Environment Chemical and Safety Technician/Technologist, Michelle McKay (left), and Corporate Relations Officer, Steve Repergel (right), visit the new plantation on Lambton GS soil where over 1,200 native trees were planted in partnership with the St. Clair Conservation Authority.  The trees were planted in May 2010, along with the enhancement of the station’s Tallgrass Prairie Plot in partnership with the Rural Lambton Stewardship Network. Both initiatives are part of the station’s Biodiversity Management Plan.

Where:           Springbank Park in London, Ontario. 1148-1260     
                   Commissioners Road West, between Boler Road 
                   and Springbank Drive (watch for signs)

When:             Sunday, July 17, 2010, 11:00am – 3:00pm  

What:             Themed tents with activities for all ages, including:

• Endangered Species:  Learn about Ontario’s most endangered wildlife and how you can help protect them.
• Keeping Our Water Clean:  Aquatic biologists tell you about the tiny creatures that live in the water and what they reveal about the health of our water systems.
• Bird Houses: Staff will show you how to make a unique home for avian visitors. 
• Seeds: Free native seed packets (one per family) filled with plant species that attract butterflies.
• Forests:  Learn all about urban tree planting, community forestry and the best trees to plant in your area.
• Watershed Report Cards:  We depend on our watersheds for clean water. Find out which areas of the Upper Thames River watershed get a passing grade and which areas got a “F” and why. 
• Environmental Education: Education staff will be on hand to answer all your nature questions. Staff will also present an exhibit on freshwater mussels, a highly endangered, yet very important and complex, group of aquatic species.
• And lots more!          

OPG Biodiversity is a series of conservation-focused, family-friendly events sponsored by Ontario Power Generation in partnership with Ontario Nature, the Bruce Trail Conservancy, Earth Rangers, LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests), Rouge Park and Trees Ontario. Its goal is to spread the word about protecting and conserving biodiversity in our urban parklands and forest ecosystems, making it easy for people to get involved with the environment and help fight climate change. OPG Biodiversity is part of OPG’s commitment to conserve, sustain and protect nature.

For further information on these and other upcoming events visit www.opgbiodiversity.ca.

OPG and Ontario Nature Are For the Birds – And All the Flora and Fauna of Ontario

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For event inquiries, please contact:

Victoria Foote, Ontario Nature
416.444.8419 ext. 238; victoriaf@ontarionature.org
www.ontarionature.org

For media inquiries, please contact:

OPG Media Desk:  416.592.4008 or 1.877.592.4008

Here are a few photos of the stars of the show.

Above: Ministry of Natural Resources staff plant tallgrass prairie at Ontario Power Generation Nanticoke GS in celebration of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.

NANTICOKE, ON – In celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Nanticoke Generating Station (GS) recently planted 60 acres of tallgrass prairie as part of the station’s biodiversity program and commitment to habitat enhancement in Haldimand County.

Tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem characterized by species such as switchgrass, prairie cordgrass, and big bluestem and little bluestem.

Together with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), Nanticoke GS planted a mixture of native warm season grasses and flowering plants—vegetation that once covered 1000 km² of Southern Ontario but has been reduced significantly in the region.

“Tallgrass prairie is one of the most biologically diverse grasslands in North America,” said Ron Ludolph, MNR Stewardship Coordinator. “The plan is to re-establish an ecosystem for a number of wildlife species, including pollinating insects like butterflies and bees that rely on tallgrass prairie vegetation.”

Today, tallgrass prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America.

As the first utility in North America to have developed a biodiversity policy, OPG has integrated the need to conserve biodiversity into its ongoing operations.  No other Ontario company has such a record.

“The goal of OPG’s biodiversity policy, which has existed since the inception of the company, is to demonstrate that we can co-exist with nature without causing or contributing to the long-term decline of species, or the habitats upon which they depend, on a regional basis,” says Tom Mitchell, President and CEO.  “Our policy and our conservation actions demonstrate that industry can and does have a clear role to play in conserving Ontario’s biodiversity.”

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Some Key Facts:

• OPG’s biodiversity initiatives are designed to implement the “four Rs” of biodiversity:  RETAIN what is significant, RESTORE habitats that have been degraded, REPLACE habitats that have been lost, and RECOVER species at risk.
• Each of OPG’s 65 hydroelectric, five thermal, and four nuclear sites are ISO14001 environmentally certified. 
• All thermal and nuclear sites have been certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council.  Many of OPG’s hydroelectric sites are certified and support a number of programs such as eel ladders, managing water flow for fish spawning, and rescuing stranded Lake Sturgeon.
• Since 2000, OPG and its conservation partners and site communities have planted close to four million trees and shrubs on more than 1,850 hectares of land.  As one of the largest biodiversity efforts in Ontario, the cumulative effect of these plantings has the potential to sequester carbon dioxide to help mitigate global warming while protecting existing habitats and providing new habitats for forest wildlife.
• OPG Biodiversity is proud partner of Trees Ontario, Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF), Ontario Nature  and the Bruce Trail Conservancy.

See OPGbiodiversity.ca for a current listing of partners and events that support biodiversity in 2010. For more information, contact:

OPG Media Relations

1-877-592-4008 or 416-592-4008