07 Apr 2007
Chevron's Pembroke refinery scoops national conservation award
Community activities designed to encourage birds and other wildlife around Chevron’s Pembroke refinery have been recognised as some of the best in the country.
Pembroke refinery has won first place in the Community category for Commercial Sites in the BTO Business Bird Challenge 2006.
The national award celebrates how business and industry can work with their local communities to improve natural habitats for birds and other wildlife.
Kate Aldridge from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) organised the competition. She said: “The challenge offers the BTO the opportunity to recognise and applaud the efforts many businesses are making to improve their sites’ conservation value, and work in partnership with their local communities.
“I have been overwhelmed by the efforts of industry to create these conservation areas, which are havens for not only birds, but all wildlife.
“Congratulations to all those involved in the management of Pembroke refinery; they thoroughly deserve this award.”
Chevron’s success in the 2006 award focuses around the Pwllcrochan Environmental and Community Centre, a Grade II listed building which has been converted to a fully equipped schools environmental studies facility. Adjacent to the centre, dipping stations for aquatic studies in the ponds and boardwalks leading to marshland and woodlands have been built in conjunction with The Princes Trust volunteer teams. Just over 100 bird species were recorded on site; the ponds and marshland providing valuable habitat for many of them.
The facility opened to the local community in April 2006, and since then more than 600 local primary school children have visited its ponds and boardwalks, as part of their life processes studies.
Neil White, Senior Environmental Specialist at Chevron’s Pembroke refinery said: “This award is great news for the refinery and everyone that has been involved in biodiversity projects on-site. We are very proud to receive it”.
“The Pwllcrochan centre is successful because the local community is so involved.”
The refinery has its own Biodiversity Action Plan, a thriving Natural History club, and hosts the Pembrokeshire Birdwatchers annual conference, as well as close relationships with local schools, all of which contributed to the award success.
Anthea Finn, Assistant Headteacher at Pembroke Dock Community School said: “Pwllcrochan is an excellent place to enrich our science studies and develop student awareness outdoors”.
The award will be presented at a ceremony at Rutland Water, in Rutland on June 15th.
“The centre has reinforced the excellent relationship Pembroke refinery historically has had with the local community,” said refinery General Manager Morgan Clark. “Now we are seen not only as a desirable employer, but also as a valuable community resource”.
The Pwllcrochan Environmental and Community Centre is available free of charge to school groups, community groups and non-profit organizations. To find out more about the Pwllcrochan Environmental and Community Centre, please contact Alison Kavanagh at the Chevron Pembroke Refinery on 01646 649866.
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Notes to Editors
- The BTO is the UK’s leading bird research organisation. Over 30,000 birdwatchers contribute to the BTO’s surveys. They collect information that forms the basis of conservation action in the UK. For more information please contact Graham Appleton on 01842 750050 or email: challenge@bto.org
- Chevron’s Pembroke refinery is one of the leading employers in South Wales. In addition, the company also has around 1,100 Texaco-branded service stations in the UK as well as lubricants, marine and aviation businesses.
- Chevron Corporation is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies. The company has about 58,000 employees, and Chevron's subsidiaries conduct business in approximately 180 countries. Chevron operates across the entire energy spectrum-exploring for, producing and transporting crude oil and natural gas; refining, marketing and distributing fuels and other energy products; generating power; designing and marketing large-scale energy efficiency solutions; and commercializing the energy resources of the future, including biofuels and other renewables. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.
- For further information, please contact Phil Thompson, Public Affairs Adviser, Chevron, Pembroke on 01646 649283 or Amy Cameron, Chevron press office on 0207 719 4477.
