Carroll Electric joins in NWTF wildlife program

— Carroll Electric Cooperative recently became the newest member of the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Energy for Wildlife program and could help improve thousands of acres of wildlife habitat in Arkansas and Missouri.

Berryville-based Carroll Electric is the largest cooperative in Arkansas and has served northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri since 1937. More than 9,000 miles of Carroll Electric power lines weave through some of the most rugged landscape in this part of the United States.

“By becoming a member of the Energy for Wildlife program, Carroll Electric has set their company apart from other companies in the energy industry,” said Jay Jordan, NWTF’s Energy for Wildlife coordinator. “The company’s leadership is committed to providing safe, reliable electricity for their customers while improving wildlife habitat.”

The NWTF created the Energy for Wildlife program in response to the utility industry’s need for assistance in managing the millions of acres of rights of way and other land that could potentially provide ideal habitat for a number of plant and wildlife species, including wild turkeys.

“I am always excited when I see people and corporations coming together to do things that support the effort and help our wildlife,” said James Barger, of Gentry, who serves on the board of the Arkansas chapter of the NWTF.

“It is our responsibilityto take care of all of the animals. The great thing that happens with a lot of these partnerships that the National Wild Turkey Federation gets involved with is that it helps a great number of species, not just the Wild Turkey,” he said.

“Take this opportunity with Carroll Electric, for example. There are miles and miles of rights of way under these power lines that can be made into food plots and native grasses that will help a number of different animals. The NWTF has started to do a lot of partnering with other organizations to help restore and conserve several different types of animals,” Barger said.

NWTF’s Energy for Wildlife program staff works directly with energy companies to integrate wildlife management activitiesinto their land management programs. When participating companies have implemented the wildlife component of their management plans, they will become a certified member of the program.

“I just want the public and our supporters and sponsors to be able to start seeing some of these projects, so they can see where their support goes and how it is used,” Barger said.

Any company that is involved in the production, transmission, or distribution of energy is eligible to become a member of the Energy for Wildlife program.

For more information about the NWTF’s Energy for Wildlife program or other NWTF programs, call 800-THE-NWTF or email Jay Jordan at jjordan@ nwtf.net.

News, Pages 15 on 11/17/2010