ISSUE: Chemical company's 'Hundred Acre Woods'
OUR VIEW: Albemarle proves chemical companies can be environmentally friendly
Chemical companies are known to make their neighbors nervous. There is fear of the facilities even as there is reliance throughout our society on the products the companies make. Albemarle Corp.'s facility on Cannon Bridge Road off the Edisto River is no exception even though its long record in Orangeburg is one about which the firm can brag.
As much as there is appreciation for the economic role played by the firm and understanding of Albemarle's emergency response capabilities, there will always be those who contend such firms have negative impact on the environment surrounding the plant.
That is why Albemarle's latest achievement in Orangeburg is of particular note.
The Wildlife Habitat Council has recognized Albemarle Corp. for the second year for innovative environmental programs at its U.S. facilities. In Orangeburg, Albemarle in November celebrated the grand opening of the 135-acre Orangeburg Wildlife Habitat.
Following years of planning and nearly six months of preparation, land development and physical labor, the newly developed habitat, nicknamed "Hundred Acre Woods" by its habitat team, was ce.jpgied by the WHC's Corporate Wildlife Habitat Certification/International Accreditation Program as a commendable wildlife habitat management and environmental education program.
In addition to being a wildlife habitat, the Hundred Acre Woods will serve as an educational center and community outreach resource for the region. The habitat's Outdoor Learning Center, complete with electricity and running water, is geared toward school children through eighth grade.
Hundred Acre Woods features pollinator gardens using more than 10 plant species, a built-from-scratch turtle basking pond, several nature trails and wetland bridges for observing wildlife, and four bridges crossing wetland areas.
The team provided visitors with a tree and shrub glossary featuring more than 30 pictures of species to help ide.jpgy the numbered plants along the trail.
Led by Kim Krisle, a supply chain department manager at Albemarle, the Orangeburg habitat team worked nights and weekends cleaning up the woods, clearing land for and developing the turtle pond, blazing and marking the nature trails and running water and electricity lines to the learning center, among other tasks.
"Under Kim's leadership, the team has done a tremendous job of creating a wildlife habitat and nature learning center for the community on undeveloped land here," said Rebecca Schmidt, Orangeburg plant manager.
At the grand opening and ribbon cutting, Krisle expressed gratitude to the team for all the hard work members put into developing the habitat.
"What we've been able to accomplish as a team has been tremendous," she said. "We want people to know that we care about our environment and our community."
That much is evident. Albemarle in Orangeburg and as a company is to be commended and congratulated for such efforts.