bp BIODIVERSITY PLAN
bp Decatur Works
Decatur, Alabama

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PURPOSE

INTRODUCTION

METHODS

THE PLAN

            Scope/Scale

            Ecological Characterization

                        Federal Wildlife Refuges

                        State Wildlife Management Areas

                        Tennessee River/Wheeler Reservoir

            Threatened and Endangered Species

            Site Description

            Habitats within the Decatur Works Footprint Woodlands

                        Agricultural Land

                        Forested Wetlands

                        Tennessee River/Wheeler Reservoir

            Wildlife Management Plan

            Current Status of the Wildlife Management Plan

            Other Programs

            Five-Year Plan

PURPOSE

This document presents a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) for BP, Decatur Works (Decatur Works).  The purpose of the BAP is to sustain, restore and expand the remnant natural communities that exist within the lands controlled by BP, Decatur Works.  Further, it is intended as a plan to guide our actions and to measure our success at protecting and conserving our local flora and fauna and associated habitats.  We feel that with the corporate interest, regional professional expertise, and a wealth of local volunteers, we have the ability to achieve our purpose in a cost-effective manner.  In doing so, we enrich our lives and those of our children and the community.

Biodiversity refers to the broadly diverse forms in which organisms have evolved and is the totality of genes, species, and ecosystems ina given area.  A high degree of diversity is normally an indication of a healthy, sustainable natural community, ecosystem, or area.  Genetic diversity refers to the variety of genetic information contained in all individual plants, animals and microorganisms that allow them to evolve and adapt to new conditions.  Species diversity refers to the number, kind, and distribution of species within an ecosystem.  Ecosystem diversity refers to the variety of habitats and communities of different species that interact in a complex web of interdependent relationships.  The conservation of biodiversity includes the principle that social, cultural, and economic values are important in conservation planning.  We depend (knowingly or not) on diversity for the very support of life.  The living things with which we share the planet provide us with clean air and water, clothing, medicine, shelter, and aesthetic enjoyment and at the same time embody our feelings of shared culture, history and community.

There is overwhelming concern and evidence that projected development patterns and their results will lead to diminishing economic benefits and degradation of the benefits that we derive from our living resources.  As a result, the conservation of biodiversity is increasingly being recognized as an issue that requires immediate action.  This action must come from all elements of society that directly or indirectly threaten biodiversity.  If global biodiversity is to be protected, business must be seen as a part of the solution, not simply the problem.  The challenge is to find ways in which business can be brought into the environmental debate in a constructive and effective way.

This plan will demonstrate how BP, Decatur Works will address biodiversity.  It is intended as a living document, not a fixed road map.  Our expectation for the plan is that it will continue to evolve as new ideas and information arise.

INTRODUCTION

BP policy requires that we conduct our operations in a way that will result in no damage to the environment.  This commitment is further clarified in BP's Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Management System Framework, Getting HSE Right.  Getting HSE Right includes 13 performance elements, several of which refer directly or indirectly to understanding biodiversity and measuring and monitoring BP's impacts on biodiversity. 

Additionally, BP has made a corporate commitment to gain ISO 14001 certification for all Business Units (BU) worldwide by the end of 2001.  At Decatur Works, biodiversity was included in the environmental impact criterion for ISO 14001.  Promoting biodiversity is an integral part of the way BP conducts its environmental business across the organization.  The key themes to BP's biodiversity strategy are:

The outcome of implementing a comprehensive and effective biodiversity strategy will be to achieve a competitive advantage.  The strategy will promote greater business efficiency in our operations and facilitate access into new areas.  Our aim is to be the company most trusted to operate in any area, sensitive or otherwise.

There are obvious, direct links between the company's activities and biodiversity issues; not least is the physical presence of our facilities in areas where BP searches for, extracts, transports, and processes hydrocarbons.  BP has a large land area under its stewardship, some of it in sensitive locations and biodiversity hotspots.  Other aspects of BP's activities that affect biodiversity and associated results include:

METHODS

The BP response to biodiversity need not be managed as a separate entity.  Instead, it makes sense for BUs to incorporate biodiversity into the management systems already in place (or being put into place), such as Getting HSE Right and ISO 14001.  The Decatur EMS includes several action plans with various objectives and targets.  These actions plans include: Getting HSE Right, Greenhouse Gas Reduction, and the Wildlife Team.  Objectives for individual action plans may be linked to multiple action plans.  The BAP became another of these action plans, with links to most of them. 

Both Getting HSE Right and ISO 14001 require BUs to identify significant risks/effects and to establish management systems to control and reduce these risks/effects.  Therefore, a BU must identify the relevance of biodiversity to its operation and, if deemed significant, itshould be managed by adapting established systems.  The five steps for integrating biodiversity into an EMS are:

• List Building
  Identification of local habitats and species
  Identification of activities and biodiversity effects
  
• Assessing Sphere of Influence
  
• Identifying Impacts and Setting Priorities
  Assess significance of potential biodiversity impact
  
• Planning
  Develop management program
  
• Action
  Integrate action plan into business process
  

For a number of years, Decatur Works has been proactively addressing issues that are related to biodiversity.  In 1991, the Wildlife Committee was formed to identify ways that Decatur Works could promote wildlife conservation and management.  In 1994, The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), an organization that promotes corporate leadership within business and industry in commitment to wildlife habitat restoration and creation, assessed the Decatur Work's Wildlife Program and granted its Wildlife Habitat Certification to the facility.   In 1997, the site was designated WHC's Corporate Habitat of the Year.  In 1995, we partnered with the Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitation Center as a release site for rehabilitated animals.  In 1999, we received a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant for wetland restoration.  We have had an ongoing relationship with the Boy/Girl Scouts, local Garden Clubs and the Audubon Society.  Our Partnership With Education program is being enhanced with the addition of on-site class- rooms in 2001.  In addition, we received the 2000 EPA Region IV Environmental Merit Award for preserving habitat in the Southeast and the Environmental Learning Center.

The Decatur Works BAP also includes several objectives to expand our exisitng programs. A summary of these objectives follows:

In summary, the Decatur Works BAP will incorporate existing biodiversity activities with an expanded program for future activities.  Existing activities include EMS and ISO 14001 initiatives along with Wildlife Team activities.  Earthwatch contributed to the design of the overall biodiversity initiative, and BP Group Diversity Specialist, Chris Herlugson, was extremely useful in developing BAPs for the facility.  Partnerships have been developed with Boy/Girl Scouts, local Garden Clubs, the Audubon Society, interested citizens, City of Decatur, the Decatur School System, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.  Daniel E. McCoy, HS&E Manager for Decatur Works, coordinated the development of the BAP, with assistance from contractors Chris James, and RMT, Inc. 

 
THE PLAN

BP is committed to making real, measurable, and positive impacts on biodiversity.  As a result, BP should also be able to recognize and quickly remedy negative impacts.  This requires being able to measure and report on change.  The key issue is finding simple, meaningful measures with which we can evaluate our programs and the progress we are making.

Undeveloped land may benefit biodiversity by providing habitat for numerous species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates.  Within any facility, it is often possible to undertake a range of small biodiversity-supportive projects of benefit to wildlife or wildlife habitat.  Further, education programs with local communities or schools involving site visits or interpretive programs to increase understanding of biodiversity, in general, and the actions taken by BP that benefit biodiversity can have a positive impact on biodiversity.  Biodiversity can also be positively benefited by participation in local, regional or national conservation programs that result in benefits beyond the fence line of the facility.  Such actions could involve employee participation in established or new projects, donation of holdings to conservation trusts, or rehabilitation projects linked to regional conservation programs.  All of these factors were considered in the development of this BAP. 

Scope/Scale

The scale used for the Decatur Works BAP for the next five years will mostly include issues within the facility boundary.  However, we will also attempt to expand into local and regional issues.  Within the next 5 to 10 years, the BAP may be expanded to include supply chains, use of BP products, and national and global issues. 

The basic piece of data required to assess the potential effects of Decatur Works operations on biodiversity is the land take or footprint of our facilities.  Our footprint is a measure of the amount of habitat affected directly by our presence and should include the land directly impacted by facilities and the area of land under BP control (through ownership or leases) that is maintained in an undeveloped condition.  Once we understand the amount of habitat affected and the quality of that habitat, we can begin to assess the degree to which our operations have changed biodiversity on a local and, in some cases, a regional scale depending on the types of operations and local environmental conditions.

 

Ecological Characterization

According to a classification system developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Decatur Works is located in the Lower Tennessee-Cumberland Ecosystem (LTCE) of the United States.  This ecoregion is composed of two watersheds &endash; the lower half of the Tennessee River and the entire drainage of the Cumberland River.  The Tennessee River is the fifth largest river in the United States in terms of flow.  The river drains approximately 41,000 square miles in over 125 counties in seven states.  The lower Tennessee River encompasses that portion of the river valley located in northern Alabama and middle and west Tennessee.

The LTCE has exceptional physiographic diversity.  The Cumberland Mountains and Northern Cumberland Plateau, Interior Low Plateaus, and East Gulf Coastal Plain physiographic areas fall within the watershed.  Ecological communities include remnants of a once complex and expansive mosaic of prairies, oak-ash savannas, closed oak and oak-hickory forests, rich mesophytic forests and loess bluffs, bottomland hardwood swamps, extensive cave systems, cedar glades, transient lakes, and free-flowing cold-water streams.  In addition, unique features of subterranean drainage such as sinking streams, sinkholes, springs, caves, as well as cliffs, bluffs, waterfalls, and stream gorges contribute to the diversity of the ecosystem.  

According to the draft USFWS Bird Conservation Plan for the LTCE, the rich avifauna of the ecosystem reflects its diverse physiography and unique past, and includes endangered and threatened species, significant waterfowl populations, Canada geese of the Southern James Bay Population, significant populations of other migratory waterfowl, neotropical migratory birds, and many resident bird species.  There is an urgent need to conserve these avian resources, as there are at least two extinctions of bird species per year.  Since 1980, there have been significant declines in Cerulean warblers, loggerhead shrikes, and northern bobwhite quail.  Additionally, long-term radar studies indicate that only half as many waves of migratory birds passed over the Gulf Coast in the late 1980s as compared to the 1960s.  Further, Neotropical migrants comprise 80% of the species nesting in eastern deciduous forests, which then migrate to Central and South America during the winter.  Approximately 70% of these species have declined in numbers between 1978 and 1987 with some of these species exhibiting long-term declines. 

 

Federal Wildlife Refuges

The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located near the Decatur Works.  According to information obtained from the USFWS, the NWR encompasses 34,500 acres predominantly along the north shore of the Tennessee River or Wheeler Reservoir located north and east of the Decatur Works.  The refuge hosts 115 species of fish, 74 reptiles and amphibians, 47 species of mammals, and 285 bird species.  The refuge also protects habitat for 10 federally listed endangered or threatened species.

The NWR was established in 1938 as a wintering ground for migratory waterfowl.  It supports the southern-most and Alabama's only significant concentration of wintering Canada geese.  Bottomland hardwoods, moist soil units, riparian woodlands, backwater embayment, pine uplands, and croplands provide for a diversity of wildlife at the NWR.  In the fall, migrating ducks and geese along with migrating warblers can be observed in the NWR.  During spring, wildflowers and migrating songbirds are commonly seen.   

 

State Wildlife Management Areas

The Mallard Fox Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is located on the southern bank of the Tennessee River, approximately three miles west of the Decatur Works.  This 1,500-acre WMA is managed by the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Fisheries (ADWF) for waterfowl and small game.  Habitat types at this WMA include agricultural fields, shrub rows, and mixed hardwood-pine forests.  

The Swan Creek WMA is located on the north bank of the Tennessee River, approximately 3.5 miles northeast of the Decatur Works.  This 9,000-acre WMA is also managed by the ADWF for waterfowl and small game.  Habitat types at this WMA include agricultural fields, mudflats, and bottomland hardwood forests.  

 

Tennessee River/Wheeler Reservoir

The Decatur Works is located on the south bank of the Tennessee River or Wheeler Reservoir. The reservoir was constructed by the Tennessee Valley Authority to provide commerce, produce hydroelectric power, and provide recreational opportunities and flood control.  This 68,300-acre reservoir is Alabama's second largest reservoir, and it extends 60 miles from Guntersville Dam to Wheeler Dam near Rogersville.  The upper end of the reservoir is a run-of-the-river reservoir as it flows past Huntsville and begins spreading out near Decatur.  Stump flats, weed beds, and creek channels dominate the middle section while the lower end has many steep banks and long points.  The ADWF collects baseline information on the fish populations in the reservoir.  This information is used to develop management plans that are intended to improve fish population structure and fishing quality.

Bass fishing is the most popular fishery in Wheeler Reservoir.  Largemouth bass are the primary species, but small mouth bass and the northern strain of spotted bass are common.  This reservoir is also home to quality fishing for a variety of other species such as catfish, bream, crappie, sauger (below Guntersville Dam).  Striped bass, hybrids, and white bass make spring runs, and can be caught schooling during the summer.

 

Threatened and Endangered Species

The USFWS has listed many federally threatened and endangered species in three counties surrounding the project area (Limestone, Lawrence, and Morgan counties).  Species lists are provided in Table 1.  None of these species are known to occur at the Decatur Works. 

 

Site Description

Decatur Works is located in Decatur, Alabama, on a 998-acre tract located on the south bank of the Tennessee River (Figure 1).  This chemical plant manufactures purified terephthalic acid (PTA), para-xylene (PX) and 2,6-napthalene dicarboxylate (NDC) which is used in the production of polyester fiber, film, and specialty products such as containers for soft drinks and other consumer products.  BP employs approximately 803 people at the facility, 486 BP employees and 317 resident contractors. 

The south shore of the Tennessee River on both sides of the Decatur Works is heavily industrialized.  Additionally, the City of Decatur is located a few miles east of the facility.  Various support businesses have recently located to the south of this industrialized area.  However, there are still fragments of undeveloped land within this industrialized area.  

Amoco Corporation purchased this property in 1965.  Prior to Amoco's ownership, a significant portion of the land was farmed, some was timbered, and marshy areas were essentially undisturbed.  Currently, 470 acres (190 hectares) of the 998-acre (404 hectares) tract are developed for industrial purposes.  At this time, there are no plans to expand the facility beyond the existing 470 acres.  A breakdown of land uses or habitats for the remaining acreage follows:

The overlay of Decatur Works is formed of primary and secondary succession hardwood and loblolly pine woodlands, 30 acres of wetlands, 0.5 miles of river frontage, 120 acres of improved agricultural farmland, and various ponds and open spaces.  This mosaic creates a rich mix of habitats that support a wide variety of wildlife species.  The physical presence of the facility results in a direct link between the company's activities and biodiversity issues.  Stewardship requires that we understand biodiversity and measure and monitor our impacts on it.  A brief description of habitats within the Decatur facility land surrounding land uses follow.

Habitats within the Decatur Works Footprint

Habitats within the Decatur Works footprint include oak - loblolly pine woodlands, agricultural land, wetlands, and shoreline habitat along the Tennessee River.  A brief discussion of each of these habitat types follows.

Oak-Loblolly Pine Woodlands 

Approximately 280 acres of the property consists of mixed pine &endash; hardwood forest.  Much of this area has been planted in loblolly pine.  Prior to planting loblolly pine, these areas were used as pasture.

Agricultural Land

The 120 acres of agricultural fields are located in the southern portion of the facility.  The fields are planted on a rotating basis with soybeans, corn, and winter wheat.  Winter wheat is planted in the fall after corn is harvested.  Soybeans are planted after winter wheat is harvested in April to May.  After soybeans are harvested in September, the fields lie fallow until the following spring when corn is planted in April to May.  Then, the cycle begins again.   

Forested Wetlands

Approximately 30 acres of the plant consists of forested wetlands.  Dominant trees in this area include ash, hackberry, and willow.  Through the use of water control structures, Decatur Works staff increased the size of wetlands in this area by 25%.  Bald cypress, nuttall oak, and other water-loving oaks have been planted to attempt to convert this wetland into a more mature bottomland hardwood forest.

 

Tennessee River/Wheeler Reservoir

Approximately 0.5-miles of the Decatur Works is located along the Tennessee River or Wheeler Reservoir.  This habitat type has been previously described in the Ecological Characterization section. 

Wildlife Management Plan

Prior to the initiation of the BAP, Decatur Works staff had been involved in a variety of biodiversity-related projects.  In 1991, some employees wanted to enhance the plant site to benefit wildlife currently residing in and near the facility.  Wheeler NWR and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) staff were consulted for guidance.  Following site visits by both agencies, 20 eastern bluebird and 5 martin houses were installed on-site along with 3 wood duck boxes and 2 deer feeders.  Decatur Works was then enrolled as a co-operator in the Alabama Bluebird Management Project in 1991, which is directed by the ADCNR Non-Game Wildlife Program. 

After consulting with other BP facilities with active wildlife enhancement programs, the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) was contacted in 1992 for recommendations on expanding Decatur Works programs.  The WHC conducted a site visit in November 1992 and issued a report that outlined opportunities for improving existing projects.  Based on a recommendation by the WHC, a Wildlife Committee was formed in September 1993 at Decatur Works.  The Wildlife Committee then developed a Wildlife Management Plan with the following objective:

To preserve existing flora and fauna and to recognize and develop potential areas
for increased biodiversity on the property

Since the inception of the Wildlife Committee, the following 14 goals have been identified for Decatur Works:

• Audubon Society
• Wheeler Wildlife Refuge
• Master Gardeners
• Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
• Greg Myers Goose Ranch
• Alabama Non-Game Wildlife Program
• Robinsong Ecological Enterprises
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Tennessee Valley Authority
• Johnson, Bates, & Legg
• Alabama Department of Corrections
• Decatur Youth Services
• The Nature Conservancy
• Alabama Department of Environmental Management
• Alabama Water Watch Association
• Decatur City Schools

 

Current Status of the Wildlife Management Plan

 

1. Increase the resident population of the eastern bluebird

Overall, this project has been successful.  The bluebird trail has been developed and there are plans to expand it.  Fifty bluebird-nesting boxes have been placed within the facility.  Monitoring results indicate that the boxes are being used for nesting by bluebirds and other cavity-nesting birds.  This program could be improved by more consistent and frequent monitoring of the boxes.

 

2. Enhance the habitat of the resident wood duck population

This project has been successful in that some nesting has occurred in some of the 23 boxes placed on-site.  However, it has been difficult to determine if the nesting was always by wood ducks as fledglings only stay in the box for 24 hours.  Better monitoring techniques need to be developed for this program.

 

3. Develop butterfly/wildflower gardens to provide additional food, habitat, and breeding areas for wildlife

Four butterfly gardens have been planted in the facility - the administration building, at the wastewater building, West Pond, and Glen Pond.  Plans are to continue to maintain these gardens.

 

4. Establish a tree planting program to provide additional wildlife habitat and an additional food source in developed areas

Trees were planted at one location, but this site was cleared for a co-generation facility.  Trees were planted near West Pond but the trees did not survive.  Staff speculates that the soil was not suitable for the trees planted.  This objective will not be continued in the future. 

5. Provide habitat for purple martins

Twelve purple martin houses were installed, along with poles and dangling gourds.  There has been no nesting by purple martins; however, swallows have used the houses.  This project will be continued as it may take at least 10 years before houses are used by purple martins.

 

6. Monitor and report the number of killdeer fledged

This project has been successful as documented by 143 killdeer fledged from 42 nests in 1998.  Nests have also been observed on top of buildings.  Monitoring efforts are sometimes difficult because killdeer do not return to the same nesting location.  This project will be continued in the future.

 

7.  Provide an additional food source to increase the resident bobwhite quail population

This project has been successful, as more quail have been observed at the facility than in the past.  Two quail management areas have been established at the facility - one on the west side of the facility and one along the Tennessee Valley Authority electric transmission line easement.  These areas have been planted in bicolor Lespedeza, a food source for quail, and fertilized.  This project will be continued in the future.

 

8.  Provide nesting platforms suitable to attract osprey

With the help of an electric utility company, 2 nesting platforms have been erected along the Wheeler Reservoir shoreline.  No osprey nests have been built on these platforms yet.  However, this project will be continued, as 2 more platforms will be constructed in the future.

 

9.  Enhance employee and community wildlife awareness

This project has been extremely successful.  The facility received the Habitat of the Year award from the WHC in 1997.  The facility also received a $10,000 grant from the EPA/WHC Five-Star Restoration Program to enhance and enlarge an existing wetland at the facility.  Additionally, Decatur Works staff has presented several nature programs to the community and local school children.  WHC Backyard Habitat Seminars have been presented to Decatur Works staff and the community.  Science Clubs from the Decatur Schools use the nature trail for various after-school programs.  The nature trail has been developed and is open to the public.  Decatur Works staff has attended tours to the Wheeler NWR.  Finally, employees and the public purchase 100 bluebird boxes.  BP pays for the materials and Boy Scouts build and sell the boxes.  These programs will be continued in the future. 

 

10. Enhance reptile and waterfowl habitat at various ponds

Loafing platforms have been constructed within South Pond and the storm water retention basin.  While these platforms are utilized by wildlife, they have not been well maintained. 

 

11. Establish and maintain an interpretive nature trail

This nature trail has been completed and will be enhanced or expanded in the future.

 

12. Enhance nesting sites for swallows

One green tree swallow nesting area has been established along the river.  However, nesting activity has not been monitored.  School children could be used to monitor nesting activity. 

 

13. Expand, monitor, and maintain owl boxes and habitat along the nature trail

Owls have used 2 of 6 barrels for nesting.  Eight owl fledglings were observed in 1999.  However, no fledglings were observed in 2000, possibly due to the extended drought.  Four more owl barrels will be erected in the future.  

 

14. Investigate the cost of developing a learning center

Construction of the Environmental Learning Center should be completed in the spring of 2001.  Decatur School System classes should begin in the fall of 2001. 

Other Programs

• EPA/WHC Five Star Restoration Grant Program

  In 1999, Decatur Works was awarded a $10,000 Five Star Grant.  The Five Star Restoration Grant Program provides grants, facilitates technology/information transfer and partner collaboration, and supports peer-to-peer communication programs in an effort to promote community-based wetland and riparian restoration projects.  The grant was awarded for the purpose of enhancing and enlarging an existing wetland at the facility.  The enhancement was necessary because, in 1998, industrial development to the west of the facility increased the amount of storm water runoff entering the wetlands.  With input from the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and local contractors, raising water levels by construction of two gated berms expanded the existing wetlands.  The first berm was located at the outlet from the wetlands, and was used to raise the water level and expand the main wetland area.  The City of Decatur Youth Services Corps students and Alabama Department of Corrections inmates were employed to clear undesirable vegetation from this wetland, and to plant more desirable vegetation.

  The second berm was located up gradient below a separate wetland that was historically drained for agriculture.  The second berm will allow this field to become a seasonally flooded wetland.  The berm gate will remain open during the growing season to allow mixed grains to grow in the basin and to allow for waterfowl use.  At the end of each growing season, the basin will be slowly filled, forming a shallow landing and feeding pond for migratory waterfowl. 

  In addition to the waterfowl benefits of the seasonally flooded basin wetland, the down gradient wetland will provide water quality benefits.  Recent construction in the large industrial park with this watershed is expected to decrease the quality and increase the quantity of storm water entering the Tennessee River.  The wetland project will prevent nonpoint source pollution from reaching the river by capturing and filtering contaminated runoff.    

   

• Environmental Learning Center

  The City of Decatur School System and Decatur Works entered into a partnership to develop an Environmental Learning Center (ELC) with environmental education program for grade levels K through 12.  The mission statement for the ELC follows:

  • Provide meaningful, broad-based instruction on relevant environment topics designed to address the global interrelationships and interdependency of our environment and the way we as individuals impact it, both negatively and positively.  The center will meet the need to nurture and cultivate student sensitivity to the frailty of our planet home and empower them to become environmentally literate.  By offering multiple opportunities that combine all disciplines of learning toward development of their environmental ethic, students will establish a basis for becoming proactive citizens who will offer viable solutions for the future sustainability of the Earth. 

  The ELC will include a 4,000-ft 2 building that is being constructed on a 500-acre tract at Decatur Works.  The school system will furnish the inside of the building, provide a dedicated bus, and pay salaries of two teachers responsible for the education program.  The open fields, woodlands, pond, and wetlands on the property will be part of the education initiative.  In addition to natural habitats on the site, the ELC will house up to 60 living displays ranging from a 1,650-gallon floor tank designed as a marine tidal pool to individual, 10-gallon reptile tanks.  Two classrooms/labs will accommodate up to 50 students at a time that will receive instruction tailored to learning objectives established for their grade level.  Environmental themes will be used as integrated extensions of topics not only in science but also the arts, language, humanities, mathematics, and social sciences.  A conscious effort will be made to foster students' abilities to think independently and to take responsible actions when issues of the environment are at stake.  This approach will provide a setting for creative learning and inquiry that will supplement and enrich existing curricula in the schools.  

  
  

• EPA Environmental Merit Awards

  In October 2000, Decatur Works received an Environmental Merit Award from EPA Region 4 for the previously described ELC.  The award is given for outstanding efforts in preserving the environment of the southeast.   

   

• Alabama Water Watch Association

  The Alabama Water Watch Association is a statewide initiative sponsored by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management that trains and educates citizens in nonpoint source pollution through data collection.  Flint Creek is a water body within the City of Decatur that has been heavily impacted by agricultural runoff.  The National Resources Conservation Service developed the Flint Creek Watershed Project to improve water quality in the creek.  Decatur Works donations will be used to refill chemical test kits used to monitor water quality in Flint Creek.     

   

• Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association Board Walk Contribution

  BP Decatur Works donated funds to the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association for construction of a boardwalk to assist disabled sportsmen.

   

• The Nature Conservancy

  Decatur Works staff met with the Nature Conservancy for the purpose of exploring the development of a partnership.  Nature Conservancy staff stated that they could assist Decatur Works by:

        - contributing scientific information about Alabama's diversity to the ELC

        - offering information and advice on natural land management issues such as invasive plant control

        - providing a biological inventory of Decatur Works

        - offering a springtime guided tour of the Prairie Grove Glades to Decatur Works staff

         - reviewing and providing feedback on the BAP

Five-Year Plan

Decatur Works staff has developed a Five -Year Plan that is presented in Table 2.  The Five-Year Plan was developed by evaluating and updating the Wildlife Management Plan and other programs previously described in this BAP.  The Wildlife Management Plan and goals and initiatives from other programs have been consolidated, and new biodiversity tasks have been added to prepare the Five Year Plan.

Decatur Works staff will implement the Five-Year Plan tasks according to the time frame presented in the Implementation Period column in Table 2.  Reasons these tasks were selected included the following categories: Good Management Practice, BP Policy, Improve Regional Biodiversity, and Good Cooperate Citizenship.  Within the Biodiversity Strategy column, the benefits to biodiversity were associated with the key themes from BP's biodiversity strategy.  BP staff then identified steps to implement the tasks.  Task success will be measured by whether each step was accomplished within the time frame listed in the Performance Measure column.  Individuals or teams responsible for implementing each task are listed in the Responsibility column.  The Five Year Plan will be refined over time as our understanding of the issues matures. 

Lawrence County

Common Name	Scientific Name	Status
Red-cockaded woodpecker	Picoides borealis	E
Wood stork	Mycteria americana	E
Flattened musk turtle	Sternotherus depressus	T
Pink mucket pearly mussel	Lampsis orbiculata	E
Alabama moccasinshell	Medionidus acutissimus	T
Coosa moccasinshell	Medionidus parvulus	E
Orange-nacre mucket	Lampsilis perovalis	T
Dark pigtoe	Pleurobema furvum	E
Triangular kidneyshell	Ptychogranchus greeni	E
Leafy prairie clover	Dalea foliosa	E
Lyrate bladder-pod	Lesquerella lyrata	E

Limestone County

Common Name	Scientific Name	Status
Gray Bat	Myotis grisescens	E
Bald Eagle	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	T
Wood Stork	Mycteria americana	E
Anthony's Riversnail	Athearnia anthonyi	E
Slackwater Darter	Etheostoma boschungi	T
Boulder Darter	Etheostoma wapiti	E
Pink mucket Pearly mussel	Lampsilis orbiculata	E
Rough pigtoe mussel	Pleurobema plenum	E
Armored snail	Pyrgulopsis pachyta	E
Slender campeloma	Campeloma decampi	E

Morgan County

Common Name	Scientific Name	Status
Gray bat	Myotis grisescens	E
Indiana bat	Myotis sodalis	E
Bald Eagle	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	T
Wood Stork	Mycteria americana	E
Pink mucket pearly mussel	Lampsilis orbiculata	E
Orange-footed pearly mussel	Plethobascus cooperianus	E
Rough pigtoe mussel	Pleurobema plenum	E
Leafy prairie clover	Dalea foliosa	E
American hart's tongue fern	Phyllitis scolopendrium var. americanum	T

T = Threatened
E = Endangered

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