The Great Reset: Now is the Time to Build Back with Nature for a Resilient Future — A WHC Connect Recap

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Earlier this year, in the WHC President’s Blog post What’s next for nature?, WHC President Margaret O’Gorman considered the ways in which nature has intersected with the 2020 pandemic. She concluded that “nature has given us an opportunity to reset our relationship with it” and that we have a prime opportunity to build back stronger.  

A few months later during WHC Connect 2020, in a session aptly titled The Great Reset: Now is the Time to Build Back with Nature for a Resilient Future, Margaret moderated a discussion with Geraldine Barnuevo, Senior Manager of Environmental Strategies and Sustainability at General Motors (GM) and Vicente Saiso, Corporate Director of Sustainability at CEMEX. The panelists reflected on how the private sector’s relationship with nature has grown through the years and how it will continue to evolve. 

Geraldine explained that GM’s initial commitment to sustainability focused on reducing their environmental footprint. Over time, however, they began to consider the ways in which they could not only prevent environmental harm, but also implement good through actions like the biodiversity and education initiatives that have led to WHC Conservation Certification® at many of their sites.  

These actions have not only established trust with customers but have also strengthened the company’s relationship with its own workforce. Geraldine noted that personnel from non-environmental backgrounds often find nature-based initiatives more approachable than other sustainability measures, and that younger generations of employees are especially attuned to these efforts. As such, continuing this engagement will be an invaluable way to attract and retain talent.   

Moving forward, GM will work toward goals like producing more electric vehicles —operations at their Detroit-Hamtramck site, for instance, are shifting entirely toward the pursuit. This goal, however, cannot be accomplished by one industry alone. Geraldine explained that a shift to electric vehicles will require the support of suppliers, as well as governmental support to provide the infrastructure consumers need to charge their cars.  

Vicente likewise discussed the importance of collaboration. He stressed the importance of setting “clear and ambitious” objectives, and then working with other entities, such as NGOs and environmental experts, to achieve them. Drawing from CEMEX’s involvement with Innovandi (a consortium seeking climate solutions within the cement and concrete industry), he stated that organizations should also be prepared to collaborate with others in their own sector.   

The company’s biodiversity journey started with a desire to compensate for their environmental footprint. This led to the establishment of the 347,000–acre El Carmen Nature Reserve on the U.S./Mexico border. The vegetation present in the reserve supports the company’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, as creating natural carbon sinks is a critical piece of the solution.  

Over time, CEMEX began to adopt on-site practices to decrease the environmental footprint of their operations. Vicente expressed excitement over breakthrough moments in which a site’s leadership has moved past the mindset of sustainability as a mandate, instead recognizing it as a critical part of business and something of which they can take ownership.  

Today, CEMEX programs worldwide have achieved WHC Certification, and the company recently became a signatory to Business for Nature, a global coalition acting on a business-oriented case for reversing nature loss. Through the years, CEMEX has also found new opportunities for community education and engagement. He noted that, with the popularity of outdoor recreation in 2020, many have a newfound appreciation for nature and its needs. Moving forward, it will be critical to keep this momentum going.  

Within CEMEX, several factors help employees maintain their enthusiasm for biodiversity, including the WHC Awards that the company has received. Vicente stated that these achievements have encouraged the team to keep improving their efforts. During this session, he accepted the Corporate Conservation Leadership Award on behalf of his company. This top award honors one company’s overall achievement in conservation efforts. A full list of 2020 WHC Award recipients and finalists can be found here.   

Recordings of The Great Reset and all other WHC Connect 2020 sessions are available on the WHC Website.   

Read more WHC blogs.

5 Ways to Keep Your Conservation Program Thriving This Winter

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Winter is just a few weeks away. For many of us, the drop in temperature comes with an increase in to-do items — from year-end tasks to holiday celebrations. During this busy time of year, it’s important to take some time to consider what the new season means for any conservation projects that you’re a part of. Lax or maladapted winter maintenance can undercut the hard work that you’ve done all year. Conversely, taking the unique winter needs of the species on your site into consideration can enhance your year-round efforts. Here are some ideas for keeping your conservation program going this winter.  

 1. Look out for Bats 

Many bat species hibernate in caves, mines or buildings during the winter. If bats hibernate at your site, take note of their location and avoid interaction — if a hibernating bat is disturbed, their metabolism will speed up and they could quickly deplete fat reserves meant to last the entire winter.  

Many bat species only use bat boxes in warm months, making the winter an ideal time to perform routine maintenance on your site’s boxes. Keep in mind that some bat species, like the big brown bat, do sometimes overwinter in bat houses, so it’s important to have a sense of what species are present in your area.  

2. Put Down the Pruners 

Many pollinator species overwinter in leaf litter and loose soil, and butterfly pupae can often be found on bare stems and stalks. When possible, avoid mulching or over-tidying your pollinator gardens to provide important winter habitat. If you’re concerned about appearance, consider supplementing your garden with informative signage explaining the ways in which an unkempt garden can help wildlife — visitors might be inspired to go home and do the same in their own yards!   

3. Maintain Space for Birds 

While winter may be a good time to perform nest box maintenance, don’t take them down altogether! As discussed in a previous WHC Wildlife Blog post, the bird boxes you’ve placed on-site for springtime nesting can provide overwintering shelter for small mammals and non-migratory bird species.  

If any of your projects involve native tree or shrub planting, ensure that you’ve planted some species that produce berries in the winter to maintain a food source for non-migratory birds — or for birds that have migrated to your area for the season. If you take inventory of bird species, wintertime monitoring can give you an idea of how species distribution varies between seasons.   

4. Continue to Monitor Invasive Species 

While cold weather may stave off some invasive species, plants like garlic mustard and insects like the emerald ash borer can endure the winter (young borers even produce glycerol, which acts as an internal antifreeze agent). Knowing what invasives overwinter on your site, and coming up with a plan to control them, can bolster your year-round efforts.  

5. Plan (and Attend) Virtual Education Events 

In 2020, many of us have been turning to nature for socially distant recreation. As temperatures drop and people spend more time in their homes, keep their newfound appreciation of the outdoors going with virtual events showcasing the habitats on your premises and the ways in which your projects promote conservation. As an added benefit, inclement weather won’t prevent attendees from showing up! The Education Projects page of Our Conservation in a Time of Crisis guide contains tips on virtual events. 

If you’re spending more time indoors, it is also a good opportunity to enrich your own knowledge– as a starting point, check out the on-demand webinars available on the WHC website, and be on the lookout for upcoming webinars.  

Winter conditions vary greatly across the continent and can even differ within a region. Be sure to take local weather and migration patterns into account. The extension program of a university in your state (searchable via the NIFA/USDA directory) is a good starting point for region-specific information.  If you’re using this winter to consider what your program can be doing year-round, now is also a good time to consider how WHC Consulting can help you reach your 2021 goals.  

Read more WHC blogs.