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Company enhances vegetation management practices to protect endangered wildflowers, threatened lizards in Marion County
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – As part of its commitment to support the vitality of a healthy ecosystem, Duke Energy Florida has coordinated efforts with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), among other agencies, to protect a population of wildflowers endangered federal in center. Florida.
Earlier this spring, Duke Energy environmental scientists joined with various agencies and stakeholders to maximize the conservation and protection of federally endangered coercive habitat (Warea amplexifolia) and federally threatened sand (Neoseps reynoldsi) is located in an unincorporated community in Marion County, near Ocklawaha.
Annual wildflowers are found nowhere else in the world except in central Florida, with the Ocklawaha population being among the largest populations identified. By protecting the plant’s habitat, the team is supporting other species that depend on it, such as
“Providing the lifeblood of our communities extends beyond keeping the lights on for our customers,” said Melissa Seixas, Florida state president, Duke Energy. “Duke Energy is proud to work alongside our community allies to protect Florida’s most precious species and the habitats they depend on.”
In a first for Duke Energy in Florida, the company is installing “sensitive habitat” management signage within its right-of-way corridors to alert contractors and crews working in these areas. The company has also shifted its vegetation management practices to limit mowing and reduce the volume of herbicide used in target areas to help plants grow and thrive.
“Duke Energy Florida’s willingness to support the management of endangered catch stocks on its lands alongside the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Fish and Wildlife Partners Program speaks volumes,” said Chad. Allison, USFWS Fish and Wildlife Partners/Coastal Program Coordinator. “The collaboration inspires and engages a network of state and federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and private landowners who prove that conservation and industry can not only coexist, but ultimately thrive.”
The collaboration furthers Duke Energy and the Duke Energy Foundation’s commitment to environmental stewardship and community engagement. Since 2015, the Duke Energy Foundation has awarded more than $188,000 in grants to the rare plant conservation program at Bok Tower Gardens to establish new enclosure populations through seed saving, habitat quality improvements, research biological and increasing the number of plants in nature.
Among the project team leading these efforts are Duke Energy Florida, USFWS, Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS), Bok Tower Gardens, FNPS-Marion Big Scrub Chapter, Putnam Land Conservancy, as well as volunteers and private landowners.
The team will continue to engage landowners in the area, raising awareness of how they can support and protect the species now and in the future.
US Fish and Wildlife Service
The US Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continued benefit of the American people. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook page at facebook.com/usfwssoutheast, follow our tweets at twitter.com/usfwssoutheastcheck out our YouTube channel at youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at flickr.com/photos/usfwssoutheast.
Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 10,300 megawatts of power capacity, supplying electricity to 1.9 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is one of America’s largest energy companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and together own 50,000 megawatts of power capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000 people.
Duke Energy is implementing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net zero methane emissions from its natural gas business and at least a 50% reduction in carbon from electricity generation by 2030 and net emissions carbon zero by 2050. The 2050 net zero targets also include scope 2 and certain scope 3 emissions. In addition, the company is investing in major improvements to the electric grid and energy storage, and is exploring technologies zero-emission energy production, such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear ones.
Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2022 “World’s Most Admired Companies” and Forbes’ “America’s Best Employers.” More information can be found at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center features news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy Lighting features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy at I tweetLinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Duke Energy Media Contact: Audrey Stasko
Cell: 315.877.3031
Media Hotline: 800.559.3853
US Fish and Wildlife Service media contact: Renee Bodine
Phone: 352.451.8126
Email: [email protected]
