variety of wildflowers including purple coneflower, partridge pea, lanceleaf coreopsis and at the special request of the Cross Creek Park Staff – blackeyed susan.
By late fall – the area was greening – and well on its way to becoming a perennial food source for wild turkey and deer. And the work is not done yet. Down the road — with the help from the Avella Area High School students – Bluebird boxes and American Kestrel boxes will also be installed at the two reclaimed sites.