Planting for the Planet: Boy Scouts Join U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NJ Audubon and Covanta Warren Employees to Dig In to Celebrate Earth Day

OXFORD, N.J., April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate Earth Day, local Boy Scouts will join biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NJ Audubon Society's Wattles Stewardship Center staff, and Covanta Warren employees on April 24th to plant more than 500 native trees and shrub species to help restore scrub-shrub habitat at the Warren Energy Resource Recovery Facility in Oxford.

Planting the native tree and shrub species will help create a native scrub-shrub community for wildlife and pollinators, improving the wildlife habitat. Scrub-shrub habitat is a rare kind of cover important to many birds that typically consists of low, sometimes patchy, woody vegetation consisting of shrubs or trees in an early state of succession. In addition, the shrubs and trees will also create a natural filter to remove excess nutrients from storm water runoff and improve water quality.

"We applaud the Boy Scouts for helping us plant for the planet's green future and thank Covanta Warren staff for their continued commitment to improving the habitat on their property site," said John Parke, Stewardship Project Director for New Jersey Audubon. "Just as they do on the farm, conservation practices and habitat restoration on nonagricultural land can help increase food and shelter for birds and other wildlife, control soil erosion, reduce sediment in waterways, conserve water and improve water quality, inspire a stewardship ethic, and beautify the landscape."

This habitat restoration project is part of Covanta's participation in the New Jersey Audubon Corporate Stewardship Council.  The Council was established with participation from corporate landowners who have expressed a commitment to environmental sustainability by practicing stewardship for the natural resources of their properties and beyond their property boundaries.  The CSC emphasizes voluntary stewardship and promotes conservation partnerships.

"I congratulate Covanta and its partners for taking the initiative to develop this program. Working in partnership, businesses, nonprofits, government leaders and local residents are coming together to protect our future and making the Garden State greener and healthier," said U.S. Senator Robert Menendez.  

Since December 2009, Covanta has completed a large-scale removal of invasive non-native woody vegetation such as mutiflora-rose, autumn olive, Japanese honeysuckle, Tartarian honeysuckle, Morrow's honeysuckle and tree-of-heaven.  Covanta has also installed numerous nest boxes for several bird species as well as bat roosting boxes throughout the site in anticipation of the 2010 Spring breeding season.

"We are thrilled to participate and happy to join the New Jersey Audubon Society, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and local boy scouts in helping to improve the sustainability of the community that we operate in," said Craig Durr, Facility Manager of Covanta Warren.

About Covanta Warren

Covanta Warren Energy Resource Co., L.P. is a subsidiary of Covanta Energy Corporation, an internationally recognized owner and operator of large-scale Energy-from-Waste and renewable energy projects and a recipient of the Energy Innovator Award from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.  Covanta's 45 Energy-from-Waste facilities provide communities with an environmentally sound solution to their solid waste disposal needs by using that municipal solid waste to generate clean, renewable energy. Annually, Covanta's modern Energy-from-Waste facilities safely and securely convert approximately 20 million tons of waste into more than 9 million megawatt hours of clean renewable electricity and create over 10 billion pounds of steam that are sold to a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.covantaenergy.com.

About the New Jersey Audubon Society

The New Jersey Audubon Society is a privately supported, not-for profit, statewide membership organization. Founded in 1897, and one of the oldest independent Audubon societies, New Jersey Audubon has no connection with the National Audubon Society.

New Jersey Audubon fosters environmental awareness and a conservation ethic among New Jersey's citizens; protects New Jersey's birds, mammals, other animals, and plants, especially endangered and threatened species; and promotes preservation of New Jersey's valuable natural habitats.

About U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service.  For questions, comments or concerns email us at [email protected].  For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

SOURCE Covanta Energy Corporation