Alabama Power’s Jeff Baker: A love for nature and a desire to pass it on
Jeff Baker is waist deep in helping protect Alabama's endangered species. (Abigail Bobo)
Alabama Power’s Jeff Baker has always had a deep connection to Alabama’s natural landscape. But it was only after spending a decade working as a welder that he returned to school, earning an undergraduate degree in biology and then a master’s in fisheries in pursuit of a career in the outdoors.
For the last 18 years, Baker, who works in the company’s Environmental Affairs organization, has helped protect the state’s natural habitats and the wildlife that rely on them. Last year, his passion and dedication were recognized by his peers when he was named Wildlife Biologist of the Year by the Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society. And just last month, Baker was among those honored as part of a coalition of Alabama wildlife biologists and dedicated volunteers who are working to protect the state’s bat population. Known as the Alabama Bat Working Group, it was named Wildlife Conservationist of the year at the annual Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards, which is coordinated by the Alabama Wildlife Federation. The Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards are considered the most prestigious conservation awards in the state.
Much of Baker’s work at Alabama Power involves threatened or endangered species, like the trispot darter and rush darter, Black Warrior waterdog and flattened musk turtle. His expertise supports these species and, more broadly, the company’s environmental stewardship efforts.
It takes a skilled and seasoned professional to identify the native animals and plants that contribute to Alabama’s incredible biodiversity and read the subtle signs that increase the likelihood of their long-term survival. Baker’s keen eye – and careful management – are helping improve the outlook for some of Alabama’s rarest species.
Baker and his colleagues at Alabama Power often work with other experts in the public and private sectors, including government agencies and nonprofit organizations, to research and document the habits of Alabama’s rare plants and animals, and help devise management plans that support the ecosystems they rely on.
And whenever he can, Baker connects with kids and teenagers in classroom learning sessions, or at student job fairs and career days, where he is always encouraged to see how many young Alabamians share an interest in nature and the outdoors.
Jeff Baker, in the classroom at Cornerstone Middle School in Birmingham. (contributed)
It’s a hopeful sign, Baker says, that so many Alabamians, young and old, share a common desire: to help protect the state’s diverse and unique natural resources.
Learn more about Alabama Power’s ongoing environmental stewardship efforts here.
Jeff Baker has a passion for the outdoors, and for protecting Alabama’s environment. (Abigail Bobo)
