GE’s Hanover County site, home to GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy headquarters and a GE Aviation manufacturing plant, recently earned a Forest Stewardship Certification from the N.C. Forest Service.

Through the forestry stewardship program, the N.C. Forest Service is providing GE with professional planning and technical assistance to protect local ecosystems, help maintain and improve the forests’ overall health and foster diverse habitats for threatened and endangered wildlife species, GE officials stated in a news release.

“This certification with the North Carolina Forest Service reinforces our commitment to the maintenance and enhancement of the health of the forest on our 1,600 acre site,” Jay Wileman, president and CEO of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, said in the release.

As part of the company’s efforts to advance the site’s forest management plan and encourage regeneration and long-term productivity, several acres of trees were harvested in 2015 to reduce potential wildfires, keep stands open and improve habitat for wildlife. This past February, the Forest Service planted 30,000 Loblolly pine seedlings across 56 acres. These seedlings will grow into mature trees within the next six to 10 years, according to the release.

In addition to the certification, the GE Wilmington site was recognized by the N.C. Forest Service for its biological diversity and for providing an excellent habitat for many species including whitetail deer, ducks, turkeys, quail and black bears.