In 1983, Gro Bruntland led the World Commission on Environmental Development, created by the United Nations, to produce a review that would formulate realistic proposals to solve critical problems emerging in the global environment while promoting healthy, productive economic development. Our Common Future offered an optimistic agenda advocating growth of economies based on policies that do not harm, and even enhance the environment. Have we made progress? Some will say we have, while others will beg to differ. Even with the growth of the human population from 4.4 billion in 1980 to 6.8 billion in 2010, the average life expectancy has risen to about 65 years, as a result of tremendous strides in business technology, medicine, and production of food. We have made significant progress in pollution control technology and practice, and advanced to areas in communication that was merely a dream just a decade ago. But the message to the world from Ms. Bruntland was economy and ecology needed to be joined to ensure human progress through development without bankrupting global resources for future generations. It is here, managing our natural resources, that requires more focus and increased results.
The staff of the Wildlife Habitat Council will stay on the high road of optimism championed by Ms. Bruntland as we work with our members and partners to increase understanding, establish opportunity, design programs, and measure progress in their voluntary efforts to change culture, practice and commitment to improved land stewardship and community engagement. In March, we produced and conducted an outstanding “leadership summit” in Charleston, South Carolina, focused on increasing awareness and engagement in restoring and maintaining health coastal ecosystems. BP hosted this gathering, and we were struck by the fact that more than 15 companies sent representatives to sit down with state and federal agencies and NGOs, to seek collaboration on restoring ecosystems like longleaf pine which today covers only 3 percent of the land area it once assumed.
On May 3-4, Bridgestone will host a game-changing event in conservation education for the Wildlife Habitat Council titled: Connecting People to Nature: A Summit for Community Engagement and Education. Built upon the years of experience from Bridgestone and other members, which promoted site-based learning opportunities at their operating facilities, we will use the event, working with our partners like the U.S. Forest Service, and the United States Fish and U.S. Wildlife Service, to launch the Get to Know Your Wild Neighbors program across the United States. At this event, for the first time, we will link the facility-based conservation education programs of three of members through interactive web-based technology to increase the learning experience of those participating in this program. Our desire is to demonstrate the opportunities for corporations to continue to open up their facilities where it is feasible and allow the learner to gain a more complete experience of linking ecology and economy to developing a sustainable world.
Also this past month the Stewardship Action Council (SAC) reached a milestone as it selected a permanent Board of Directors to move the organization forward in achieving its vision, mission, and objectives of promoting sustainable business practice. WHC is a founding and charter member of SAC, and retains a seat on the SAC Board. One of the metrics embraced by the SAC is to increase performance in biodiversity conservation by its members which dovetails well with WHC’s mission. Additionally, SAC stresses interaction with community as an important component of effective business sustainability with integrates well with the WHC model. You can learn more about SAC by clicking here.
Currently the Wildlife Habitat Council has 657 accredited Wildlife at Work and 138 Corporate Lands for Learning programs in spread across 13 countries. At our 24th Annual Symposium and Awards Banquet, Working for a Greener World, November 7-8, 2012, in Baltimore, we expect to exceed 700 program sites. We have invited Chad Pregracke, Founder and President of Living Lands and Waters to be our keynote speaker. Chad exemplifies the strength of partnerships and the power of collaboration as he has taken a passion to improve the Mississippi River system through river clean up and conservation education actions to extraordinary heights of accomplishment. We encourage you to set aside these two days and come and experience the optimism of the Wildlife Habitat Council and learn how you might join this dedicated group of companies, agencies, educational institutions, and NGOs in securing Our Common Future.
To each we wish a wonderful spring!
Sincerely,
Robert Johnson
President, Wildlife Habitat Council
