American Electric Power

American Electric Power Company (AEP) is committed to environmental excellence and leadership to achieve the highest level of environmental protection and enhancement consistent with providing a reliable and economical supply of electricity. Since 1995, as a member of the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), AEP has been involved with projects and partners within local communities promoting economic and social sustainability.   

Red fox kits enjoy the habitat at the Flint Creek Power Plant in Gentry, Arkansas. Photo by Terry Stanfill.

AEP encourages participation in company/employee-sponsored environmental stewardship programs and projects, working with teachers and students to strengthen energy and environmental education programs and partnering with community and environmental organizations, like WHC, to enhance habitats.

Through activities ranging from raptor nesting platforms, tree plantings, prairie restoration and right-of-way habitat enhancement, AEP emphasizes a link between local activities and a quality environment by seeking community involvement and meeting community interests.

As each program expands, thousands of acres of wildlife habitat will benefit from these collaborative management efforts. AEP is leading the electricity utility industry in planning for sustainability and meeting economic, environmental and social needs of the present and for future generations.

See more highlights on AEP's ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship:

Environmental Stewardship
ReCreation Land

 

AEP, in partnership with WHC, state wildlife agencies and community organizations, is building and installing nesting platforms for raptors at its facilities and along rivers, public lakes and state parks.

An eastern bluebird enjoys its meal on a nest box at AEP's Flint Creek Power Plant. Photo by Terry Stanfill.

Experts from state wildlife agencies identify potential locations for raptor platforms and AEP supplies the materials and a mounting pole, and installs the pole.

Local partners, such as local youth and scout groups, help build the actual nesting platforms. The platforms are built to specification supplied by WHC or state wildlife agencies. The monitoring contacts create an e-mail network to share information, and throughout the year they continue to monitor the birds and fledglings.

Visit AEP's Raptor condos

To further enhance wildlife habitat, AEP employees work with community groups on nest monitoring programs for bluebirds, chickadees, wrens, titmice, kestrels and wood ducks. AEP is also active in pursuing an increase in employee and community environmental awareness at its facilities through open houses and community Earth Day events.

AEP's Recreation Land in Ohio helps protect the local watershed and wildlife. A female and a male wood duck swim by on one of the many lakes at this area.

AEP's 30,000-acre reclamation project known as ReCreation Land is one of the company’s best known symbols of environmental stewardship. This award-winning project was built on land that was once strip-mined for its rich coal deposits. Through vigorous reclamation efforts, AEP has transformed the area into a vibrant recreation area.

Over 50 million trees were planted, and nearly 70 percent of the park now consists of forest containing oak, ash, aspen, beech and a multitude of other hardwoods. More than 350 lakes and ponds were established, providing habitat for numerous wetland species.

The rest of the park consists of open fields managed for wildlife and many campgrounds open to the public. ReCreation Land is a special place where those with an appreciation of the great outdoors can come and experience the beauty and tranquility of nature.

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