Member Spotlight | Project Spotlight | Environmental Spotlight

Member Spotlight

Each month, WHC showcases member environmental stewardship efforts, partner programs and articles of interest. Send in links, company Web pages or outside media Web outlets that showcase your program to publications@wildlifehc.org. Mail good quality news clippings to WHC's main office.

Stop by these links to learn more about news, celebrations and projects:

• Project Spotlight
• Environmental Celebrations

Companies and communities are working together to sustain natural resources through good stewardship and science-based solutions. These ecosystem management techniques result in many benefits, including improved biodiversity conservation and opportunities for environmental education programs.

MEMBER NEWS CLIPS

Learn about WHC members and partners in highlighted news clips, Web sites and articles from around the globe.

Humbug Marsh Receives Ramsar Designation

The public-private partnership behind the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is celebrating the designation of a marsh within the refuge as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

Humbug Marsh is the last remaining mile of natural shoreline along the U.S. mainland of the Detroit River, a Great Lakes connector that forms about 30 miles of the boundary between the U.S. and Canada. The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, which contains the marsh, is a story itself. The refuge was founded in a highly developed area, and includes within its boundaries a substantial amount of private property including industrial sites. Several of those industrial sites operate WHC-certified habitat programs and cooperate with staff of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for habitat management. Last April, Waste Management donated 358 acres of wetland to the refuge.

The J.R. Whiting Power Plant operated by Consumers Energy maintains a certified Wildlife at Work program that includes a natural shoreline area known as the Lady of the Lakes, named for a former campground. “We're excited to be part of a project that continues to set the highest standard for environmental stewardship," said J.R. Whiting Plant manager Neil Dziedic.  "This designation is another indication of the tireless efforts of those committed to habitat restoration and preservation.” 

In announcing the Ramsar designation, refuge manager John Hartig said, “…For the thousands of people involved in the preservation of Humbug Marsh, this is truly a momentous day. Just think, in ten years Humbug Marsh has gone from threatened ecosystem to become part of the International Wildlife Refuge and now receive international tribute and honor as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.”

Read the press release.

The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) and the United States Business Council for Sustainable Development (US BCSD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes a strategic partnership between the two organizations. Through the MOU, WHC and US BCSD will work with the public and private sectors to jointly support sustainability, ecosystem services, wildlife habitat, education and community outreach projects and programs. The MOU will allow for these programs to be offered seamlessly between the member bases of both organizations.

Read the press release.

With the Canadian Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) and Wildlife Habitat Canada entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will set a clear path for cross-border collaboration between the two organizations.

Len Ugarenko, President, Wildlife Habitat Canada, (left) and Bob Johnson, President, Wildlife Habitat Council, (right) shake hands follow the signing of the MOU between the two organizations.

WHC is already active in Canada, with strong gains in the number of certified Wildlife at Work and Corporate Lands for Learning programs in recent years. Currently, 25 programs are WHC certified on corporate properties in four Canadian provinces. The MOU is the first signed by WHC with a Canadian partner and signifies a further commitment to developing on-the-ground projects that will promote healthy wildlife habitat and healthy communities.

Wildlife Habitat Canada has assisted with and funded over 1,400 wildlife habitat conservation and land stewardship projects across Canada. The organization maintains a diverse spectrum of partners, including Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Nature Conservancy Canada, as well as other NGO’s, federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments, First Nation groups, conservation authorities, local hunting groups and more.

Read the press release.

The U.S. Department of the Army, acting through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a mutual framework of cooperation to develop opportunities for management, partnership and community outreach on Corps-owned properties.

WHC President Bob Johnson (left) and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works John Paul Woodley, Jr. (right) sign an MOU at the Pentagon.

“The Army Corps of Engineers is fast becoming a leader in environmental restoration and protection by implementing new projects with non-federal sponsors, and by conducting conservation and stewardship activities at the over 12 million acres of land and water resources under their jurisdiction”, said the Honorable John Paul Woodley, Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. “And this important agreement with WHC furthers our shared environmental objectives and paves the way for collaboration in the future.”

As one of the nation’s largest water resources agencies, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages over 600 reservoirs located throughout the United States. These facilities are operated for multiple purposes. As part of this responsibility, the Corps natural resources stewardship program focuses on the ongoing care and protection of the 12 million acres of lands and waters associated with these reservoirs in 43 States. The twin goals of the stewardship program are to help maintain healthy ecosystems and to ensure the availability of these resources for future generations.

Read the press release.

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