Earlier this year, several children of Consumers Energy employees received a hands-on lesson in conservation when they helped release two dozen turtles back into their native environment.
The turtles were removed from the path of the Mid-Michigan Pipeline Project as eggs. The eggs were incubated—and the resulting turtles nurtured—by Herpetological Resource and Management.
While it was the first time children were invited to participate in a turtle release, it was far from the first time the utility has relocated turtles back into their natural environment.
“It’s become something of a tradition for us at Consumers Energy to release turtles back into the wild each year, and we’re proud to do our part to preserve them as part of our commitment to sustainable construction practices,” said Brandon Hofmeister, Consumers Energy’s senior vice president of strategy, sustainability and external affairs. “We’re conscious of our role in protecting Michigan’s wildlife and are committed to efforts like this because we know it’s right for our customers, the communities we serve and the planet.”
Last fall, 56 rescued turtles were released during this project. Over the two years of a separate pipeline project, Consumers Energy and HRM saved more than 30 Blanding’s turtle eggs before returning larger juveniles to the habitat after that project’s completion.
Blanding’s turtles are a protected species in Michigan. They can live more than 80 years, and their long maturity period makes them particularly vulnerable to predators.
According to Brian Wheeler, media relations manager for Consumers Energy, the entire process is carefully planned. It starts two years before construction, when HRM conducts initial surveys and develops best management practices for affected reptiles and amphibians. Then, more immediately before construction, staff from both Consumers Energy and HRM walk the project right-of-way looking for reptiles and amphibians so the animals are not harmed during construction. When encountered, turtle eggs are collected and incubated at the HRM facility, and the young turtles are released back into the area following restoration.
“We put up wildlife barrier fencing and move the animals to safe locations,” Wheeler told American Gas. “If we find nests, they’re taken off-site by HRM to be incubated.”
HRM remains involved two years after construction to document the species’ response to restoration.
During the Mid-Michigan Pipeline project, which replaced 55 miles of natural gas pipeline dating back to the late 1940s, more than 6,000 reptiles—including turtles, snakes, frogs, tadpoles and salamanders—were rescued. —Eric Johnson