Environmental Stewardship

Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) stands at the forefront of environmental stewardship, integrating it into every aspect of its mission. At the heart of SREL’s work is a diverse range of research activities, spanning the local Savannah River Site (SRS) in the United States to international ecosystems. Researchers at SREL delve into the impacts of U.S. Department of Energy activities and their contractors on ecosystem health and quality, a focus since the lab’s inception. Key research areas include the effects of industrial and nuclear activities on ecosystem services, wetland functionality, biodiversity, plant and wildlife health, and the SRS’s role in regional and global ecological processes.

SREL’s expertise extends beyond local projects, as its scientists are frequently consulted by private, state, and federal entities to address environmental challenges of national and international importance. Notable contributions include designing species reintroduction programs, crafting conservation management plans for declining species, investigating invasive species’ impacts on island ecosystems, developing genetic markers for conservation efforts, and studying the effects of changing land use on ecosystem sustainability. Rooted in Dr. Eugene Odum’s vision and his students’ pioneering work, SREL’s commitment to sustainable ecosystems and environmental stewardship remains its guiding principle