Business Editors/Environment Writers
RUTLAND, Vt.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2004
Following success in helping restore endangered ospreys to Vermont's skies, CVPS has joined a partnership of state, federal and non-profit agencies working together to build a breeding bald eagle population in Vermont.
Through a federal appropriation announced today by Sen. James Jeffords, the National Wildlife Federation, the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife, Outreach for Earth Stewardship, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Central Vermont Public Service will raise and release six to 10 chicks annually from special hack boxes at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area in Addison.
"Our role in restoring ospreys to their place in Vermont's ecosystem instilled a deep sense of pride, and an awareness of the importance of saving endangered species," CVPS President Bob Young said. "Employees have shown an extraordinary commitment to the osprey program, and we will be equally devoted to the Vermont Bald Eagle Restoration Project."
Over the past 15 years, CVPS worked with the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife to bring ospreys back from near extinction in Vermont. CVPS installed dozens of osprey platforms, and produced a children's book, educational curriculum for schools and an osprey website to educate children and adults about ospreys. The state is now in the process of removing the osprey from the endangered species list.
Vermont is the only state in the contiguous United States that lacks breeding bald eagles. Through education, protection and release of captive-raised birds, the Vermont Bald Eagle Restoration Project hopes to add Vermont to the list of states that breeding bald eagles call home. CVPS's role includes construction, website development and education, which mirrors the company's role in osprey recovery.
CVPS employees have already installed a framework of six utility poles to hold three hack boxes to house the baby eaglets at Dead Creek Wildlife Management area in Addison, Vt. The hack boxes will be built over the next few weeks, and eaglets will be delivered in late April. CVPS also developed the project's website, www.cvps.com/eagles, which will include a baby eagle-cam, and will host and maintain it.
The site explains bald eagles' decimation, recovery efforts and continuing threats, as well as goals and plans for the Vermont Bald Eagle Restoration Project. The site also highlights bald eagles' selection as the national bird, characteristics, and places to see bald eagles, a section for children and teachers, and links to each of the project partners' websites. One section focuses on humans' roles in crushing eagle populations.
"Through our osprey program, we learned that education is absolutely critical to successfully restoring endangered birds," spokesman Steve Costello said. "Understanding how important humans have been in the bald eagle's plight can enlighten people to the role we can collectively play in their recovery."
COPYRIGHT 2004 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
