The American Wind Wildlife Institute (AWWI), a collaborative partnership of leaders in the wind energy industry, wildlife management agencies, and science and environmental organizations, is pleased to announce the election of Nathanael Greene as Chair and Tom Hiester as Vice-Chair of AWWI’s 2016 Board of Directors.
Mr. Greene is director of the renewable energy policy program of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a leading national environmental action organization, and has served on the AWWI Board of Directors since May 2014. Mr. Hiester leads strategy development for RES in the Americas, a leading renewable energy development and construction company, and was elected to the AWWI Board in June 2014.
In a unique feature that facilitates pursuit of the shared goal of AWWI partners to advance wind energy while conserving wildlife and wildlife habitat, AWWI Board members are drawn equally from conservation organizations and from the wind energy industry.
“We need massive amounts of wind power to stop global warming and one of the main reasons to stop global warming is the wildlife and wild places that are so important to our health, our culture and our economy,” said Greene. “AWWI brings together leaders from the conservation community and the wind industry to work together identifying the solutions to deploying wind power while avoiding and minimizing its wildlife impacts. I’m honored to be part of AWWI and look forward to an exciting and productive year ahead.”
“In order to mitigate the impacts of climate change we need more renewable energy, all while understanding and minimizing those impacts on wildlife. AWWI is a leader in providing objective science on the impacts of wind energy to ensure it can coexist with wildlife, and I’m excited to be part of this vital work,” said Hiester.
Building on a collaborative approach, AWWI generates solutions that are grounded in rigorous scientific research and carried forward though its partnership of 21 top wind energy companies and 10 of the nation’s leading conservation and science organizations. Achievements to-date include:
- Partnership with The Nature Conservancy to build a GIS interactive mapping tool to facilitate responsible siting of wind turbines;
- Development of best practices and tools that protect eagles and other raptors, and bats;
- Aggregation of data to support scientific analysis and the continuing development of effective solutions;
- Goals and strategies towards which industry and non-governmental organizations can work collaboratively.
“Nathanael and Tom’s leadership, vision, and expertise, and that of our Board, will inspire AWWI in our collective work to advance wind energy while minimizing its impacts on birds and bats,” said AWWI Executive Director Abby Arnold. “AWWI is fortunate to bring together such talented and committed leaders and partners, and to build on the work of so many more.”
For the full list of AWWI Board members and more information about AWWI’s Board leadership, click here.
For the full list of AWWI Sustaining Partners and Friends, click here.
The American Wind Wildlife Institute (AWWI) is a partnership of leaders in the wind industry, wildlife management agencies, and science and environmental organizations who collaborate on a shared mission: to facilitate timely and responsible development of wind energy while protecting wildlife and wildlife habitat. We envision a future where wildlife and wind energy thrive, allowing all of us — wildlife and habitat included — to reap the climate change mitigation benefits that wind energy makes possible.