Eagle Valley Recycling and Disposal Facility

About the Program
Waste Management's Eagle Valley Recycling and Disposal facility is located in Orion Township in southeast Michigan within the Clinton River Watershed. The program consists of multiple avian projects that focus on cavity-nesting birds, along with multiple awareness and education projects both on-site and off. The overall conservation objective is to show that landfills can also provide wildlife habitat if managed properly.

Practices and Impacts

• The bluebird project, which began in 2011, focuses mainly on providing nest boxes for bluebirds and is also intended to provide nest boxes for tree swallows, house wrens and black-capped chickadees. The team maintains four nest boxes and have had successful nests of both bluebirds and tree swallows throughout the years. Until 2020, they have partnered with Six Rivers Land Conservancy to help with the monitoring and provide guidance. 
• Since 2010, the team has maintained three wood duck houses to provide nesting habitat for wood ducks and other cavity-nesting waterfowl.
• Through landfill tours, the project raises awareness about the role of waste management in conserving native habitats and wildlife, reaching hundreds of student and adult groups each year.
• The team hosts a bat education project through the annual Orion Township Boo Bash, where they partner with Leslie Nature Center staff to raise awareness about bats and other nocturnal species.