Nissan recently finished rehabilitating marshland by one of its UK factories to be a better home for wildlife. This rewilding project was made in conjunction with the construction of a new solar panel array.
"We've carried out the rewilding close to where we built our first wind farm nearly 20 years ago and near our second solar farm, so this part of the plant has been the focus of our sustainability drive," said engineering manager Andy Barker. "It's fantastic to continue that journey and we've been amazed at how quickly and how many of the various animals have taken up residence."
The animals that have found a home in the area include water voles, amphibians, bats, badgers, owls, herring gull, buzzards, kestrels, deer, and great crested newts. After removing invasive shrubs, Nissan has been able to get bee orchid, white clover, cowslip, and garden lupin growing to provide a healthy habitat. All in all, the project took a little over a year to complete.
Wind and solar now provide 20% of the Nissan Sunderland Plant's energy needs, but that's only the start. The goal is to have it running on 100% renewables by 2030 as a part of its EV36Zero initiative. This will also help the plant become a template for Nissan to build electric vehicles elsewhere in the world. Nissan is aiming for net neutrality in its products company-wide by 2050.
Rewilding is a great way to prop up flagging pollinator populations and build resilience against increasingly violent weather patterns. You can get in on these benefits at home, too. Take a look at our guide on rewilding your yard in order to bring biodiversity to your doorstep.
Of course, it's great to see Nissan embracing biodiversity, EVs, and sustainable power all in equal measure. Just be sure to do your homework when big name brands make sustainability claims. These can often be the product of rigorous greenwashing.
"The second solar farm project allowed us to transform the existing marshland by adding a further pond and a maintained new grassland," said Barker. "It was about taking a holistic approach that included eco-diversity as well as renewable energy."
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