BPA wins national Pollinator Electric Power Award for habitat conservation

BPA was honored this month with the 2023 Pollinator Electric Power Award, which recognizes electric power companies who are leading the field in pollinator‐friendly projects. The recognition is one of several prestigious award presented by the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign, or NAPPC, in conjunction its partners. 

BPA received this award for its multiyear, collaborative effort to enhance pollinator habitat in rights-of-ways that cross Portland’s Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the United States. The project has boosted the number of pollinators in the area while reducing BPA’s maintenance costs.

See all the 2023 awardees. 

Each year, awards are given to projects in Canada, the United Stated and Mexico, showcasing all the work that goes into protecting North American pollinator populations. Previous recipients include Disney, Persephone Brewing in Canada and Cosmos Semillas Nativas in Mexico.

NAPPC’s Pollinator Electric Power Award

Nominees for the Pollinator Electric Power Award understand just how important pollinators are to food, culture and life. They have taken that extra step to help the birds, bees, butterflies, moths and bats that support agriculture and ecosystems everywhere. NAPPC, through its recognition and appreciation of all awardees, encourages their activities and hopes to catalyze future actions on behalf of pollinators. Each year, awards are given to projects in Canada, the United States and Mexico, showcasing all the work that goes into protecting North American pollinator populations. 

“BPA has been a great collaborator to the Electric Power Research Institute for years, including being a founding member of our Power-in-Pollinators Initiative,” says Jessica Fox, principal technical executive at EPRI, one of NAPPC’s partners. “We are excited that BPA has won this highly competitive award for a project that supports both pollinators and people.”  

The award-winning project

BPA and two local government agencies, Metro and the City of Portland Parks and Recreation, joined forces in 2016 to enhance pollinator habitat in Forest Park. BPA rights-of-way, which cross the park, create opportunities to increase habitat for pollinators through the planting of native shrubs, forbs and grasses that local pollinators rely on for food and reproduction.  

The goal of this project was to identify areas in the rights-of-way where non-native vegetation had invaded or where there was bare ground, such as unused roads, and then to enhance or convert those areas into habitats that would be more pollinator friendly. Over five-plus years, the team was able to identify, treat and enhance more than 60 acres of habitat in the rights-of-way. 

Today, this land contains a beautiful mix of low-growing native pollinator-friendly species that provide nectar and pollen throughout the spring, summer and fall growing season. Within this same corridor, BPA’s maintenance time and costs have declined by up to 80%. In addition, a multi-year survey has shown that the variety and number of pollinators has increased.  

Sarah Chadwick, BPA Sustainability Program manager, accepted the award on behalf of the Pollinator Workgroup in Washington, D.C. In her speech, Chadwick gave kudos to BPA’s team of pollinator champions, describing them as employees who take on additional responsibilities beyond their baseline tasks. She also expressed gratitude to BPA saying, “We all feel fortunate to work for an agency that values environmental sustainability, and we are determined to continue advancing policies for pollinators.”