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2007 Programs & Panels

Monday, November 12, 2007

Indoor Workshops

Composting: Creating "Brown Gold" for Your Site
Compost is often described by farmers and gardeners as “brown gold” because it improves soil conditions and supplies valuable nutrients for plant growth. Compost is inexpensive to produce and can be utilized instead of commercial fertilizers. Learn why compost is beneficial, how to compost on your site, how to use compost to improve your site’s habitat and how on-site composting can be a valuable educational tool for visitors of all ages. This interactive workshop will include both presentations and hands-on activities.

How to Write a Management Plan
The probability of success for any habitat enhancement program is largely dependent on the formation of a wildlife management plan. The wildlife management plan, a requirement for WHC certification, outlines the goals of the wildlife habitat program, describes projects to achieve these goals, makes provisions for monitoring projects, and presents implementation and review schedules. This successful workshop will provide guidance and explain the format, organization and important details necessary for creating or improving upon your quality management plan.

Managing Natural Ecosystems and Maximizing Biodiversity
Many of WHC’s members operate on or manage natural areas of land with functional, in-tact ecosystems. These habitats are crucial for the sustainability of many species and conservation of biodiversity at both local and landscape scales. Explore techniques on how to maximize biodiversity in natural habitats working towards maintaining or achieving WHC certification and maintain ecosystem integrity through wildlife species monitoring and habitat management.

Resources for Conservation Education
Would you like to offer lessons or activities at your corporate site to students, scouts or community members? Not sure how to build a curriculum or where to select lessons to make the most of your habitat’s unique features, such as nesting habitat or wetlands? Learn about ready-made curricula endorsed by WHC, such as Project WILD, Project Learning Tree and Flying WILD. This workshop will give you the opportunity to try out sample lessons, hear the basics on State and National Education Standards and see case studies of existing CLL sites.

Outdoor Workshops

The Value of Outreach: Incorporating Community and Scout Connections
WHC in partnership with Bridgestone Americas Holdings, Inc. manages New Beginnings – The Woodlawn Wildlife Area in Cecil County, Maryland, as a naturally sustainable wildlife conservation area in partnership with an extensive network of community groups. See first-hand the benefits that corporate habitat sites can experience by linking with local partners, such as scout groups, and the resulting community connection. View completed and ongoing projects that enhance the area for many species of wildlife while providing a unique permanently protected outdoor education facility for a wide range of age groups.

Wildlife Photography with Lynda Richardson
Award-winning wildlife photographer, Lynda Richardson, will lead an excursion to nearby Gunpowder Falls State Park. The park was established to protect nearly 18,000 acres of wetlands, tidals marshes, woodlands and rugged slopes surrounding the stream valleys of the Big and Little Gunpowder Falls and the Gunpowder River. Walk along the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail where you will spot a variety of plant and animal life, including some rare species. Be the early bird, take in the sights and learn how to capture it all on film.

Opening Session

Keynote Speaker
Keynote speaker, Daniel C. Esty, is the Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy at Yale University and is the Director of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Center for Business and Environment. His book, Green to Gold, shows how companies generate lasting value--cutting costs, reducing risk, driving new revenues and creating strong brands--by building environmental thinking into their core business strategies.

Animal Ambassador Show

Animal Ambassador Show
The live animal ambassador show, sponsored by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., features the World Bird Sanctuary, founded by ornithologist Walter C. Crawford, Jr. The premiere facility in North America for the conservation of birds, the organization is recognized as being on the leading edge of public awareness regarding the plight of bird species worldwide.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Sessions

Track 1: Human Dimensions

Corporate Lands for Learning
Learn how innovative Corporate Lands for Learning (CLL) sites created exemplary wildlife habitat programs through strategic partnerships while meeting educational needs within the surrounding communities. Explore technique for building productive relationships with local scouting groups and schools as well as forming partnerships with colleges and universities to further academic research while providing tangible benefits for your site. Find new paths for creating a CLL program at your site!

Outlets and Opportunities: Increasing your Public Visibility
Learn how to promote your habitat and educational program, and how to gain recognition through different outlets, such as the media, partnership and awards. Understand the importance of demonstrating the breadth of your program, which will lead to increased community, partner and financial support. Learn hands-on techniques to engage your employees and reach community volunteers. Hear from award-winning corporate programs and their successes from working with WHC.

The Economic Value of Habitat Programs
Can conservation and habitat enhancement lead to economic benefits for business? How does the emerging focus on the valuation of ecological services impact corporate habitat efforts? This panel of diverse experts from industry and agencies will examine the connection between the two, and how performance metrics can be used to quantify the relationship.

Meeting Barriers I: Long-term Success through Teams
Successful, sustainable and long-term wildlife habitat and education programs are built upon strong teams. This session will feature innovative approaches and key pointers from teams with long-term success stories in the face of adversity and changing interests. Some items of discussion are: recruitment and retention of wildlife team members, leadership transitions and learning across time and locations. 

Track 2: Habitat & Biodiversity

Invasive Species Management
Examine integrated management techniques for invasive species to reduce long-term vegetation management costs, promote native plant communities and reduce the environmental degradation that can result from repeated short-term management activities. Other presentations will discuss examples of on-the-ground control projects in the Delaware Estuary and at a WHC member site in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where biological control agents have been introduced to combat purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).  

Small Projects – Big Picture
The ecological benefits of enhancing and maintaining high quality wildlife habitat on corporate property extend well beyond the borders of the site itself. Projects designed to preserve and restore the natural habitat of a particular site may also protect ecosystems along critical migratory bird routes. By prioritizing activities for land management and habitat restoration through collaborative efforts, this session focuses on how members can tie local projects into broader scale initiatives.

Meeting Barriers II: Access, Security and Natural Areas Management
A unique trademark of WHC programs is the strong participation of community groups in habitat and educational projects at corporate locations. Sometimes access and security restrictions at a site present barriers to expanding outreach. Learn how to structure your site’s outreach program from the standpoint of restricted access sites to those already open to the public.

Meeting barriers III: Fostering Biodiversity on Challenging Sites
Establishing a successful Wildlife at Work program is not always as easy as "plant and grow." Programs are often defined by their spaces, leading to conflicts over projects, such as prescribed burns, and sometimes a program must be set up using off-site lands; but healthy and sustainable programs come in a variety of sizes and functions. Save future time and money now by hearing how successful Wildlife at Work programs around the nation have encountered and overcome common obstacles.

Award Functions

Pollinator Breakfast
Expand your certified corporate habitat program and take native biodiversity conservation to a whole new level. WHC and the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign offer a unique challenge to advance corporate stewardship and the value of WHC certification. As added recognition for certified programs, companies can implement the guidelines for Pollinator Friendly Practices. Certified WHC sites that implement specific land management practices within their habitat and site to promote pollinator populations will receive distinct honor as a nominee for the NAPPC WHC Pollinator Protection Award.

Luncheon & Partner Award Presentations
WHC offers many avenues for continued development of habitat programs and opportunities to link local restoration efforts with national programs. Several partners offer additional forms of recognition for implementing specific management of habitat areas and species that will be presented at the luncheon, including the Wild Turkey Management and Wings over Wetlands awards. The U.S. EPA Performance Track WHC Special Commendation will also be presented along with recognition of members that complete projects through the Five Star Restoration Challenge Grant Program.

Reception, Banquet and International Awards Ceremony
WHC’s prestigious international conservation awards recognize voluntary activities by individuals, companies and organizations, large or small, private or non-profit, who demonstrate excellence in the areas of wildlife habitat enhancement and restoration. Each year, WHC presents an award in each of the following categories: Corporate Habitat of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Corporate Lands for Learning of the Year and Community Partner of the Year.

Hear Jessica Elbert, an exciting new vocal jazz artist out of New York City, perform songs from her debut album Anlage. Her extraordinary vocals breathe new life into old jazz favorites.

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