Great River Energy supports peregrine falcon recovery program
Elk River, Minn. (February 14, 2006) - Great River Energy, the second largest wholesale power supplier in Minnesota, is pleased to announce that it has installed a peregrine falcon nesting box on its Elk River Station power plant. The project demonstrates Great River Energy’s commitment to the peregrine falcon recovery program and to the environment.
Daniel Sundberg from Elk River Boy Scout Troop 90 built the nesting box for his Eagle Scout project. Sundberg, a resident of Elk River, was thrilled to see the installation. “Now, we just wait for a falcon to find the box,” Sundberg said. That could happen as early as March when the male peregrines begin to prepare for mating season.
Bob Anderson from the Raptor Resource Project offered Great River Energy advice on the ideal location for the nesting box. Site selection is critical. If a nesting box is built incorrectly or installed in the wrong position, it will be much less likely to attract falcons. Great River Energy’s Elk River Station is a perfect site for a nesting box because it is located in a peregrine falcon migratory flyway. The site, beside the Mississippi River, is also a draw because the birds prefer to nest in high locations near water. In recent history, power plants have had the best peregrine production rates in the Midwest.
