9:00am – 10:00am EDT | Opening Session: State of Corporate Conservation and Presentation of the WHC Gold Program Award LIVE
Sponsored by ExxonMobil
10:00am – 10:15am EDT | WHC Awards Presentation: Species and Education Projects
Presented by Boeing
10:30am – 11:30am EDT | Featured Keynote Speaker | Dr. Scott V. Edwards: Discovering, Teaching and Cycling through the Diversity of Birds LIVE
Sponsored by General Motors
In the summer of 2020, Dr. Scott Edwards completed a cross-country bicycle trip that spanned 15 states and 4,000 miles, stopping in small towns and bird watching along the way. During those months of pandemic lockdowns, and the biggest protests for racial justice and civil rights in a generation, Dr. Edwards’ adventure took on a whole new meaning. As a Professor of Zoology and Curator of Ornithology at Harvard University, Dr. Edwards shares his insights on the magnificence of birds, teaching the next generation of conservationists, and what he learned from the people he met and landscapes seen through the lens of a scientist and teacher.
11:30am – 12:00pm EDT | Wildlife Acoustics – Considering Bioacoustics Monitoring? Factors to Consider and How to Start
Sponsored Content Presentation
Acoustic recording has become a powerful and popular tool for wildlife conservation. Automated wildlife audio recorders can be scheduled to record for extended periods of time, providing a non-invasive and cost-effective method to monitor wildlife populations. Learn how bioacoustics can be used as a survey and research tool, either as a stand–alone method or in conjunction with other techniques. The focus will be on deployment methods, best-practices for survey techniques, and data analysis. Case studies will illustrate the benefits of using a wildlife audio recorder for individual species monitoring, species assemblage assessment, habitat health, citizen science and academic research.
1:00pm – 2:00pm EDT | Crab v Corona: The Unlikely Creature that Saved Us from Covid-19 LIVE
It’s hard to imagine that a large part of the biomedical industry – including the COVID-19 vaccines – rests on the shoulders of one of our most humble wildlife species: the horseshoe crab. This ancient creature’s unique blood is the only substance that is approved to test for bacterial contamination in vaccines, intravenous devices, implants, and anything that enters our bloodstream. Yet the crab – and the shorebirds that depend on it – face an incredibly vulnerable future thanks to climate change and overharvesting. Join naturalist and author David Wheeler and biologist Stephanie Feigin for the extraordinary tale of the horseshoe crab, the migratory shorebirds, and our entire society’s dependence on an ancient animal. Learn the simple steps that can be taken to reduce our global vaccine vulnerability by no longer depending on just a single species – and how you can help horseshoe crabs survive.
2:30pm – 3:30pm EDT | The Human and Cultural Dimension – A Discussion on Environmental Education and Training LIVE
Many communities and cultural beliefs, traditions and practices are deeply rooted in nature. It has become increasing important to uphold those values in conservation projects and respect the land and people it “belongs” to. Join this panel discussion with corporate and non-profit representatives about how they have activated conservation and biodiversity training to community members in a way that honors cultural connections to natural spaces.
4:00pm – 5:00pm EDT | Networking Happy Hour LIVE
Grab your favorite refreshment and choose from 3 virtual happy hour rooms, each focused on a fun and interesting topic:
A WHC host will keep the conversation going so you can choose to actively participate or just sit back and relax.
9:00am – 10:00am EDT | Featured Keynote Speaker | Tina Claffey: A Macro Photography Visual Journey of the Flora and Fauna of Ireland’s Bogs and Wetlands LIVE
Award winning Irish nature photographer Tina Claffey transports us through a portal with her macro lens, revealing the wondrous tiny inhabitants of the living carpet of Ireland’s bogs and wetlands. Lichens become enchanted forests, insects become architects, while others reveal a shield encrusted with nature’s jewels. Tentacles of carnivorous sundews poise like a cobra ready to strike, while wondrous sphagnum mosses lay in frozen waters in suspended animation, their feathery limbs outstretched surrounded by magical bubbles. Exploring both flora and fauna of this ancient wilderness, prepare to be mesmerized by Tina’s explorations of this lush watery world as she reveals hidden gems that have lived and evolved for millenia in this unique environment.
10:30am-11:30am EDT | Advocating for Nature – Whose Job is it Anyway? A Conversation with Forward-Thinking Organizations LIVE
We are all advocates for nature. From the on-the-ground actions employees make at a facility, to company-wide sustainability and biodiversity policies made every day in corporate offices, being proactive for nature is symbiotic with being an advocate. But can this level of advocacy drive change? It must. There are many ways for the private sector to contribute to the important conversations around goals for nature that are being developed this year. Join this engaging panel discussion with WHC partner, Business for Nature, and forward-thinking companies who are paving the way for ambitious policies to reverse the trend.
11:30am-11:45am EDT | WHC Awards Presentation: Habitat Projects
Presented by Boeing
12:00pm-12:20pm EDT | The Manatee Lagoon Virtual Visit, Presented by Florida Power & Light
Join us for this lunch time video tour of the Manatee Lagoon – An FPL Eco-Discovery Center® from Rivera Beach, Florida. The Manatee Lagoon is dedicated to educating the public about manatees, and inspiring communities to preserve and protect Florida’s environment and wildlife for future generations.
12:45pm-1:45pm EDT | Championing Equality, Access and Empowerment in Conservation LIVE
2020 was a pivotal year for environmental justice. The pandemic intensified social and economic disparities in industrial communities facing rapid climate change. The public health challenges highlighted the interconnections between social and environmental issues, specifically the inequalities that affect people who live and work next to industrial areas. These communities are subject to a legacy of air and water pollution and often lack green spaces and opportunities for outdoor recreation in natural areas. This panel will include representatives from organizations who champion these community voices and empower them to act. They will discuss the multiple scales of practice and stewardship – from hyper-local to a national scale – and what the past year has taught us about the future of social and environmental issues.
2:00pm-2:45pm EDT | Virtual Company Lounges LIVE
By invitation only; for employees and invited guests of BASF, CRH Americas, DTE, Exelon, Freeport-McMoran, General Motors, OPG, Stellantis and WM.
3:00pm-4:00pm EDT | The Integration of Biodiversity and Conservation in Business – Insights from Corporate Leaders and Presentation of the WHC Corporate Conservation Leadership Award and WHC Employee Engagement Award LIVE
As long term WHC members, both Bayer and Waste Management have engaged hundreds of employees, community members and partners in conservation programs across North and South America. In this insightful panel, company leaders will discuss the genesis of how biodiversity and conservation became integrated and operationalized from the site level to the c-suite. Looking to the future, the panel will also discuss how this work will evolve, including the latest trends in integrating biodiversity in the supply chain, SDGs and ESG reporting.
Please note that agenda and speakers are subject to change.
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