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Update on the Combination of Wildlife Habitat Council and World Environment Center

July 29, 2024/by Monica Keller

Summer 2024

In early 2024, it was announced that WHC and World Environment Center (WEC), two leading NGOs working with business on sustainability and nature programming, entered into an agreement to combine the two organizations.

The new organization will be positioned as a leader working at the intersection of business and sustainability, offering meaningful private sector value through proven approaches in nature, water, climate resilience and social impact. Through technical acumen and thought leadership, the new organization will deliver value through solutions and support for a wide range of corporate sustainability efforts – from operations to the C-suite, all under the same roof. Read the press release about the combination here.

For the past 6 months, groups of board members and staff from both organizations, alongside trusted professional partners, have been diligently working in parallel on several key initiatives. These include the formation of an official strategic plan, crafting a robust communications strategy, developing a new brand identity, and enhancing governance structures.

As we continue to progress on these fronts, the collaborative efforts and dedication shown by all involved are paving the way for a promising future as one organization. We look forward to sharing more updates as we move forward with enthusiasm and optimism.

The following is a list of questions and answers to assist you in navigating this exciting time in the history of WHC and WEC.

When will the new organization officially launch?

We expect to introduce the new combined organization in Q1 2025. Along with a new name and brand identity, expect an invigorated website, expanded value proposition, and a new mission and vision. In the meantime, both WHC and WEC continue to operate under their respective brands.

What can we expect from the new organization?

With the expertise of the two organizations, and their combined 75 years of experience, the new NGO will expand opportunities for best-in-class collaborations with companies to halt and restore nature loss, improve water stewardship, enhance climate and community resilience and support the transition to a circular economy. This combination will also include WEC Europe e.V., which will continue to serve as the Global Thought Leadership hub for the future global organization.

What is the geographical footprint of the new organization’s operations?

Officially, the headquarters of the new organization will be in Washington, D.C., with offices in Bethesda, Maryland U.S.A. WHC and WEC currently operate with a dispersed workforce, and the new organization will continue this practice. The new organization will support members across all continents with official operations in the U.S, Europe (as WEC Europe e.V., based in Germany) and Latin America (in El Salvador and Peru).

Who will lead the new organization?

Margaret O’Gorman has been named CEO of the new organization. Currently, Margaret is undertaking the dual roles of CEO and President of WEC, and President of WHC.

What’s happening with funded projects?

All work related to funded projects of both organizations — currently underway or scheduled— will continue without interruption, even during the Q1 transition.

What will happen with the WEC Gold Medal?

The 2024 WEC Gold Medal event, commemorating 40 years of recognizing sustainable business excellence will take place on November 13, 2024. This year’s Gold Medal awardee is Carrier Corporation. Read more about the Gold Medal Award here.

Will there be a Conservation Conference in 2025?

A rebranded WHC Conservation Conference will be held June 4-5 in Detroit, MI, with the exceptional speakers, sessions and networking opportunities attendees have come to expect from our signature event. Call for speaker nominations open in the Fall of 2024.

https://tandemglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/WEC-and-WHC-logos-800x500-1-scaled.jpg 1280 2048 Monica Keller https://tandemglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/tandem-global-logo-exp.svg Monica Keller2024-07-29 19:35:062024-07-30 19:24:05Update on the Combination of Wildlife Habitat Council and World Environment Center

New White Paper Highlights Air and Water Quality Conservation Efforts

July 17, 2024/by Patricia Leidemer

BETHESDA, Md., July 17, 2024 – WHC (Wildlife Habitat Council) offers a new white paper available for download today, Protecting Earth’s Most Valuable Resources | Conservation Activities to Benefit Water and Air Quality. The white paper is sponsored by General Motors and is available for free on our website.

Water and air are the earth’s most valuable resources. No ecosystem or human community could exist without access to clean air and water, making the protection of these resources a paramount concern. Unfortunately, decades of industry and development have had negative effects on the quality of the earth’s air and water.

Because of the widespread and well-documented impacts of air and water pollution, governments have implemented regulations requiring industries to minimize deleterious effects on air and water. Adherence to these critical regulations is not the final step in corporate efforts to protect air and water quality. The private sector can go above and beyond these regulations to promote air and water quality through voluntary habitat conservation projects, with the added benefits of supporting wildlife species and human well-being.

The case studies featured in this white paper illustrate the role of habitat-specific projects in water and air quality improvement. Featured case studies from WHC-Certified sites include:

  • ArcelorMittal: AM/NS Calvert, Alabama, USA
  • Bacardi: Bombay Sapphire Distillery, Hampshire, UK
  • Cemex: Laguna de Los Cangrejos, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
  • DTE Energy: Downtown Detroit Headquarters, Michigan, USA
  • The Earth Lab: Ejido Sisal, Yucatán, Mexico
  • Freeport-McMoRan: Miami Site, Arizona, USA
  • INVISTA: Victoria Site, Texas, USA
  • ITC Holdings: Iowa City Warehouse, Iowa, USA
  • WM: Twin Creeks Landfill, Ontario, Canada

Sponsored by General Motors, this white paper features a foreword stating, “Environmental conservation requires everyone’s participation. At GM, we believe that businesses have a responsibility to contribute to the regeneration of nature and the protection of biodiversity. As we strive to enhance resource circularity in our products and operations, we are also promoting biodiversity across our sites.”

About WHC:

WHC (Wildlife Habitat Council) has been working at the nexus of business and biodiversity for 35 years and is the only international NGO focused exclusively on enabling private sector action for nature. WHC builds strategies and frameworks for companies to integrate nature with climate, equity and engagement to support sustainable ecosystems and healthy communities. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations. WHC-certified programs can be found in 19 countries and 48 U.S. states. Learn more at www.wildlifehc.org.

https://tandemglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AdobeStock_114120387-e1720805096475.jpeg 499 799 Patricia Leidemer https://tandemglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/tandem-global-logo-exp.svg Patricia Leidemer2024-07-17 13:47:392024-07-17 13:47:39New White Paper Highlights Air and Water Quality Conservation Efforts

Decrease Lightning Strikes and Four More Surprising Benefits of Native Plantings

July 11, 2024/by Patricia Leidemer

You’ve probably heard about a few of the common benefits of including plants in your landscape, like their ability to improve biodiversity and provide food for important wildlife like pollinators. But plants can do much, much more — from protecting against lightning strikes to feeding the community. And ensuring that the plants installed are native to the region increases these benefits even further. This blog post explores the surprising range of native plants’ advantages, adding to the list of reasons to install native plants in your next garden or habitat.

Strike out lightning

In urban areas that lack green space and plant cover, pavement and other non-natural materials will absorb and retain heat from the sun. This phenomenon, known as the urban heat island effect, has only been exacerbated by climate change and increased industrialization and urbanization.

Because of the higher temperatures of the urban heat island effect, more energy is utilized to cool the area, resulting in increased air pollution. Hotter temperatures and large amounts of air pollution create — quite literally — a perfect storm, as it has been documented that locations with this combination of factors experience more frequent lightning strikes. Native plantings, specifically urban forestry, help to address the urban heat island effect and mitigate particulate air pollution, thereby addressing two of the major contributors to increased risk of lightning strikes.

WHC has been putting this information to good use with energy company Energy Transfer in southeastern Texas cities like Port Arthur, Beaumont and Orange. This location’s increased temperatures and its proximity to Houston, the co-called “Lightning Capital of Texas,” make it more lightning-prone. This year on Arbor Day, WHC partnered with Energy Transfer and several local schools to plant 120 native trees that will not only increase tree canopy but also help reduce lightning strikes.

Hold back the flood

Large amounts of impervious surfaces, like parking lots and sidewalks, lead to runoff from rainfall. With little natural ground into which runoff can soak, heavy rainfall easily leads to flooding. Not only is flooding detrimental to infrastructure, but it also affects local watersheds by altering hydrology and introducing pollutants.

That’s where native plants come in, as they are particularly well-suited to manage and absorb stormwater runoff. Many native plants are equipped with long, complex root systems. These deep roots are able to absorb large amounts of rainfall and runoff, allowing it to infiltrate the soil rather than cascading across impervious surfaces.

An added benefit of native plants’ root structures is that they help prevent erosion by stabilizing the soil. Not only do native plants absorb excess runoff that could erode the terrain, but they also support the soil health and stability of an area, keeping the landscape intact for years to come.

Sprout savings

Because native plants are adapted to the conditions of a specific location — including the temperature, rainfall, soil, wildlife usage and more — they are incredibly resilient.

Due to their suitability to their native range, native plants generally demand less maintenance than ornamental plants. This means less money and time — as well as fewer natural resources — expended on plant care. For example, native plants require less need for fertilizer application, pesticide usage and irrigation than non-native plants. In fact, native plants use four times less water than a traditional lawn, illustrating a great financial reason to convert a manicured lawn into a thriving native plant ecosystem. The strength and resilience of native plants also cuts down on the need to replace dying or ill-suited plants.

Additionally, the hardiness of native plants means they have an increased capacity to protect against the encroachment of invasive species. In an established native plant ecosystem, invasives may have a harder time taking root, which helps prevent the costly and time-intensive process of eradicating invasive vegetation.

Make people happier and safer

Plants are good for the mind. Research has shown a positive correlation between improved mental state and exposure to nature, with one Mental Health Foundation survey finding that 70% of adults in the U.K. saw an improvement in their mood when they are close to nature. Providing access to nature by bringing native plants into schools, workplaces and centers of community helps people feel better — and getting community members involved in plant care has its benefits, too, from increased exercise to decreased stress levels.

Plants may even go further to support people’s well-being, as an interesting study presents a correlation between increased vegetation and lower crime rates. Researchers at the University of Illinois compared aerial photos and police reports in Chicago to find that locations with lots of foliage and tree cover had 48% fewer property crimes and 56% percent fewer violent crimes than areas lacking plant cover. Since the publication of this research, studies in Philadelphia and Cincinnati have come to similar conclusions.

While a full explanation of this connection between trees and lower crime is still unclear, experts suggest it may have something to do with an increased sense of community that comes from seeing that local areas are well-taken care of. Regardless of the reasons why, it’s clear that native plants make a positive impact on the community’s mental health and well-being.

Produce a healthy harvest

Yes, native plants are the top choice when it comes to meeting the critical food needs of native wildlife — but native plants can also serve as an excellent food source for people. Particularly in locations seen as “food deserts,” healthy, affordable options can be difficult to obtain. Edible gardens comprised of native plants can help to close the food gap by making fresh produce available for the community.

Edible gardens provide local, in-season fruits, vegetables and nuts — from walnuts and serviceberries to wild onions and paw paws. They can vary in size, so even a small area like a rooftop, vacant lot or office park courtyard could host an edible garden.

In addition to the obvious benefits of providing food, edible gardens also offer an opportunity for community involvement and education. Partnering with local community centers, schools, youth-serving organizations or food banks can help ensure that an edible garden has gardeners to tend to it and beneficiaries who can enjoy the harvest.

These lesser-known benefits of native plants illustrate their wide-ranging capabilities, so the next time you’re looking for some plants to include in your workplace or backyard garden that will have a great impact on the environment — and beyond — pick native plants.

https://tandemglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/LS_black-eyed-Susans_TVA-3-scaled.jpg 1536 2048 Patricia Leidemer https://tandemglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/tandem-global-logo-exp.svg Patricia Leidemer2024-07-11 12:20:432024-07-11 12:20:43Decrease Lightning Strikes and Four More Surprising Benefits of Native Plantings

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