Conservation Conference 2015
November 11-12, Baltimore

Dr. Joe Apodaca, Professor of Conservation Biology at Warren Wilson College has been conducting herpetological conservation research for nearly fifteen years and has led efforts to identify Priority Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Areas (PARCAs) in the Southeastern United States.

Scott Ault is a Senior Vice President for Kleinschmidt who has managed over 65 projects relating to the impact of hydroelectric operation on fish and wildlife, fishway design, or development of basin wide restoration and management plans.

Sylvia Bates is the Director of Standards and Educational Services for the Land Trust Alliance and, since 2006, has led the Alliance’s work on Land Trust Standards and Practices, land trust assessments, the Standards and Practices Curriculum and other cutting-edge issues.  She has worked in the land conservation field since 1987, most recently as an independent consultant and real estate broker, providing assistance to land trusts, landowners and public agencies.

Colleen Beaty is the Conservation Writer for the Wildlife Habitat Council. She holds a BS in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Delaware and a Professional Certificate in Environmental Policy from Bard College.

Adam Bienenstock is an award-winning designer and builder of natural playgrounds. His partners and clients include Parks Canada, Right to Play, The Canadian Wildlife Federation, the US Army, nature centers, hospitals, childcare centers and schoolyards, acrosss Australia, New Zealand and North America.

Marty Boote is a Certified Ecologist with 23 years of experience in the environmental consulting field. As a restoration ecologist, Marty is responsible for design, permitting, construction management, and monitoring of wetland, terrestrial, and stream restoration projects.  Marty’s primary area of expertise is stream ecology and restoration design.

Bill Brammell is an Ecologist with over 23 years of environmental experience in a wide array of subject matters including habitat restoration, wildlife management, and wetland functional assessment. With Mosaic, Bill serves as the Lead Ecologist working on three major permitting efforts (DeSoto Mine, Ona Mine and Wingate East).

Baba Brinkman is a Canadian rap artist, award-winning playwright, and former tree-planter who has personally planted more than one million trees. Baba is also a pioneer in the genre of “lit-hop” or literary hip-hop, and is a recent recipient of the National Center for Science Education’s “Friend of Darwin Award” for his efforts to improve the public understanding of evolutionary biology.

Alex Brown is Manager of Vegetation Management at PECO, an Exelon Company, in Philadelphia, PA.  He is responsible for the maintenance of vegetation around 13,000 miles of distribution, and 1,000 miles of transmission lines in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Mary Byrne is a Plant Ecologist at Pollinator Partnership and develops planting recommendations for pollinator habitat for public and private partners to create local habitats for bees and monarchs.

Rebecca Culler is an Education Specialist with the Wildlife Habitat Council. Rebecca earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Delaware Valley College and her Master of Science in Environmental Biology from Hood College.

Nate Drag, Watershed Project Coordinator, joined the Alliance for the Great Lakes in 2011. Prior to that, he worked as a shipboard educator, as a National Science Foundation Fellow, and received a Masters in Urban Planning from the University at Buffalo.

Cristina Frank is a Lead Environmental Scientist/Wildlife Biologist in the Environmental Planning Department of Pepco. Ms. Frank leads the development and implementation of PHI’s Avian Protection Program across the company’s entire territory.

Dr. Mitch Hartley is Coordinator of the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture, a regional partnership for bird habitat conservation. Mitch has wildlife degrees from Cornell, LSU and the University of Maine; he has worked for state agencies, universities, national conservation NGOs, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Martha Holzheuer is the Midwest Ecology Program Director at Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc. As such, she manages and supports a variety of projects including, but not limited to, ecological restoration, wildlife habitat improvement, environmental education, community outreach, rare species surveys and monitoring and native planting design.

Tonya Hunter is a Registered Landscape Architect at Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc. She applies her knowledge of landscape design and the construction process to a wide range of projects including, but not limited to, wetland delineation and mitigation design, green infrastructure implementation, and wildlife management plans.

Dr. Alex Ireland conducts research and consults on topics in applied ecology, land management, and geospatial sciences. Dr. Ireland holds a B.S. in Biology from Clarion University of PA and a Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Lehigh University.

Pete Israel is a Facility Manager with BASF Corporation and has been with the company for 6 years. He has responsibilities for 2300 acres of BASF property along the Detroit River including property that is under remediation and has won the 2014 regional habitat of the year. Other responsibilities include utilities, yard (snow removal and landscaping) and logistics. Pete also is on the Executive Board for the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance.

Monica Key is with HR/Community Relations for Bridgestone Aiken County.  She is responsible for supporting a variety of educational activities in the region and is a key component of establishing the partnership between Bridgestone and RPSEC.

Sarah Neville is the Stewardship Coordinator for the Alliance for the Great Lakes and has been with the Alliance since 2013. Prior to that she worked in consulting and for the U.S. EPA’s Great Lakes office. She received her Masters in Environmental Policy from the University of Michigan.

Margaret O’Gorman is the President of WHC. Margaret works with multinational corporations to develop integrated strategies to implement conservation projects, employee engagement and community outreach to meet business needs and, in so doing, enhance and restore biodiversity and ecosystems.

Arvind Panjabi is the International Program Director at Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (formerly Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory) where he oversees one of the largest conservation programs focused on North American grassland birds.

Duane Pool is a Landscape Ecologist and Economist at Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (formerly Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory) where he coordinates collaborative partnerships for the conservation of North American grassland birds and conducts research on grassland habitats.

Shrina Reavey is a lead environmental engineer at Pepco Holdings, one of the largest energy delivery companies in the mid-Atlantic region and headquartered in Washington, DC. She has been actively working in the areas of environmental compliance, stewardship and sustainability for the last 15 years.

Jim Rushworth has a MBA and over 30 years experience in the cement, lime and aggregates industries. Jim has been in his current role in Lafarge Corporate office since 2010 and is responsible for implementation of quarry rehabilitation, biodiversity and EMS across the Lafarge Group globally.

Stewart Seal is a currently employed by The Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Prince George Department of Parks and Recreation as the County Wide Youth Arts Coordinator. In that role he is responsible for the development of youth arts programs that merge nature and the arts through after school programs.

Dr. Gary J. Senn is the RPSEC director and has been with USC Aiken for 23 years. He is an ambassador for hands-on, engaging, inquiry-based STEM education. His outdoor education experience spans over 30 years.

Tom Slowinski has a BS in Biology from Marquette University and a MA in Environmental Science from Governors State University.  Mr. Slowinski has been with V3 Companies since 1989 and manages the design, permitting and construction of V3’s ecological restoration projects.

Leslie Suazo has over fifteen years of experience in the restoration arena in both the public and private sector, including in her current role with Ducks Unlimited. Ms. Suazo has applied her knowledge of governmental processes to the development, advocacy and funding of coastal restoration and capital construction projects at all levels of government.

Doug Tallamy is a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. His book Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens was published  in 2007 and was awarded the 2008 Silver Medal by the Garden Writers’ Association. The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke, was published in 2014.

Jon Vrana is a nearly 40-year veteran of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) and is the NRCS National Business Lead for Client Gateway. Jon is currently providing national leadership in streamlining the conservation delivery to our agricultural community.

Dr. Denise Lowe Walters holds a B.S. degree in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Pharmacy from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond Virginia. She has 23 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. She is currently the co-chair of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Richmond’s Wildlife Habitat Committee.

Ted Weber has worked as an ecologist for over 20 years, currently for the Conservation Fund, and previously, for the Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources. He is a certified forest professional by the state of Maryland, and a member of the Society for Conservation Biology and the International Association for Landscape Ecology.

Vicki Wojcik is the Research Director for Pollinator Partnership and has been studying and monitoring the effectiveness of restorations and habitat enhancements for pollinators on managed landscapes for nearly a decade and currently focus on BMPs for pollinator conservation.

Doug Wood received a B.S. in Wildlife Management from WVU in 1977. A member of the Ward Hollow Wildlife Habitat Team since 2012, he regularly teaches Master Naturalist classes on a variety of subjects, volunteers with several organizations on conservation issues, and consults with agencies and educational institutions on ecological research projects.

Join us in Baltimore – a city with a rich, diverse history, culture and amenities that offer visitors a unique and positive experience. All of Baltimore’s major tourism assets, from the Convention Center and hotels, to restaurants, attractions and retail venues, are open for business and available for you to enjoy. The proud Baltimore residents who staff all of those venues are eager to share them with you. For more information visit www.baltimore.org.

Just a few of the many places to see in Baltimore during your visit:

• Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum
• Baltimore’s Inner Harbor
• Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum
• Baltimore Museum of Art
• Camden Yards – home of the Baltimore Orioles, including Sports Legend Museum
• Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum
• Fort McHenry National Monument
• Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
• M&T Stadium – home of the Baltimore Ravens
• National Aquarium
• Science Center of Maryland
• Star Spangled Banner Flag House

The Hilton Baltimore is less than a 20-minute drive from BWI Airport (Baltimore/Washington International), and easy to reach from Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York from Interstate 95 or via Amtrak. Airport and local transportation options include:

• SuperShuttle
• Charm City Circulator
• Light Rail

Conservation Education Award

• Chevron
• Winner! Koch Industries
• Monsanto Company
• PPG Industries, Inc.

Corporate Habitat of the Year

• ITC Holding, ITC Corporate Headquarters
• Winner! Marathon Oil Company, Rocky Mountain Operations: Environmental Stewardship Program
• Chester County Solid Waste Authority, Lanchester Landfill
• Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, Creswell/Frey Farm Landfill

Corporate Lands for Learning of the Year

• Chevron, Chevron Cincinnati Facility
• INVISTA, Victoria Site
• Winner! Waste Management, High Acres Landfill and Recycling Center

Rookie of the Year

• Motorola Solutions, Inc., NGTF Habitat
• Winner! CSX Transportation, Raleigh Street Superfund Site
• Kinder Morgan, Hartford Street Terminal

Corporate Lands for Learning Rookie of the Year

• CEMEX, Lyons Cement Plant
• Winner! Chester County Solid Waste Authority, Lanchester Landfill

Community Partner of the Year

• Elaine Pardoe – CLEER
  Nominated by Exelon Corporation. Baltimore Gas & Electric Company, BGE Rights-of-Way Environmental Stewardship Program
• Kellie Courtney
  Nominated by CEMEX, CEMEX Construction Materials South, LLC, Lyons Cement Plant
• Winner! Mequon Nature Preserve
  Nominated by Waste Management, Orchard Ridge Recycling and Disposal Facility

Bat Conservation Action Award

• Winner! Freeport-McMoRan Inc., Morenci Mine
• ITC Holdings, ITC Corporate Headquarters
• Lafarge, Onoway Aggregates – Onoway Wash Plant

NAPPC/WHC Pollinator Advocate Award

• American Electric Power, Flint Creek Power Plant
• Exelon Corporation, BGE Rights-of-Way Environmental Stewardship Program
• Fairmount Santrol, Wexford Sand
• Freeport-McMoRan Inc., Freeport-McMoran Miami, Inc.
• Winner! ITC Holdings, ITC Corporate Headquarters
• Kinder Morgan, Hartford Street Terminal
• Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Palestine Neal Pit
• Motorola Solutions, Inc., NGTF Habitat
• Ricoh Americas Corporation, West Caldwell Office
• The Boeing Company, Pollinator Prairie
• Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Georgetown
• Waste Management, City of Hamilton – Glanbrook Landfill

Prairies for Tomorrow Award

• CEMEX, Lyons Cement Plant
• Continental Cement Company, Davenport Plant Wildlife Restoration Areas
• Exelon Corporation, BGE Rights-of-Way Environmental Stewardship Program
• Winner! Monsanto Company, Muscatine Plant

Upland Wildlife Management Award

• Chemours, Fayetteville Works
• Lafarge, Lafarge Presque Isle Quarry
• Marathon Oil Company, Rocky Mountain Operations: Environmental Stewardship Program
• Winner! Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Vogtle Electric Generating Plant

Wings over Wetlands Award

• Continental Cement Company, Davenport Plant Wildlife Restoration Areas
• General Motors Company, General Motors Spring Hill Manufacturing
• Winner! Occidental Petroleum Corporation, OXY/Glenn Springs Holdings – Montague Site
• Oldcastle Materials, Ostrander Wildlife Site

Conservation Education Award
The Conservation Education Award recognizes a corporate member which has a history of striving for excellence in Conservation Education and Outreach. Different than other recognition levels, this award honors not a single program, but rather an entire organization, for its combined efforts in providing educational experiences, access to quality education opportunities, and the opportunity to experience personal contact with the natural world to its employees and the surrounding community.

Corporate Habitat of the Year
The Corporate Habitat of the Year award recognizes a corporate program for its outstanding environmental stewardship and voluntary employee efforts. Only programs that have been previously certified and are currently applying for Wildlife at Work recertification are considered for the Corporate Habitat of the Year award.

Corporate Lands for Learning of the Year
The Corporate Lands for Learning of the Year award is designed to recognize a program for outstanding environmental education, stewardship and voluntary employee efforts. Only programs that have been previously certified and are currently applying for Corporate Lands for Learning recertification are considered for the Corporate Lands for Learning of the Year award.

Corporate Lands for Learning Rookie of the Year
The Corporate Lands for Learning Rookie of the Year award is designed to recognize a CLL program for outstanding conservation education, stewardship and voluntary employee efforts. Only programs that are applying for initial Corporate Lands for Learning certification are considered for this award.

Rookie of the Year
The Rookie of the Year award recognizes a corporate program for its outstanding environmental stewardship and voluntary employee efforts. Only programs that are first-time certified are considered for Rookie of the Year.

Community Partner of the Year
The Community Partner of the Year award is given to one organization or individual for making a significant contribution and lasting impact on a corporate site’s wildlife habitat enhancement programs through hands on environmental awareness and enhancement activities.

Partner Awards

Bat Conservation Action Award
Wildlife Habitat Council and Bat Conservation International (BCI) offer a unique challenge to advance corporate stewardship and the value of WHC certification with the BCI/WHC Bat Conservation Action Award. WHC-certified programs that actively manage bat habitat through restoration or protection on or off-site are encouraged to apply. Special consideration is given to programs that include partnerships with other environmental groups, including Bat Conservation International, and/or federal, state, and local agencies; documented bat usage of the site as a result of the bat habitat improvements, and public outreach and education components, including access to the site for educational events. Learn more about Bat Conservation International at  www.batcon.org

NAPPC/WHC Pollinator Advocate Award
The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign brings over 70 entities together to promote the importance and the protection of pollinators, responsible for an estimated every third bite of food and over 80% of the world’s flowering plants. Expand your certified corporate habitat program and take native biodiversity conservation to a whole new level. WHC and NAPPC offer a unique challenge to advance corporate stewardship and the value of WHC certification. WHC announces an additional recognition for certified programs that implement the newly developed guidelines for Pollinator Friendly Practices (PFP). Certified WHC programs that implement specific land management practices within their habitat and site to promote pollinator populations will receive distinct honor.

Prairies for Tomorrow Award
This award was created to encourage the completion of corporate wildlife habitat projects, specifically prairie restoration projects. Prairies are home to a myriad of wildlife species, including pheasants, quail and a variety of endangered species. Prairies also remove and store carbon from the atmosphere, conserve soil resources and filter run-off. Unfortunately, prairies are the fastest disappearing ecosystem on planet earth. WHC-certified programs that include upland habitat initiatives are encouraged to apply for this award. The primary criteria include the upland habitat’s value to wildlife and the corporate team’s commitment to upland habitat stewardship. The project does not have to be on corporate property, but must involve active corporate participation through one of several channels, such as volunteers, grass seeding beyond basic ground cover requirements to include native prairie grasses, and/or participation in Pheasant Forever’s (PF) No Child Left Indoors program. Providing access for public hunting, or involvement with PF and the Grassroots Campaign or PF-sponsored carbon sequestration programs, will be factored into the ranking, but not required for consideration. Learn more about Pheasants Forever at www.pheasantsforever.org.

Upland Wildlife Management Award
The Upland Wildlife Management Award is given in cooperation with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF). This award is presented annually to a WHC member corporate facility that incorporates outstanding wild turkey management efforts into their on-site Wildlife at Work program. Applicants must fulfill several criteria in order for eligibility. It is a unique opportunity for companies to be recognized for the work they do for wild turkeys on their facilities and would complement the work they are doing through the Wildlife Habitat Council. Learn more about the National Wild Turkey Federation at www.nwtf.org.

Wings Over Wetlands Award
Wildlife Habitat Council and Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DU) partner to honor a single WHC corporate member facility each year with the Wings over Wetlands award. The award encourages active corporate participation in wetlands stewardship and recognizes those that create and protect wetland habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds. Wetlands conservation and restoration are two of the most productive projects a corporate habitat program can undertake. These projects provide near immediate benefit to waterfowl, plant communities, amphibians and a host of other wildlife species. Learn more about Ducks Unlimited at www.ducks.org/.