As a provider of renewable energy solutions, we know the importance of environmental responsibility, which is why Strata Solar Services has an in-house environmental team that handles vegetation management to protect and preserve natural resources around our projects.
Early in the development stages of a project, we work with landowners and local communities to plan for natural buffers around our sites to minimize visual impact and offer additional privacy and security.
Once a site is constructed, our environmental teams begin to:
- Perform periodic vegetation abatement to maintain compliance with contracts
- Oversee landscaping, erosion reporting and control, spill prevention and containment
- Conduct routine mowing, herbicide application, pest treatment and maintenance of ditch and buffer areas
Putting Pollinators to Work
Strata Solar Services focuses on planting native grasses and pollinators as part of its regular vegetation management program to protect and encourage healthy bee habitats. We have seen success in the planting of pollinators and native grasses in the buffer areas surrounding the arrays, so we are now beginning to experiment inside the array to build on this success.
We are partnering with local and national environmental groups to advance the research and implementation of best practices for planting around solar power facilities, and we’re excited to continue making solar work for the sustainability of the land.
Benefits of planting pollinators include:
- Planting native grasses and wildflowers increases native pollinator colonies, which has the added benefit of promoting nearby agricultural practices, which see substantial crop pollination contribution from native bees.
- Native plants have deeper roots that are more efficient at aiding rainwater infiltration and pollution removal than turfgrass.
- Since maximum plant height is the main limitation for grasses and pollinators, selecting low growing blends can significantly reduce the number of times the site requires mowing, by as much as half, which provides a significant reduction in cost.
- The environmental benefits that come from using the right plant material to reduce the use of herbicides and off-road mowers helps satisfy the sustainability goals of the customers and communities served by the solar farm.
There is growing interest from environmental and academic groups to partner on studies that help us better understand which native grasses and pollinators are best suited for planting in and around a solar array. Strata will continue pioneering these environmental practices that add to the sustainability of our efforts.