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The director and staff at Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park in Scotland Neck have spent the last couple of days cleaning up after an oil spill. When they reported to work this past Monday they found the creek running through the Park and into an adjacent wetland has been seriously contaminated by thick, black waste oil.
Sylvan Heights Executive Director, Mike Lubbock, and other staff immediately notified Scotland Neck police and began damming the creek with soil to prevent further contamination of the wetland and harm to the Roanoke River further down stream. Police called for assistance from the Halifax County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“This is a potential tragedy we’re working very hard to mitigate,” Mike Lubbock said. “As we do, it’s important that we show people how easily and quickly a resource that benefits all of us can be severely damaged for generations.”
While the cause and source of the spill are still under investigation, indications are that as much as 10,000 gallons of oil may have been released. Efforts to contain the spill continue and, so far, the spill does not threaten Sylvan Heights’ captive birds or exhibits. However, contamination of the creek has already led Sylvan Heights staff to rescue turtles and birds covered by the slimy oil. The animals will be released into the wild once they are cleaned and determined to be in good health.
In addition, Sylvan Heights maintains a wetland area on its property that could be significantly affected for a long time to come. The wetland is part of migration routes for many birds and Sylvan Heights has been working to preserve the area for wildlife. Sylvan Heights also permits limited access to the wetland for educational programming and for visitors to observe a pristine natural habitat.
Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park opened to the public in October 2006. The facility is dedicated to educating people about the importance of conservation and research focusing on waterfowl and wetland habitats. The Waterfowl Park is home to the largest collection of captive waterfowl in the world, many of them rare and endangered.
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