White Paper | Trees at Work | Driving Conservation, Equity and Empowerment through Urban and Community Forestry

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BETHESDA, MD, March 3, 2022 – Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) offers a new white paper available for download today, Trees at Work | Driving Conservation, Equity and Empowerment through Urban and Community Forestry (UCF). The white paper is sponsored by Ontario Power Generation and is available for free on our website.

This white paper serves as an extension of the WHC Across Fence Lines initiative, a U.S. Forest Service-funded effort focused on engaging corporations in a best-in-class, community-centered approach to urban and community forestry.  

A Prime Opportunity for Corporate Conservation

Trees in urban and suburban settings are increasingly being seen as critical infrastructure, bringing a variety of positive benefits to a rapidly urbanizing world. At the same time, people in the U.S. and other parts of the world are seeking solutions to the ongoing climate and biodiversity crises, and addressing long-overdue matters of socioeconomic and racial inequity that have disproportionately placed these environmental burdens on poor communities and communities of color.

This white paper explores some of the many ways that corporations around the world have utilized community forestry work to provide biodiversity uplift, ecosystem services and resident empowerment within a wide range of communities, as well as how strategic UCF projects can serve all three purposes. While the goals, environmental needs, and geographic and socioeconomic contexts of the following featured case studies vary greatly, a number of common practices — close attention to tree selection, awareness of local soil conditions, an interest in forming partnerships, a reverence for local community needs and a commitment to maintenance for long-term success — arise throughout.

Case Studies:

  • Stellantis: Stellantis Etobicoke Casting, Ontario, Canada
  • Bayer: Camaçari Site, Camaçari, Brazil
  • Waste Management: Waste Management-Michelin Campground Natural Area, Kentucky, U.S.A.
  • Kinder Morgan: Hartford Street Terminal, Florida, U.S.A.
  • Bridgestone: Aiken County Off Road Tire Plant, South Carolina, U.S.A.
  • Buzzi Unicem: Hercules Cement Company, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
  • CEMEX: Barahona Site, Barahona, Dominican Republic
  • General Motors: Colmotores Plant, Bogotá, Colombia
  • DuPont: Experimental Station Laboratories, Delaware, U.S.A.
  • Marathon: Detroit Refinery, Michigan, U.S.A.

Sponsored by Ontario Power Generation, this white paper includes an introduction from Aaron Del Pino, Vice-President – Environment, Health & Safety, Ontario Power Generation, who states, “Trees, shrubs, and forest habitats mitigate the effects of climate change and are critical to supporting biodiversity by providing food and shelter for a variety of wildlife.”  

About Wildlife Habitat Council: 

For 33 years, WHC has been promoting and certifying ecological stewardship action on corporate lands through partnerships and education. Since only 10-15% of the world’s land surface is protected, private lands provide an essential opportunity for restoring and protecting biodiversity. As the only international conservation NGO focused exclusively on the private sector, WHC provides a framework for voluntary conservation action on a wide variety of corporate lands. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations seeking to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them. These efforts have resulted in more than 1,000 certified programs across 47 states and 28 countries. 

Breathing Life into Engineering: An Introduction to Green Infrastructure

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As climate change and other environmental crises escalate worldwide, individuals, businesses and communities everywhere are exploring ways to adapt to these challenges. While some are focused on solving these problems through technological advances, many others are looking to nature for inspiration, and with good reason: from bumblebees that developed long tongues to drink from tubular blooms to cacti that evolved to store water, the natural world has much to teach us about adaptation.   

Engineered solutions that utilize natural processes to address environmental issues are known as green infrastructure. Green infrastructure typically uses the carbon sequestration, water filtration and temperature moderation abilities of healthy soil and native vegetation to manage challenges like stormwater runoff, urban heat island effect and atmospheric carbon. Unlike conventional responses to these issues, such as shoreline hardening or carbon capture technology, green infrastructure provides many co-benefits to people and wildlife and, if properly constructed and maintained, can often provide cost savings in the long term.  

The most common forms of green infrastructure include:  

Living walls and green façades  

While we often conflate the idea of “green space” with “open space,” native plants that are integrated into a built environment still bring big benefits in the form of increased air quality, improved mental wellness and habitat for pollinators. Such plantings are especially important in cities, many of which are experiencing rapid growth and, with it, habitat loss.  

Living walls (which feature grasses, perennials or shrubs planted right into walls or freestanding vertical structures) and green façades (where native vines, planted into the ground, are allowed to climb up a building’s walls) have become a popular way to benefit the environment with limited space, while also providing temperature and noise control, both indoors and around a building.   

Key considerations: If not properly managed, the roots of living walls and green façades can impact a building’s structural integrity, so before installation, it is important to discuss plant selection and maintenance strategies with an experienced contractor. Most living walls contain built-in irrigation systems, and companies in areas with severe winters may want to consider a modular wall design, which allows for panels of plants to be removed and brought inside during cold snaps.  

Learn more: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting green infrastructure, including living walls, throughout North America. Their website features educational resources and a directory of professional contractors across the continent.  

Green roofs 

Rooftop runoff often contains contaminants such as heavy metals, dust and bacteria, which, during heavy rain events, can overflow from gutters or sewers into waterways.  

Roofs planted with vegetation, known as green roofs, have become a popular way to address this issue. The soil and plants on a green roof can absorb up to 80% of rainfall, reducing the burden on sewage systems while also moderating building and outdoor air temperatures, extending the life of roofs, and creating habitat for birds and pollinators.  

Key considerations: Green roof creation entails either adding pre-planted trays to a roof, or planting vegetation atop layers of insulation and soil. Depending on the method used, and the depth of the soil, green roofs can accommodate succulents, grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and even trees. Since these installations add weight to roofs, it is important to consult with an experienced engineer or contractor before getting started, and to have the roof maintained and inspected regularly.  

Learn more: The Green Roof Research Center at Penn State, which tests the performance and benefits of green roofs across campus, is the only research center of its kind in North America. The center’s website features extensive research on best practices for roof creation and maintenance. 

Bioswales and rain gardens 

As with roofs, the impervious materials used in sidewalks, driveways and parking lots can lead to contaminated runoff, containing motor oil, road salt and pesticides, entering waterways.  

Rain gardens and bioswales, which feature native vegetation planted in a depression, capture and filter this runoff before it returns to the water table or a nearby waterway. By capturing stormwater or slowing its flow, these installations also decrease the risk of flooding and erosion. Although bioswales and rain gardens serve similar purposes, they differ in design. Rain gardens are designed to draw water directly down into the soil. Although bioswales’ soil and plants do absorb some stormwater, their sloped design is meant to redirect much of the runoff toward a drain — or into a connected rain garden!  

Key considerations: Rain gardens are best suited for areas with fast-draining soil — creating one in clay or other poorly drained soil can result in pools of stagnant water, which are conducive to mosquito breeding. Gardens should also be kept at least 10 feet away from buildings to protect foundations from water seepage. Management of rain gardens and bioswales will be similar to that of other native gardens (e.g., watering during the first year, invasive species control), although teams may wish to put more effort toward soil health to ensure proper drainage (check out WHC’s healthy soils webinar for inspiration). 

Learn more: A local agricultural extension office is a good resource for researching the soil types and native plants found in your area. The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture website contains a state-by-state extension directory.  

Living shorelines  

About 40% of the world’s population lives within 90 miles of the ocean, and eight of the world’s 10 largest cities are in coastal regions. To protect properties in these areas against storm surges, erosion and the looming threat of sea level rise, many governments and private landowners have turned to shoreline hardening solutions like seawalls and bulkheads. This type of gray infrastructure, however, decreases habitat for aquatic wildlife that depends on coastal vegetation, and can exacerbate erosion along unprotected parts of the coast.  

As such, many landowners are choosing to instead fortify their coasts with living shorelines. This approach involves installing oyster reefs or planting native marsh vegetation to weaken breaking waves while also trapping sediment to counteract any erosion that does occur, helping to protect properties while also fostering healthy coastal habitat.  

Key considerations: In areas with a high flooding risk, a living shoreline alone may not provide sufficient protection. Coastal fortification should, in these cases, be approached as a continuum, with intermediate options (such as combining a small stone breakwater with coastal vegetation) often being the best course of action. Depending on the scale of a living shoreline project, it may be necessary to obtain both a state-level permit and one from the Army Corps of Engineers. A local marine contractor can help you navigate this process.  

Learn more: The NOAA website features a wide variety of resources on living shorelines, including pricing and permitting information, case studies of successful projects and, for high-risk areas, guidance on combining green and gray infrastructure.      

Next Steps 

Installing green infrastructure, especially projects that require permits or inspections, is a big decision that requires thorough research and planning. Once implemented, however, these projects provide invaluable environmental, economic and social benefits. To demonstrate how companies across the country have implemented green infrastructure and other nature-based solutions, WHC has published white papers on natural climate solutions and green infrastructure. For insights on starting a green infrastructure project of your own, read our stakeholder-informed project guidance or contact WHC Consulting today. 

Read more WHC blogs. 

WHC presents 2021 Ibis Award to the Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant

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SILVER SPRING, MD, December 6, 2021 – Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) has announced the winner of the 2021 Ibis Award — the Stellantis Windsor (Ont.) Assembly Plant. The Ibis Award recognizes a WHC-Certified program that has demonstrated resilience of spirit and advancement of conservation despite lockdowns, quarantines and additional government-mandated regulations.  

Since 2009, the plant has hosted educational events, such as tree plantings, for Windsor residents. The work performed by community members at these events has been a critical part of the company’s efforts to address the lack of urban tree canopy in the Windsor area. Participants, most of whom have been students, have helped plant 1,500 trees across the property. 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, local regulations prevented Windsor Assembly Plant employees from organizing large-scale community events. Despite these barriers, the team remained committed to providing high-quality environmental education experiences for colleagues and Windsor residents.  

“We are very proud and thankful to receive the Ibis award from the Wildlife Habitat Council in recognition of our efforts to help promote a positive and sustainable environmental footprint within Windsor and Essex County,” said Jon Desjardins, Windsor Assembly Plant Manager. “Faced with unprecedented challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic this past year, our employees and the Unifor Local 444 Joint Workplace Committee demonstrated commendable resiliency in overcoming those obstacles and carrying out the hallmark initiatives of the conservation program for our colleagues and local youth in the community. We are grateful for their efforts in making our world and our environment a better place.” 

The Windsor team opted to pivot from large-scale events to planning activities that participants of all ages could complete in an independent, socially distanced manner. The activities provided opportunities for creativity and outdoor exploration during a challenging time. Educational offerings included:  

  • Coping with Covid artwork: participants created and submitted environmentally themed art. 
  • Tree identification: participants explored the plant’s grounds and took note of various native tree species. 
  • Virtual geocaching: instead of finding a hidden box on-site, participants were provided with a link where they could upload pictures of themselves taking pro-environmental actions.  
  • Photography contest, Native or Invasive: participants photographed plants, birds, fish and animals, and determined if they were native to the Windsor area.  
  • Treasure hunt with a twist: using a map and written, pirate-themed clues, participants navigated to an on-site pollinator habitat and planted additional milkweed seeds. 

Participants would send proof of participation to the activity organizers, who received as many as 125 submissions per activity, a figure comparable to the 130-person turnout for the team’s pre-pandemic planting events. While the organizers received submissions from everyone from preschoolers to site employees, most of the participants were secondary school students. The teens could use the activities to fulfill community service hours required for graduation, during a time when pandemic-related closures made finding volunteer work difficult. Extra credit was given to students who participated in habitat enhancement work, such as planting native wildflowers or trees, and submitted proof to the organizers.  

Speaking to the Stellantis team’s resiliency, WHC President Margaret O’Gorman said, “By exercising flexibility and remaining sensitive to local needs, the Windsor team has not only been able to maintain their conservation program but has also grown its decades-long relationship with the greater Windsor community.”  

In addition to the Ibis Award, the team’s efforts have been commended by Stellantis’ corporate offices, the Windsor municipal government and a local museum. Given this praise, and the overwhelmingly positive comments from participants and their parents, the Windsor team intends to continue offering self-directed educational activities, even when organized events become possible again.  

About Wildlife Habitat Council
Wildlife Habitat Council partners with corporations, fellow conservation organizations, government agencies and community members to empower and recognize wildlife habitat and conservation education programs. Our members are environmental leaders at local, national and global levels, voluntarily managing their lands to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them. Since 1988, WHC has certified more than 1,000 habitat and education programs worldwide; WHC Conservation Certification programs can be found in 47 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, and 25 countries. To learn more, visit http://tandemglobal.org or follow @WildlifeHC on Twitter. 

About Stellantis
Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) is one of the world’s leading automakers and a mobility provider, guided by a clear vision to offer freedom of movement with distinctive, affordable and reliable mobility solutions. In addition to the Group’s rich heritage and broad geographic presence, its greatest strengths lie in its sustainable performance, depth of experience and the wide-ranging talents of employees working around the globe. Stellantis will leverage its broad and iconic brand portfolio, which was founded by visionaries who infused the brands with passion and a competitive spirit that speaks to employees and customers alike. Stellantis aspires to become the greatest, not the biggest, while creating added value for all stakeholders, as well as the communities in which it operates. 

Follow company news and video on:
Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Company website: www.stellantis.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/Stellantis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellantisna 
Twitter: @StellantisNA 
YouTube: 

http://youtube.com/StellantisNA

 

WHC and SP Receive EPA Award to Promote Pollution Prevention in Southeastern U.S. Auto Industry

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SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 18, 2021 – Corporate conservation organization Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) and automotive industry environmental sustainability association Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) will receive $68,000 in funding from the EPA Region 4 Source Reduction Assistance (SRA) Grant Program, an initiative that supports pollution prevention (P2) efforts in the American Southeast. The award will be used to explore and promote nature-based solutions (NbS) that address pollution prevention within the region’s automotive industry and across the supply chain.

The SRA grant will allow WHC and SP to expand on their longtime collaboration, which was formalized through a memorandum of understanding in October 2018. Together, the two organizations have already made strides in addressing global environmental challenges, with WHC providing technical support to the SP Biodiversity Work Group Pollinator Challenge which, as of 2019, has resulted in SP members collectively managing over 2,400 acres of pollinator habitat on their corporate lands.

With the SRA funding comes a new opportunity for WHC and SP to engage collaborating automotive companies with a presence in Region 4, such as Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Lear Corporation, Toyota Motor North America and others, through a series of P2-oriented workshops.

“Calls to address both pollution and biodiversity loss are quickly increasing,” says Sara Cook, Senior Manager, Conservation Strategies, WHC. “This award represents a chance for our organizations to explore and implement solutions that will speak to both challenges, using our respective experiences and professional networks to scale up impact across the nation and beyond.”

WHC and SP’s efforts will be implemented over the course of a two-year period, with the first workshops to be developed in early 2022. Workshop attendees will work to identify methods and opportunities for the automotive sector to reduce pollution by implementing NbS and will learn about the co-benefits of nature-based P2 work.

Kellen Mahoney, Program Director of SP says, “these workshops will empower automotive manufacturers, and their suppliers, to drive industry-wide change while also working toward company and facility-level sustainability goals.” The work done during the grant period will ultimately result in the development of key P2-related metrics and performance areas and the characterization of the P2 potential of lands managed by the automotive industry.

About SP

The Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) is an association of automakers and their suppliers working in collaboration with the US EPA and other governmental entities toward a shared vision of an automotive industry with positive environmental impact. To learn more, visit www.supplierspartnership.org

About WHC

Wildlife Habitat Council partners with corporations, their employees, fellow conservation organizations, government agencies and community members to recognize and encourage wildlife habitat projects for conservation, education, and recreation. To learn more, visit www.wildlifehc.org

For More Information

Sara Cook | Wildlife Habitat Council | 480.621.9055

Kellen Mahoney | Suppliers Partnership for the Environment | 202.530.0096

New White Paper: Fostering Corporate-Community Relations through Meaningful Engagement

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SILVER SPRING, MD, October 14, 2021 – Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) offers a new white paper available for download today, Fostering Corporate-Community Relations through Meaningful Engagement. The white paper is sponsored by Stellantis and is available for free on our website.  

As the current biodiversity and climate crises become more dire, and more opportunities for the private sector to address these issues arise, expectations for companies to act quickly, transparently and in conjunction with scientific consensus will continue to grow. Community engagement allows the public to observe, and often participate in, corporate and facility-level responses to these environmental threats, and helps companies establish, maintain or restore social license to operate.   

Depending on a region’s environmental, cultural and socioeconomic contexts, engagement efforts can take many forms, from teaching youth how to help the wildlife in their backyards to promoting environmental equity by ensuring that a conservation project creates value for marginalized communities. Regardless of the approach taken, an awareness of community needs is key. To illustrate the breadth of options for community engagement, the case studies featured in the white paper represent many industries and regions, including:   

  • Bacardi-Martini USA: Puerto Rico – Cataño, Puerto Rico 
  • Boeing: Santa Susana Field Laboratory – California, U.S.A. 
  • CEMEX: Tepeaca – Puebla, Mexico 
  • Covia: Huntersville Office – North Carolina, U.S.A. 
  • Crestwood Midstream: FBIR Grassland Reclamation – North Dakota, U.S.A. 
  • Exelon Corporation: Nine Mile Point Nuclear Power Station – New York, U.S.A. 
  • General Motors: World Headquarters – Michigan, U.S.A. 
  • Ontario Power Generation: Western Waste Management Facility & Bruce Complex – Ontario, Canada 
  • Opel Automobile: Opel Manufacturing Poland Sp. z.o.o. Gliwice – Śląskie, Poland  
  • Waste Management: Twin Bridges Recycling & Disposal Facility – Indiana, U.S.A. 

Sponsored by Stellantis, this white paper includes a forward from the company which states, “There is no question that corporations must coexist with local communities to enhance, lift up and support the neighborhoods in which they do business…We’re listening to our neighbors and working with them to improve the quality of life for people who live and work here.”  

About Wildlife Habitat Council: 

For 33 years, WHC has been promoting and certifying ecological stewardship action on corporate lands through partnerships and education. Since only 10-15% of the world’s land surface is protected, private lands provide an essential opportunity for restoring and protecting biodiversity. As the only international conservation NGO focused exclusively on the private sector, WHC provides a framework for voluntary conservation action on a wide variety of corporate lands. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations seeking to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them. These efforts have resulted in more than 1,000 certified programs across 47 states and 28 countries. 

New White Paper: WHC White Paper Supporting the Global Pollinator Population through Local Action

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SILVER SPRING, MD, JUNE 23, 2021 – Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) offers a new white paper available for download today, Supporting the Global Pollinator Population Through Local Action. The white paper is sponsored by BASF and is available for free on our website.  

This publication serves as an extension of the 2016 WHC white paper, Prioritizing Pollinators in Corporate America: How Companies Can Align Their Business Needs with the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. The new release provides an update on the prior publication’s focal species (bees and butterflies in the U.S.), while also exploring the conservation efforts of companies around the world, as well as efforts that focus on lesser-known pollinators like moths, nectivorous bats, hummingbirds and beetles.  

In the time since Prioritizing Pollinators in Corporate America was published, the need to support the world’s pollinators has, in many ways, grown more dire, as evidenced by the declining numbers indicated in recent monarch butterfly counts and studies on bee populations. As pollinators are key to global biodiversity, food security and economic prosperity, it is critical to reverse these losses now.  

Fortunately, pollinator conservation can be conducted on properties of any size, and in every geographic region. Pollinator projects are, therefore, one of the most accessible and popular forms of corporate conservation, and companies worldwide are taking local action to rectify this global issue. Featured case studies include:   

  • Covia: Planta Lampazos – Nuevo León, Mexico 
  • DTE Energy: Washington-10 Compressor Station – Michigan, U.S.A 
  • ExxonMobil: ElectroPhos – Florida, U.S.A 
  • Freeport-McMoRan: Copper Queen Branch – Arizona, U.S.A 
  • General Motors: GM Powertrain Uzbekistan – Tashkent, Uzbekistan  
  • ITC Holdings: ITC Transmission Line Right-of-Way at Chippewa Nature Center – Michigan, U.S.A 
  • Marathon Petroleum Corporation: Galveston Bay Refinery – Texas, U.S.A 
  • Waste Management: Kirby Canyon Recycling and Disposal Facility – California, U.S.A 

Sponsored by BASF, this white paper includes a forward from the company which states, “Together, with the Wildlife Habitat Council and its member companies, BASF is transforming its dedication to wildlife stewardship and habitat enhancement into sustainable programs. We will continue to support this important work and encourage our employees, community volunteers and like-minded companies to do the same.” 

About Wildlife Habitat Council: 

For 33 years, WHC has been promoting and certifying ecological stewardship action on corporate lands through partnerships and education. Since only 10-15% of the world’s land surface is protected, private lands provide an essential opportunity for restoring and protecting biodiversity. As the only international conservation NGO focused exclusively on the private sector, WHC provides a framework for voluntary conservation action on a wide variety of corporate lands. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations seeking to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them. These efforts have resulted in more than 1,000 certified programs across 47 states and 28 countries. 

2021 WHC Awards Announced at WHC Conservation Conference

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SILVER SPRING, MD, JUNE 9, 2021 – Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) announced the winners of its 2021 WHC Awards during WHC Conservation Conference, held virtually on June 8-9. The WHC Awards honor excellence in corporate conservation; recipients include both national and international companies across a variety of industry sectors. 

This year’s top awards, signifying leadership in conservation, were won by Waste Management, Bayer and Ontario Power Generation. 

“WHC members, including Waste Management, Bayer and Ontario Power Generation lead by example, demonstrating the business case for conservation through their on-site actions and outreach efforts,” said Margaret O’Gorman, President, WHC. “Around the world, companies, programs and project teams are utilizing private lands to enact the nature-based solutions that are so critical to the global biodiversity and climate crises. It is an honor to recognize many leaders in corporate conservation through the WHC Awards.”  

Waste Management received the 2021 WHC Corporate Conservation Leadership Award. This award honors one company’s overall achievement in conservation efforts and signifies an exemplary level of corporate commitment to biodiversity and conservation education, and meaningful alignments with global conservation objectives. 

The Employee Engagement Award, given to Bayer, recognizes a company’s involvement in conservation through the sheer force of its employee teams who participate in its habitat and conservation education activities. 

Ontario Power Generation won the Gold Tier Program Award, which honors the overall conservation depth of one exceptional program, for the conservation efforts of its Western Waste Management Facility and Bruce Complex in Ontario, Canada.  

In addition to these corporate and program-level awards, individual projects are recognized for excellence in each of the WHC Project Guidance themes. This award category, presented by Boeing, offers projects of all sizes the ability to compete for recognition.  

Waste Management was the year’s most honored company, picking up four awards, including the WHC Corporate Conservation Leadership Award and three project awards (Pollinators, Landscaped, and Awareness and Engagement) for the conservation and education efforts of Bucks County Landfills, located in Pennsylvania.  

The following is a complete list of 2021 WHC Award Winners: 

WHC Corporate Conservation Leadership Award
Waste Management 

WHC Employee Engagement Award
Bayer 

WHC Gold Program Award
Ontario Power Generation, Western Waste Management Facility & Bruce Complex  |  Ontario, Canada 

WHC Avian Project Award
Vulcan Materials Company, Havre De Grace Quarry  |  Havre De Grace, Maryland U.S.A. 

WHC Awareness & Engagement Project Award
Waste Management of PA, Bucks County Landfills  |  Morrisville, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. 

WHC Bats Project Award
Freeport-McMoRan Inc., Unidad de Producción Cerro Verde|   Arequipa, Arequipa, Peru 

WHC Forests Project Award
CEMEX, Las Salinas & Laguna Cabral (República Dominicana)   |   Las Salinas, Barahona, Dominican Republic 

WHC Formal Learning Project Award
Bridgestone Americas, Inc., Aiken County Off Road Tire Plant   |    Trenton, South Carolina, U.S.A. 

WHC Grasslands Project Award
Crestwood Midstream, FBIR Grassland Reclamation   |   Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, North Dakota, U.S.A. 

WHC Green Infrastructure Project Award
Davey Resource Group, Inc., WSSI Native Habitat   |   Gainesville, Virginia, U.S.A. 

 WHC Invasive Species Project Award
CRH Americas Materials, Inc., Gravette Quarry Site   |   Gravette, Arkansas, U.S.A. 

WHC Landscaped Project Award
Waste Management of PA, Bucks County Landfills   |   Morrisville, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. 

WHC Mammals Project Award
Vulcan Materials Company, Conservation of biodiversity and environmental services in the Mesoamerican Reef   |   Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico 

WHC Marine Intertidal Project Award
BP, Cherry Point Refinery |   Blaine, Washington, U.S.A. 

WHC Other Habitats Project Award
California Resources Corporation, Elk Hills Conservation Area|   Tupman, California, U.S.A. 

WHC Pollinators Project Award
Waste Management of PA, Bucks County Landfills    |   Morrisville, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. 

WHC Remediation Project Award
The Boeing Company, Santa Susana Field Laboratory|   Canoga Park, California, U.S.A. 

WHC Reptiles & Amphibians Project Award
CRH Americas Materials, Inc., Dufferin Aggregates Acton Quarry|   Concord, Ontario, Canada 

WHC Rocky Areas Project Award
Exelon, Goat Hill Serpentine Barrens Restoration   |   Nottingham, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. 

WHC Species of Concern Project Award
Freeport-McMoRan Inc., Unidad de Producción Cerro Verde|   Arequipa, Arequipa, Peru 

WHC Training Project Award
ITC Holdings, Transmission Line Right-of-Way at Tomlinson Arboretum|   Clinton Township, Michigan, U.S.A. 

WHC Wetlands & Water Bodies Project Award
Exelon, Morton Wetland   |   Morton, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. 

Award finalists and winners were chosen from Conservation Certification applications submitted from July 15, 2020 – December 31, 2020 that were granted certification. Information on award criteria can be found here. 

About Wildlife Habitat Council  

For 33 years, WHC has been promoting and certifying ecological stewardship action on corporate lands through partnerships and education. Since only 10-15% of the world’s land surface is protected, private lands provide an essential opportunity for restoring and protecting biodiversity. As the only international conservation NGO focused exclusively on the private sector, WHC provides a framework for voluntary conservation action on a wide variety of corporate lands. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations seeking to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them. These efforts have resulted in more than 1,000 certified programs across 47 states and 28 countries. 

New White Paper: Private Sector Potential for Community-First Climate Action

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SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 11, 2021 – Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) offers a new white paper available for download today, Leveraging the Power of Nature: Private Sector Potential for Community-First Climate Action. The white paper is sponsored by Cleveland-Cliffs and is available for free in our White Paper library.

Since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2016, more attention has been given to the critical role that nature must play in curbing climate change and helping humans and the environment withstand the unpredictable events that a changing climate will bring.

Actions that restore or manage ecosystems in the name of climate action are known as Natural Climate Solutions (NCS), a subset of Nature-Based Solutions. By adopting these practices on their lands, corporate landowners can help sequester carbon in their soil and vegetation and increase local resiliency to climate change, while empowering community members to do the same.

Given the co-benefits associated with acts like enhancing habitat or installing green infrastructure, corporate landowners worldwide are already employing NCS, even if their stated goals speak to other environmental needs. This white paper explores NCS in a wide range of industrial, geographic and environmental contexts, and the organizations featured reflect this diversity. Case studies include:

  • Bayer: Luling Plant – Louisiana, U.S.A
  • DTE Energy: River Rouge Power Plant – Michigan, U.S.A
  • ExxonMobil: Kearl – Alberta, Canada
  • Fidelity Investments: Smithfield – Rhode Island, U.S.A
  • Freeport-McMoRan: PTFI – Papua, Indonesia
  • General Motors: Wentzville Assembly Center – Missouri, U.S.A
  • Toyota Motor North America: Toyota Motor Manufacturing – Alabama, U.S.A
  • Waste Management: Orchard Ridge Recycling and Disposal Facility – Wisconsin, U.S.A

Sponsored by Cleveland-Cliffs, this white paper includes a forward from the company which states, “There is no denying that one of the most important issues impacting our planet is climate change. The American steel industry is already among the cleanest and most energy-efficient in the world, but we know that Cleveland-Cliffs can and must do more. As a result, Cleveland-Cliffs recently announced our plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 25% by 2030 from 2017 levels, across all of our Cleveland-Cliffs operations.”

About Wildlife Habitat Council:

For 33 years, WHC has been promoting and certifying ecological stewardship action on corporate lands through partnerships and education. Since only 10-15% of the world’s land surface is protected, private lands provide an essential opportunity for restoring and protecting biodiversity. As the only international conservation NGO focused exclusively on the private sector, WHC provides a framework for voluntary conservation action on a wide variety of corporate lands. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations seeking to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them. These efforts have resulted in more than 1,000 certified programs across 47 states and 28 countries.

Sheryl Telford of Chemours Announced as New WHC Board Chair

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April 29, 2021 – Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) announces the appointment of Sheryl Telford as the new Chair of the WHC Board of Directors. She succeeds Bill Cobb of Freeport-McMoRan, who remains on Board as Immediate Past Chair, Executive Committee.

Sheryl was recently appointed as Chief Sustainability Officer at The Chemours Company, and continues to serve as Vice President Environment, Health and Safety. She has more than three decades of experience in the environmental, safety and health fields in the government, utility and chemistry sectors.

“I am most grateful for Bill Cobb’s four years’ of service as Board Chair and welcome Sheryl for her keen insights into the ever-changing global corporate landscape and her knowledge of the value WHC can bring to corporate citizenship, sustainability, and reporting efforts,” said Margaret O’Gorman, President, WHC.

Adds Sheryl, “The work of WHC and its members makes a difference in our fight to save biodiversity around the world. I’m proud and excited to work with the outstanding people at WHC and lead the Board to further advance our positive impact.”

Other new WHC Board appointments include Connie Hergert, Vice President Real Estate & Environment of Ontario Power Generation, who will now serve as Secretary/Treasurer, and Matt Kolesar, ExxonMobil, joining the board.

The full WHC Board List is as follows:

Sheryl A. Telford, Chief Sustainability Officer & Vice President of EHS, The Chemours Company
Chair

Laurie Davies Adams, President and CEO, Pollinator Partnership
Vice Chair

Connie Hergert, Vice President Real Estate & Environment, Ontario Power Generation
Secretary-Treasurer

William E. Cobb, Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer, Freeport-McMoRan, Inc.
Immediate Past Chair

Kevin Butt, Senior Director, Environmental Sustainability, Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
Past Chair

Bill Brady, Vice President, Corporate Environmental Strategy, Exelon Corporation

Greg Cekander, Vice President of Environmental Management Group, Waste Management

Edan Dionne, Vice President, Environmental, Energy & Chemical Management Programs, IBM Corporation

John Hay, Senior Vice President Government Relations, CRH Americas Materials, Inc.

Andy Hoffman, Holcim (US) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise, University of Michigan

Alan Kreisberg, Independent Consultant

Matthew Kolesar, Chief Environmental Scientist, ExxonMobil Corporation

Glen Kurowski, Head of Environmental Protection & Remediation Management, Corporate Health, Safety & Environment, Bayer

Chris Morgan, Filmmaker and Educator, Uproar

Mark Patterson, Vice President, Environment, Health and Safety Services, USA, BASF Corporation

Shawn P. Patterson, Vice President, Environmental Management & Safety, DTE Energy

Gregory Ronczka, Vice President, Environment & Sustainability, Lehigh Hanson

Greg Rose, Director of Environment, Health & Safety, Stellantis

William Steers, Independent Member

New White Paper Conservation and Community Through Site-Specific Reclamation

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SILVER SPRING, MD, January 5, 2021 – Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) offers a new white paper available for download today, Conservation and Community Through Site-Specific Reclamation – End uses that encourage native species prosperity and connect to local and regional needs. The white paper is sponsored by Chemours and is available for free on our website.

The white paper explores the ways in which companies can exceed regulatory reclamation requirements after their extraction, processing or disposal activities have ceased in an area. The programs featured in the paper have used mandatory reclamation work to support voluntary habitat and community engagement projects, including:
  • Albemarle: Kings Mountain Pollinator Habitat
  • CEMEX: Lipówka Quarry Restored to Nature and Canteras Norte, Sur, Zona 3 y Zona 4
  • Covia Holdings Corporation: Dividing Creek
  • Dow Chemical Company: Sault Ste. Marie
  • ExxonMobil: Joliet Refinery
  • Freeport-McMoRan: Henderson Operations
  • Summit Materials: Hamm Sanitary Landfill
  • Vulcan Materials Company: Azusa Rock
It’s hard to find a human activity that does not rely on the extraction, transport, processing or disposal of natural resources. While these activities can lead to some degree of habitat fragmentation or pollution while a facility is active, the reclamation work that takes place after operations cease creates new opportunities for habitat creation and connectivity, as well as unique ways to engage the surrounding community. Although each sector has its own considerations when conducting reclamation, the nature-based solutions featured in this white paper offer insights that can benefit any industry.
About Wildlife Habitat Council:
For 33 years, WHC has been promoting and certifying ecological stewardship action on corporate lands through partnerships and education. Since only 10-15% of the world’s land surface is protected, private lands provide an essential opportunity for restoring and protecting biodiversity. As the only international conservation NGO focused exclusively on the private sector, WHC provides a framework for voluntary conservation action on a wide variety of corporate lands. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations seeking to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them. These efforts have resulted in more than 1,000 certified programs across 47 states and 28 countries.