Together, WHC and The Earth Lab Will Cross New Frontiers

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When organizations with aligned goals collaborate, opportunities arise for both to expand their services and extend their reach. That’s why WHC is joining forces with The Earth Lab (TEL), a Mexico City-based consulting group that specializes in the development and third-party certification of environmental projects. The new partnership aims to supercharge the environmental work that both groups are already doing throughout the Americas, by enabling TEL to work biodiversity into their services and by providing WHC with new opportunities for transcreation.  

The Right Partnership at the Right Time 

In its 30+ years of supporting and recognizing conservation efforts on corporate lands, WHC has worked with companies in Mexico and throughout Central and South America, including CEMEX, General Motors and Bayer, among others. “Our important work in this region has been successful due in no small part to the collaboration with these companies and the communities they operate in,” said Sara Cook, Director, WHC. “A partnership with TEL was a logical next step to developing more positive and meaningful impacts in the region by providing culturally and regionally relevant resources.” 

Since 2006, TEL has helped organizations throughout Mexico develop and implement over 250 sustainable development projects, many of which have obtained certification in carbon neutrality or sustainable design. Currently, TEL works with organizations in the Americas and Europe to expand into new areas, and to help their partners do the same, with a goal to strengthen the link between businesses, communities and environmental causes.  

Focus Area: Ejidos 

A main focus of TEL’s work involves supporting the sustainability goals of ejidos (communally operated agriculture ventures that make up over half of Mexico’s territory). With financial and legal assurance from Ban.CO2 de Carbono Mestizo (BCO2M) and operational support from TEL, ejidos throughout Mexico are carefully managing their lands with the purpose of selling carbon credits. By linking these collectives to WHC’s technical resources and helping them achieve WHC Conservation Certification®, TEL hopes to enhance this land stewardship even further. Ejido lands are located throughout the country, so the partnership will allow WHC and TEL to support the conservation of a variety of ecosystems — from coastal mangroves that are home to jaguars, coastal birds and reef species to northern pine forests that shelter and provide food for coyotes, owls and rattlesnakes. Jorge Calderon, Founder and Director, TEL, said, “Though our collaborative work in these regions, we aim to become pioneers in joint conservation projects for endangered species.”  

Focus Area: Biodiversity Data Collection 

While Mexico only covers about 1% of the earth’s landmass, it accounts for 10% of the planet’s biodiversity, making it a crucial area for conservation. With few public conservation lands and a lack of monitoring at the species and ecosystem levels, it has been challenging to track biodiversity and biodiversity loss. In response, communities have started to collecting data with plans to compile the information into a larger biodiversity registry. With decades of experience capturing rigorous conservation data on private lands, WHC is well-equipped to support this pursuit.   

Focus Area: Habitat Connectivity 

Habitat connectivity is another growing concern in Mexico. Calderon said, “One of the main challenges is fragmentation caused by the expansion of urban centers,” but that wildlife corridors and connectivity initiatives are becoming more common. The U.S.–Mexico border is also host to many biodiversity hotspots, and parts of Mexico provide important overwintering habitat for species like the monarch butterfly, underscoring the needs for organizations in the two countries to work together. By sharing ideas, talents and resources, WHC and TEL are ready to heed this call. 

For more information on the TEL and WHC partnership, please contact: 

Read more WHC blogs.

Breaking the Cycle of Cicada Slander

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It’s time to look at this natural phenomenon as a feel–good show and not a horror movie 

Right now, countless (millions to trillions, depending on who you talk to) cicada nymphs in the mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions are waiting for the ground to thaw so that, once the ground temperature is about 64°F, they can emerge and find mates. They comprise Brood X, a periodical cicada brood we last saw in spring 2004.  

If you live in one of these areas, perhaps you’ve already seen articles, social media posts and tv segments about this brood, and you’ve probably noticed they’re peppered with words like swarm, infestation and ear-splitting. Cicadas often get confused for locusts, prompting references to biblical plagues and questions about cicada’s impact on crops and lawns. Even when articles concede that cicadas are harmless, they still fixate on their appearance and sheer numbers.  

It is true that Brood X (pronounced “Brood 10” and also known as the “Great Eastern Brood”) has, out of the 15 active broods of periodical cicadas, the largest range and concentration. It’s also true that the mating calls of male cicadas, when measured collectively, can reach 100dB (the equivalent of a lawnmower or motorcycle).  Additionally, it’s true that if we take the time to get to know our new cicada neighbors, we’ll find that there’s a lot to appreciate.  

What’s so special about periodical cicadas?  

In North America, cicadas, insects in a global superfamily with 3,000 species, are classified into two groups: annual and periodical. The nymphs of both develop underground, drinking sap from the roots of trees, emerging as adults to molt and produce young. Annual cicadas remain underground for two-five years but are so named because adults of their species can be found above ground every summer. Annual cicadas typically have smaller populations and are more adept at fleeing from predators. The vast majority of the world’s cicada species are annual cicadas. Outside of eastern North America, all cicada species appear every year, so the distinction between annual and periodical isn’t even made. 

There are seven periodical cicada species, which emerge as adults in 13 or 17-year intervals. If you live in a region that is home to these species then you are privy to one of the world’s most unique natural adaptations. Because periodical cicadas are not quick or agile, safety from predators is found in numbers.  

If the 13 and 17-year cycles seem like random numbers, there may be a reason for it. It has been suggested that cicadas emerge on those schedules (telling time by sensing intervals of fluid traveling in roots) because it’s difficult for predator species to similarly adapt long, prime-numbered lifecycles. Math and biology working together. 

In defense of cicadas 

While large and awkward looking, cicadas pose no threat to humans, and their impact on vegetation is minimal. Only young trees are at risk of being over-grazed, while they help prune older trees. Large broods are beneficial to soil health, as they infuse nutrients when they die and decompose. If planting saplings during a year when a cicada brood is expected, it’s advisable to wrap the young trees in netting, or to wait until late summer to plant them. Given the minimal impact that they have on plants, applying pesticides is unnecessary and such can harm cicada populations, as well as the animals (both wildlife and pets) that may eat them.  

Appreciating insect lifecycles 

If you live within Brood X’s limited range, take some time this spring to appreciate one of nature’s most fascinating spectacles. Nymph cases will litter the sidewalks, flying adults will always appear ready to crash land and the mating calls will punctuate the spring night but this once in a decade emergence is a reminder that nature in our back yards and city parks can be as amazing as anything in the Amazon or Antarctic. 

If you’re unlucky and out-of-range, there are likely other insects in your area with unique and under-appreciated lifecycles. For instance:  

  • Aphids can give birth to live young. In temperate areas, this typically happens throughout the summer, and then some species will lay eggs in the fall, when resources are scarcer. While humans view aphids as an agricultural pest, farmer ants depend on their secretions for food. These ants will collect aphid eggs and protect them throughout the winter, to ensure that they have a honeydew stock come spring. 
  • In the pupal stage, most insects are immobile, living underground or relying on camouflage for protection. Mosquito pupae, however, develop in open water. To counteract being in plain sight, mosquito pupae can sense danger and dive or swim away from predators. Once they reach adulthood, mosquitos become important pollinators to some plants with small, complex flowers, namely rare orchid species.    
  • Many butterfly and moth species can undergo diapause, which is the act of delaying development in response to subpar environmental conditions. Most species will wait a season or year before emerging, but yucca moths, which rely on Joshua trees and other yucca varieties, have been known to enter diapause for up to 30 years when faced with harsh enough temperatures or yucca scarcities.   

By 2038, when Brood X next appears, the way that we talk about cicadas will hopefully have changed. Ensuring that today’s youth gain an appreciation for insect lifecycles can help. Download our Invertebrate Life Cycle Game for an activity that you can conduct with your families or with students and youth groups that visit your workplace.  

Read more WHC blogs.

Raise a Glass to Wasps: 5 Reasons to Show Bugs Some Love This Valentine’s Day

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As Valentine’s Day approaches, florists, jewelers and chocolatiers are preparing for one of their busiest selling seasons. According to the National Retail Federation, in 2020 consumers added $27.4 billion to the economy via Valentine-related purchases. It’s a big day for retailers, but they’re not the only ones hard at work to make the holiday a success. We may not think of bugs as the most romantic of creatures, but they play a key role in the production of many traditional Valentine’s Day gifts. Here are five popular gifts that insects can help produce:  

 1. Roses 

Human-hybridized roses, like the double-flowered red variety we traditionally associate with Valentine’s Day, often have such tight petals that pollinators can’t reach the plant’s pollen. As a result, commercially grown ornamental roses are typically either self-pollinating, or are manually cross-pollinated by humans for certain qualities.  

In the wild, however, single-flowered wild roses are visited by many different bee, butterfly and bird species, making them an extremely versatile pollinator plant. If your sweetheart dreams of having their own rose garden, consider planting one using native varieties with simple, open blooms.  

2. Chocolate 

Chocolate is derived from the cacao tree, whose small, intricate flowers are pollinated by tiny flies in the biting midge, or no-see-um, family. Chocolate midges are native to dense, shady rainforests, and typically lay their eggs in leaf litter. They are not abundant in modern cacao plantations, in which cacao trees are more sparsely planted in forest clearings for ease of access. Trees pollinated by midges in natural settings are, however, significantly more productive.  

Small-scale, shade-grown cacao farms benefit biodiversity in many ways. Candy companies of all sizes are looking for ways to integrate the practice into their supply chain, with some companies purchasing shade trees for suppliers that have long farmed in clearings. In the future, you can expect to see more shade-grown chocolate in the supermarket.  

3. Perfume 

Pollinators are the ultimate fragrance connoisseurs. Plants that depend on cross-pollination draw in insect, bat and bird species with their enticing scents. Just as humans are drawn to perfumes and colognes in attractive packaging, the appearance of flowers also determines which pollinators are most likely to pay a visit.  

A common saying in the fragrance industry is that there is “no perfume without jasmine.” About 80% of commercial perfumes contain ingredients derived from jasmine flowers, typically from common jasmine (Jasminum officinale). This plant primarily grows in central Asia and is especially important to moths, which are drawn to its white flowers and the fragrance of jasmine, which is most potent at dusk.   

While the Jasminum family is not native to North America, nocturnal and crepuscular pollinators are generally attracted to plants with pale, clustered blooms that open around dusk — to support moths in your area, start by researching native flowers with these qualities.  

4. Gold 

Termites create mounds by both burrowing underground and building upwards. Researchers in Australia and Cambodia have recently examined how the above-ground structures they create can reflect the mineral composition of the earth below. The phenomenon is still being studied, but some operations have already begun surveying mounds to identify mining sites in a cost-efficient way that minimizes disturbance to land. They may not be welcome in your home, but we already know that termites play an important role as detritivores. We may soon be thanking them for our necklaces and watches, too.  

5. Wine 

Most grapes are self-pollinating, but wasps can still play important roles in wine production. California vineyards use parasitic wasps to take over the eggs of invasive glassy-winged sharpshooters, which spread disease to grapes. Additionally, when some wasp and hornet species feed on growing grapes, they leave remnants of brewer’s yeast in the fruit. This allows the fermentation process to start before grapes are even picked, resulting in wines with a more complex flavor. This Valentine’s Day consider supporting a vineyard that has adopted nature-based solutions in their pest control and grape cultivation practices, and raise a glass to wasps.  

While we think of things like flowers and their fragrance as Valentine’s Day luxuries, insects rely on these resources throughout the year. To show local bugs some love this February, consider the ways in which your workplace can support them. Pollinator projects are a popular way to accomplish this. To get you started, WHC has compiled a list of resources on our Celebrating Pollinators page.  

Read more WHC blogs.

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.

Mainstreaming Biodiversity: Challenges and Opportunities — A WHC Connect Recap

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“We cannot have a sound economic development without taking biodiversity as the other topic at the center of the journey” — Dominique Debecker, Solvay 

WHC Connect 2020 opened with the session Mainstreaming Biodiversity: Challenges and Opportunities, moderated by WHC President Margaret O’Gorman. In the private sector, mainstreaming entails integrating biodiversity across all operations and across all sectors.  

The three panelists were Ann Bartuska (Senior Advisor from Resources for the Future), Bill Cobb (Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer of Freeport-McMoRan and WHC Board Chair) and Dominique Debecker (Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer at Solvay).  

The session started with a discussion of the opportunities that Bill and Dominique had identified for mainstreaming biodiversity in their operations. Bill discussed the potential for investor pressure to drive companies’ biodiversity goals and foster a culture of transparency. He drew comparisons to successful investor pressure on corporate climate and water initiatives, concluding that it is time to make biodiversity the “next big thing” in the financial community.  

Consumer demand is another common sustainability driver. Solvay’s response to this demand involved identifying four ways in which operations put pressure on biodiversity and then selecting location-appropriate methods to alleviate each factor.  Dominique approaches these data-driven solutions as a central part of business, rather than as mere compliance or a decorative “cherry on top” of the company’s output.  

Ann discussed the considerations that the private sector should address now as they work toward mainstreaming biodiversity. She recommended that companies take a holistic approach, connecting biodiversity to other environmental matters and to social equity. She advised that conservation efforts should prioritize the well-being of entire habitats. 

Early in the Endangered Species Act’s history, Ann explained, conservation efforts commonly focused on individual species (often charismatic ones like the polar bear), particularly those living on public lands. The holistic strategy not only has greater potential for success, but also makes conservation accessible for organizations and individuals, as it inspires them to take action for the species living on their own corporate grounds, and in their own backyards.  

The discussion then turned to working biodiversity into supply chain sustainability matters. Bill indicated that this discourse is in an early stage but that there’s been more dialogue between different parts of the supply chain, looking to help each other. He foresees that, “In the next two to five years, this [topic] is going to become a much more significant part of our daily conversations.”  

Bill believes that this increased interest could partly be fueled by a desire to remain competitive in Europe, where, as Dominique elaborated, the European Green Deal was recently implemented, and where individuals, political parties and companies have been advocating for higher sustainability standards and robust disclosure frameworks.   

Before the session concluded, the conversation segued to the topics of biodiversity metrics, and frameworks like the IPBES. Margaret O’Gorman attributed the success of WHC in part to the simple metrics that the organization imparts to site participants from non-conservation backgrounds. Having accessible metrics is especially crucial given the many references the panelists made to the importance of site-level action.  

Due to the value of site-level work, it was critical for corporate locations to continue their conservation work despite the challenges that this year has posed. To support these efforts, WHC produced guidance for Conservation in a Time of Crisis and provisions for WHC Conservation Certification® applications.  

During this opening session, WHC presented the new Ibis Award to a program that has demonstrated resiliency of spirit and advancement of conservation despite shutdowns, quarantines and changes in the workplace. This award went to Bacardi Bottling Corporation in Jacksonville, Florida. A full list of 2020 WHC Award recipients and finalists can be found here.  

Recordings of Mainstreaming Biodiversity and all other WHC Connect 2020 sessions are now available on the WHC Website.   

Read more WHC blogs.

10 Amazing Pollinators You Might Not Know About

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When we think of pollinators, we most often visualize bees, butterflies and maybe hummingbirds. But pollinators – animals that pick up pollen on their bodies and transfer it from flower to flower as they travel in search of food (usually nectar) – come in many more types, shapes and sizes.  In fact, bees and butterflies only make up about a fifth of the 200,000 species of invertebrate pollinators that can be found around the world, while hummingbirds comprise only about a third of the roughly 1,000 vertebrate pollinators. Many other species of insects, birds, bats, lizards and even mammals have also been known to act as pollinators.

Here are 10 of the less commonly known, but just as important, pollinating species around the world:

  1. Hoverflies mimic the appearance of bees to scare off potential predators but are actually harmless. There are over 6,000 species of hoverflies around the globe, and they are considered one of the most important groups of pollinators.
  2. Lesser long-nosed bats and Mexican long-nosed bats in the southwest U.S. and Mexico pollinate agave (the key ingredient in tequila) as well as a number of other flowering desert plants like cacti. These nectar-eating bats are able to identify nectar-bearing flowers using a combination of sight, smell and echolocation.
  3. Carrion flies will sometimes visit flowers like the showy corpse flower that mimic the smell of their usual food source – dead animals and dung. Unfortunately for the flies, they do not get a nectar reward from the flowers, which instead trick the flies into pollinating them by luring them in with the smell.
  4. Hawkmoths are nocturnal, so they typically visit flowers that are open at night. There are over 1,400 species of hawkmoths, and several are often mistaken for hummingbirds because they hover in front of flowers while they feed, just like hummingbirds.
  5. Beetles were one of the first pollinators; fossil evidence suggests they were visiting cycad flowers about 150 million years ago, which is 50 million years before bees did. Beetles are still important pollinators today for a wide variety of flowering plants.
  6. Blue-tailed day geckos are the primary pollinators of several rare flowers, including the Trochetia tree, found only on the Mascarene islands in the Indian Ocean, and Roussea simplex, a woody vine found on the island of Mauritius. In fact, most lizard species that pollinate flowers occur on islands.
  7. Black-and-white ruffed lemurs are the largest known pollinators. Although it is not their primary food source, they will sometimes snack on the nectar of traveler’s palms, prying open the tough flower bracts and sticking their long snouts deep inside the blossom to lick up nectar, getting pollen all over themselves in the process.
  8. Elephant Shrews are a group of tiny mammals in Africa that are also occasional pollinators. The shrews, named for their long elephant-like snout, sometimes supplement their diet of ants and termites with nectar from a variety of plants like the pagoda lily.
  9. Honey Possums are a small mouse-like marsupial in southwest Australia with a very long tongue and pointed snout that help it feed on nectar and pollen of flowering shrubs and trees such as banksia and eucalyptus.
  10. Sunbirds are a group colorful birds in Africa, Asia and Australia with long, thin bills that allow them to reach the nectar deep inside the tubular flowers that other pollinators might not be able to access. Some of the other birds that specialize in eating nectar like this include hummingbirds, honeyeaters and honeycreepers.

Pollinator projects on corporate lands are one of the most accessible ways to create a valuable impact on biodiversity, from small-scale gardens to large pollinator-friendly remediation activities. Contact WHC Consulting to discuss how to develop new pollinator projects or improve current activities.

And visit our pollinator resource page to find a wide variety of the WHC resources available to help companies take action to protect pollinators, increase public awareness, and create pollinator-friendly habitat.

Read more WHC blogs.

The Role of Sustainability Reporting in Corporate Conservation – A Conservation Conference Recap

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Sustainability reporting is an important tool for companies to promote corporate responsibility and to display transparency to shareholders, stakeholders, employees and the general public. But the topic is still one that often gets mired in corporate-speak and isn’t directly connected with employees, stakeholders and customers.

That’s why at our 2019 WHC Conservation Conference, we decided to host a panel on the subject, and identify areas where companies can grow and improve.

The panel was the second most popular session at conference, with 102 people in attendance.

Matt Silveira, Sustainability and Public Affairs Manager at CEMEX, and one of the panelists, was struck by the number of questions and audience participation.

“Companies are under growing pressure to articulate how they are contributing to a more sustainable future and our topic addressed just that, how to leverage sustainability reporting to tell our story and inspire others,” he said.

Silveira says sustainability reporting increases engagement and promotes a sense of purpose. He says CEMEX’s approach to corporate reporting integrates the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within their corporate strategy.

“By aligning our corporate strategy to the SDGs, we not only position ourselves better to respond to the great challenges facing the world, we can better communicate and report the strategies, goals and actions we are taking to help build a better future for society,” he said.

Sita Daavetilla, Sustainability Manager at Summit Materials, who was also on the panel, says it’s important not to lose the human element.

“Corporate reporting is important, even more so in today’s world because companies are fundamentally human, for humans by humans,” she said.

“Demonstrating responsibility in corporate reporting allows people to make a deeper connection with the business. A sustainability report is a powerful way for a company to demonstrate its values to stakeholders, and how they are making advancements for society through those values.”

A third-party evaluation for conservation activities, such as WHC Conservation Certification, can be beneficial to companies by providing metrics on their programs. This year, WHC has certified over 700 programs, including those in 48 U.S. states, 29 countries, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Daavetilla says WHC programs are a simple, effective way for companies to tell their stories, by getting to the heart of sustainability, the role of nature, and its impact on the people who work on the projects, and the people who benefit from them.

She says storytelling is perhaps the most important aspect of data, as it helps demonstrate a long-term commitment to quality habitat for wildlife, conservation education and community outreach initiatives.

“Data is clearly important, but no one remembers the data,” she said.

“People walk away remembering a story that the data helped tell.”

“I believe WHC programs and other sustainability efforts are an opportunity for companies to connect with their stakeholders to tell their story, and inspire others to do the same.”

Read more WHC blogs.

Using Biodiversity Indicators for Effective Conservation

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How is biodiversity doing?

What are the important trends?

Are conservation actions effective?

The answers to these three questions are vital to the decision-making process regarding conservation efforts, and depend on the use of indicators and other evidence-based measurements of biodiversity.

We heard from Mike Gill at NatureServe, who shared with us the importance of biodiversity indicators and how companies can access information about these indicators to guide decision-making about their own conservation initiatives.

Q: What are biodiversity indicators and what can they help us measure, monitor and predict?

A: Biodiversity indicators tell us about the health, integrity and trajectory of biodiversity, such as:

  • Pressures or threats on biodiversity, such as trends in land and water use, habitat loss or invasive species
  • The state of species and ecosystems, such as the health of species or integrity of ecosystems
  • The conservation response, such as the protection of important biodiversity areas
  • Benefits to people, such as the ecosystem services provided

Q: Where can companies access information about relevant biodiversity indicators?

A: Conservation practitioners and policy-makers need access to timely, relevant and user-friendly data products that can streamline biodiversity assessments and tracking of conservation outcomes, facilitate analysis of the impacts of conservation actions, and help identify and predict emerging trends and issues. This can assist with better prioritizing and aligning local, site-scale conservation actions with broader national, regional and global conservation priorities.

One such tool is NatureServe’s Biodiversity Indicators Program, which provides advanced and flexible visualization of the most advanced indicators using its line of Biodiversity Indicator Dashboards.

Q: What information can be accessed using the Biodiversity Indicator Dashboards?

A: This online platform streamlines access to the best available biodiversity indicators, providing flexible visualization at multiple scales. Available indicators can track status and trends in forest cover, threatened and endangered species, trends in protected area coverage of Key Biodiversity Areas, aggregate pressure on and overall health of marine ecosystems, condition and intactness of habitat for biodiversity, and many other key variables.

Q: How can companies use these biodiversity indicators?

A: Corporations concerned with aligning their conservation activities and sustainability goals with regional conservation priorities can benefit from the flexible provisioning of continually updated and scalable biodiversity indicators. Through such easily accessible and flexible intelligence on the latest status and trends in biodiversity, corporations can ensure that their own conservation actions are optimally aligned with broader national and global conservation mandates and flexibly visualize and download scaled indicators to serve their own reporting processes (e.g. CSR reports, voluntary contributions towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and Sustainable Development Goals).

Q: At what scale can companies use the Biodiversity Indicator Dashboards for decision-making?

A: This interactive, user-designed tool was primarily designed to streamline assessments and tracking of outcomes at national scales, but is also being used at local and regional scales to guide priority conservation actions and facilitate reporting on conservation status and trends for certification and other needs. Users can also download visualizations of indicator trends at multiple spatial scales and use them for reporting, assessment and priority setting. The tool also provides country-level dashboards, regional comparisons and exploration of indicators via an interactive map for any part of the world.

Q: What are some of the new applications for the Biodiversity Indicator Dashboards?

A: NatureServe has been working with partners from around the world like UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre and the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (UNEP-WCMC) to accelerate the application and utility of this technology for much broader and more diverse applications. These applications include tracking and informing progress on international, intergovernmental policy mandates at global, regional, national and sub-national scales, such as for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Sustainable Development Goals. Using new visualization techniques and technologies helps meet the growing demand for timely, relevant data at multiple scales.

Q: What’s in the works for the Biodiversity Indicator Dashboards?

A: Using the BIP Dashboards as a foundation, NatureServe is now collaborating with UNEP-WCMC and others to develop a new global post-2020 Target Tracker to support effective and transparent implementation of the new post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The tool aims to transform the process of tracking and reporting outcomes from a backward, periodic one to a continual, forward-looking and predictive process. This will be accomplished with the flexible provision and visualization of indicators via an online, scalable “Target Tracker” platform. This platform will allow Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, and those focused on the Sustainable Development Goals, a means to continually track progress towards national and global 2030 Targets, identify problem areas and areas of success, and better inform pathways toward successful achievement of the new targets. Beyond these major initiatives, NatureServe is also collaborating at the regional level to develop user-designed Dashboard platforms to support regional- and national-scale biodiversity assessments and tracking of conservation outcomes. These include projects in Southeast Asia, the Tropical Andes and the Arctic.

Learn more about NatureServe and the Biodiversity Indicators Dashboards at http://dashboard.natureserve.org.

Read more WHC blogs.

Astronaut Ricky Arnold – A Conservation Conference Recap

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Earth is our home and we’re all in this together.

One of the highlights of this year’s WHC Conservation Conference was hearing from keynote speaker, Astronaut Ricky Arnold.

Arnold spoke about the differences between life in space and life on Earth, and why it’s important to take care of the planet we call home. His talk featured a fascinating video compilation of footage and photos taken from inside the International Space Station, and the view of Earth from 400 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. Arnold expressed how marveling at the intricacies of the universe can inspire us to take care of what’s in our backyard.

Selected by NASA in 2004, Arnold has accumulated 209 days in space, ventured on three space missions, including five spacewalks totaling 32 hours outside a spacecraft, in addition to completing aquanaut and submersible pilot training.

His experiences include serving as a mission specialist in Aquarius – the world’s only undersea laboratory in 2007 and serving as a Deep Worker submersible pilot during the Pavilion Lake Research Project in 2009. Also that year, he spent 12 days in space and went on two space walks during the STS-119 Discovery mission.

In 2016, Arnold led a multinational crew in a European Space Agency six-day mission, mapping and exploring a large cave network in Sardinia.

Arnold said the highlight of his career was in 2018 when he was space for 197 days. During NASA Expeditions 55 and 56, he served as Flight Engineer and went on three space walks. During those six and-a-half months, Arnold was joined by German, Russian, Japanese and American astronauts on a mission to perform maintenance and upgrades to the International Space Station, in addition to conducting around 300 science experiments a day.

The International Space Station circles the world every 90 minutes, traveling faster than the speed of sound. Arnold said he watched 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets each day on board. He showed pictures from space of the Amazon River, the Galapagos Islands, the pyramids of Giza, a massive stand storm in the Sahara Desert, tornadoes forming over Oklahoma, and the flight path of birds from Cape Town, South Africa to Madagascar.

“I always remember the smell of Earth when I return home,” said Arnold.

Returning from Expedition 56 in October 2018, Arnold and the rest of the crew landed in Kazakhstan. “I wasn’t thinking I was in Kazakhstan, I was thinking I was home,” he said.  “I was back on Earth and that’s quite an amazing feeling.”

Arnold explained that we’re all connected in ways we don’t understand, and we all share the same planet.

“Being an astronaut is a stewardship,” he said. “Earth is our home and we’re all in this together. We’re responsible. This is all we have.”

Read more WHC blogs.