What do employees of Ford Motor Company, Bayer Corporation, The Dow Chemical Company, and over 100 other large landowners have in common? They all have facilities, who manage habitat and educational programs assisted by the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing and restoring habitat on corporate lands through voluntary partnerships.  Many of these programs are recognized for their ongoing efforts through WHC's Corporate Wildlife Habitat Certification/International Accreditation Program. 

A wildflower meadow at PPG Industries, Inc. is used by local schools to study pollinators and plants.

Since 1991, this program has recognized the voluntary efforts of hundreds of employee-led wildlife habitat enhancement programs with a strong focus on community outreach.  WHC biologists work with the volunteer teams at facilities encouraging the team to focus on species of special interest, i.e., those species that are native to the region that may be in decline, and may involve those that are threatened and endangered. Also, accreditation through WHC provides third-party credibility and an objective evaluation of projects.

In northeastern Ohio, the Cuyahoga Habitat Partnership is kicking off projects with corporate sites such as BP Cuyahoga, Ford Motor Company, Oatey Corporation, Progressive, and more!  

Employee wildlife teams, ranging from one person to over 200, will volunteer their time to monitor bluebird trails, plant trees, create trails, and many other projects. The teams often choose to share their habitat projects with the community and local schools, thereby creating a valuable recreational and learning asset for the community.

Thanks to funding from the Gund Foundation, WHC is partnering with the Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization (CRCPO) to encourage industry and small businesses to implement on-the-ground habitat projects through the new Adopt-a-Watershed program. These projects, no matter how small, will ultimately contribute to the goals of the federal Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan, which aims to clean up our waters. 

Students show off their journals for use in WHC's Wings of Wonder program.

Potential projects for corporate properties include bluebird trails, wildflower meadows, forest management, American chestnut tree propagation, and others. WHC provides recommendations and guidance, but employees make the choices. 

WHC's trademark program, Wildlife at Work builds teamwork between management and employees, and across departments that may otherwise not interface. The unique program proactively creates excellent public relations and community involvement. In addition, relations with regulators are enhanced, and cost savings are often realized through better land management practices.