Conservation Conference 2017
November 8-9  | Baltimore Marriott Waterfront

Recognizing excellence in corporate conservation

Each year, we honor programs and projects that demonstrate excellence in the areas of wildlife habitat enhancement and restoration, and conservation education. See below for the full list of  2017 WHC Awards winners and nominees:

For more information, please contact Thelma Redick at tredick@wildlifehc.org

The Conservation Conference, Nov. 8-9 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, is the leading conference of corporate and conservation professionals who come together for a 2-day experience of learning, networking and celebrating corporate conservation achievements. At the Conservation Conference, we’re focused on discussions that are important for corporate conservation, employee engagement and community relations. Gain valuable information and strategies to face the issues and challenges of corporate biodiversity programs, and learn techniques and best practices for successful wildlife and habitat management.

Who attends?

Join leaders in corporate social responsibility, environmental health and safety, government agencies and NGOs – all working to create and maintain healthy ecosystems.

2017 Wildlife Habitat Council Awards

Winners will be presented with awards during the Conference. Click on the Awards tab above to view the 2016 winners and nominees.

Your time is valuable

Being away from the office for meetings and conferences HAS to yield a good return on your travel and time investment. Download our Conference ROI for a look at all the benefits you and your company will receive with your attendance. Your budget will thank you.

Visit the 2016 Conference site

Download the agenda

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Registration     5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Breakfast     7:00 am – 9:00 am

Registration     8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Breakout Session     8:00 am – 11:15 am

• Conservation Alignments: Thinking Beyond Your Fence-Line Technical Series

Breakout Sessions     8:00 am – 9:45 am

• Get Your Feet Wet – The Value of Riparian Areas, Wetlands and Other Soggy Places Technical Series
• What Everyone Should Know to Develop a Successful Monitoring Protocol Starter Series

Breakout Sessions     10:00 am – 11:15 am

• Beyond the Roosting Box: Bat Acoustics Data Collection Project – Community of Practice Technical Series
• Boost Your Pollinator Habitat: The Latest and Most Effective Approaches Technical Series

Lunch and General Session 12:00 pm – 1:45 pm

• State of Corporate Conservation

Presenter:  Margaret O’Gorman, President, WHC

Breakout Sessions     1:50 pm – 2:50 pm

• Are You Missing Out? Using Land Trusts to Create New Environmental Experiences Technical Series
• Build a Stronger Program Using the Conservation Certification Website Starter Series
• Optimizing Financial and Reputational Outcomes with Conservation Strategies Corporate Series

Break   2:50 pm – 3:30 pm

General Session      3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

• Corporate Leadership in a Changing Political Climate

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Registration     7:00 am – 5:30 pm

Breakfast and General Session     7:30 am – 9:00 am
Sponsored by Monsanto 

• Where the People Are: Creating Direct Connections to Nature with Urban and Industrial Green Spaces

Exhibit Hall Open     8:00 am – 3:00 pm

Breakout Sessions     9:15 am – 10:30 am

• Delivering Biodiversity Benefits Through Green Infrastructure Technical Series 
• How to Navigate the Permitting Process Effectively and Efficiently Technical Series

Breakout Sessions     10:45 am – 11:45 am

• Business and Industry Must Lead on Climate Change – A Discussion Corporate Series
• Employees, Education and Engagement: The Three “E”s to Success Technical Series
• Nature Trails: Turning Ordinary Walks into Extraordinary Experiences Technical Series

Lunch and General Session     12:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Sponsored by BASF

• Creating a Legacy of Sustainability and Economic Victories: Common Sense Approaches to Meet the Needs of Both Business and the Environment

Presenters: Laurie Davies Adams, Executive Director Emeritus, Pollinator Partnership

Breakout Sessions     1:50 pm – 2:50 pm

• Building Wetlands in Your Forest or Meadow Technical Series
• Changing the Nature Experience: Virtual Reality and Gaming Technology for Teaching and Learning Technical Series
• The Critical Role of Business Partnerships for Biodiversity Corporate Series

 Breakout Session     3:00 pm – 4:15 pm

• You’ve Got the Data, Now What? Technical Series

WHC Certification Photography Sessions     3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Networking Reception    5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Sponsored by Bacardi U.S.A.

Dinner and Awards Presentation    6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Sponsored by ExxonMobil

Learning series specific to your needs. Whether you are a manager new to corporate conservation or a seasoned sustainability executive, we’ve created a series of sessions designed with your priorities in mind.

Corporate Series
Designed for corporate executives and conservation leaders with sustainability, biodiversity and budget goals in mind, this series of sessions will focus on corporate challenges and issues that affect a company’s reporting, conservation efforts, and employee and community relations.

Technical Series
Looking to take your program to the next level with additional conservation actions and alignments? Establishing, maintaining and reviewing credibility of your programs not only promotes biodiversity efforts, but will also yield a greater ROI. This series of sessions offers real-world solutions to enhancing conservation efforts.

Starter Series
If you are new to conservation, or just starting a new conservation project, consider our Starter Series – designed to educate and instruct attendees on basic corporate conservation goals, strategies and outcomes. You’ll walk away with tangible actions you can take back to your company for implementation.

Session Descriptions

Are You Missing Out? Using Land Trusts to Create New Environmental Experiences
Presenters: Laura Napoli, Environmental Science Associate, ExxonMobil  |  Lori Scott, NatureServe  |  David Hartwell, Board Member, Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust, and Board Member, National Audubon Society  |  Kamara Sams, Environmental Community Relations, The Boeing Company | Stephen Johnson, President, North American Land Trust

Have you taken advantage of available land trusts to develop or strengthen your conservation program? In this session, explore the value and business case around land conservation agreements adapted to the corporate context and become familiar with “Find a Land Trust,” a tool developed by NatureServe, Land Trust Alliance, and ExxonMobil. Learn how referendums are passed to provide funds to clean up past pollution, purchase land and restore land, and how those funds can then be used to buy out large corporate land holdings. Examine how Boeing created a vision of open space for their certified habitat through environmental partnerships with other corporations, NGOs and the North American Land Trust, preserving an important wildlife corridor and historic area. Technical Series

Beyond the Roosting Box: Bat Acoustics Data Collection Project – Community of Practice
Presenters: Sherwood Snyder, Director of Product Management, Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. | Mylea Bayless, Senior Director, Network & Partnerships, Bat Conservation International | Thelma Redick, Sr. Director Conservation Content and Partnerships, Wildlife Habitat Council

Join the team who moved “beyond the roosting box” to collect data about their bat habitat using landscape surveys and an acoustic monitoring. We’ll compare results, discuss the summer-long study and equipment trails, and explore next steps in bat habitat management. Meant as a capstone for this passionate group of volunteers, this informal meeting is open to interested in learning the results and sharing in the information. Technical Series

Boost Your Pollinator Habitat: The Latest and Most Effective Approaches
Presenters: Johanna Sievewright, Environmental Project Manager, American Transmission Company (ATC)  |  Carolyn Mahan, Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies, Penn State University  |  Burleson Smith, Regulatory Affairs Manager, BASF Corporation

Moderator: Shefali Mehta, Ph.D., Open Rivers Consulting Associates

Discover how companies are meeting the challenges of pollinator conservation and get an update on the latest research for the most effective management approaches to increase pollinator diversity on working lands. Learn how a utility company addresses pollinator decline by identifying priority areas for pollinator conservation and developing a tool to inform future restoration opportunities and hear how BASF’s Living Acres Farm combines scientific research, communication and stewardship efforts to help other farmers bolster pollinator habitat, specifically for the monarch butterfly. Technical Series

Build a Stronger Program Using the Conservation Certification Website
Presenter: Emily Voldstad, Director of Conservation Certification and Technology, Wildlife Habitat Council

Do you think of our Conservation Certification website as just a place to upload your latest application for review? If so, then you’re missing out on using its full potential to help increase the strength of your program. Whether you have yet to enter your program or have already applied, learn tips to use the website and improve your program. Familiarize yourself with the overall categories and themes of the website so you can fully understand the application questions to help map out your projects and plan your overall program, and find out the benefits of entering your projects early on. A live demonstration of the website will illustrate what sort of information is requested to inform what you need to do on the ground, and learn how to update your project information over time. Starter Series

Building Wetlands in Your Forest or Meadow
Presenter: Dr. JJ Apodaca, Lead Scientist and Founder, Tangled Bank Conservation

Ephemeral wetlands, such a vernal pools or seasonal ponds, are extremely important breeding habitat for amphibian species. Find out more about these transient landscape features and learn how to create one in your own forest or meadow from one of the country’s foremost experts on amphibians, reptiles and their habitats. Technical Series

Business and Industry Must Lead on Climate Change – A Discussion
Presenters: Gerry McKenna, Section Manager, Environment Corporate Programs, Ontario Power Generation

Moderator: Montgomery Lovejoy, Director of Industrial Key Accounts, Ramboll Environ

There’s no doubt that carbon affects climate and climate change affects wildlife and habitats. But can you plan for resiliency through wildlife management plans? Are there examples of companies who are in front of the curve, developing habitat initiatives and revisiting their biodiversity plans – including their work with WHC – to help to meet regulations for carbon emissions and increasing compliance requirements? Join us for a lively panel discussion about these issues and more. Corporate Series

Changing the Nature Experience: Virtual Reality and Gaming Technology for Teaching and Learning
Presenters: Scott Tjaden, Environmental Scientist, Pepco Holdings, an Exelon Company  |  Chris Holmes, US Business Development and Interpretive Services, Discovery Agents | Diane Wood, President, National Environmental Education Foundation

Instead of separating technology from nature, integrate technology into your conservation programs to engage people even more! Learn how visitors can remotely experience environmental projects through the use of virtual reality (VR) and experience a placed-based educational mobile game that is designed to teach kids about conservation and safety in their public lands, delivering unique interpretive content in a fun and interactive way. Technical Series

Conservation Alignments: Thinking Beyond Your Fence-Line
Presenters: Amy Derosier, Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator, Michigan Department of Natural Resources  |  Chris Burkett, Wildlife Action Plant Coordinator, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries | Josiane Bonneau, Sr. Director, Conservation Strategy & Planning, Wildlife Habitat Council

Learn about the various types of conservation alignments, how to identify which may fit with your programs, and how to apply them to your conservation efforts. Through a combination of presentations, self-assessments and interactive exercises, you will explore State Wildlife Action Plans, watershed plans, and other strategies that can address specific conservation needs, improve the credibility of your conservation efforts, strengthen relationships with stakeholders, and connect beyond your fence-line. Technical Series

General Session | Corporate Leadership in a Changing Political Climate
Presenters: Sheryl Corrigan, Director of Environmental Health and Safety, Koch Industries | Shefali Mehta, Ph.D. ,Open Rivers Consulting Associates |  James DeMouy, Vice President of Environmental, Health, Safety and Sustainability, Bridgestone Americas

Conservation strategies are constantly changing and sometimes short-lived, often being influenced by political terms or regional priorities. Corporations, however, operate in the global market and are influenced by long-term strategic plans. Because of this global, long-term view, many corporations are steadfast in their commitment to the environment and social responsibility. This General Session features a panel of business and conservation thought leaders, who will address corporate social responsibility in a changing political climate.

General Session | Creating a Legacy of Sustainability and Economic Victories: Common Sense Approaches to Meet the Needs of Both Business and the Environment
Presenter: Laurie Davies Adams, Executive Director, Emeritus, Pollinator Partnership

An economically sound and healthy planet is achievable in a future vision that relies on sound science, common sense and a willingness to cooperate. Coming together in a fully functioning partnership is the most effective path forward for both businesses and conservation organizations. Incremental change is real change, and the steady evolution of business’ perspective on the need for viable long-range planning for wise resource use is reaping rewards for the visionaries who are embracing it. This general session emphasizes the importance of partnerships between the business and conservation worlds, and will highlight strategies to balance the needs for growing economies, feed a burgeoning human population, and preserve an increasingly fragile ecosystem.

Delivering Biodiversity Benefits Through Green Infrastructure
Presenters: Jessica Hughes, Environmental Engineer, Monsanto Company | Steve Roy, Principal, Ramboll Environ

Most often found in urban and suburban settings, green infrastructure projects are used to mitigate environmental challenges using vegetation, soils and natural processes as part of a living, engineered solution. Corporate campuses are prime locations for such projects, which can benefit biodiversity as well as aesthetics and enjoyment. Learn how green infrastructure projects use tree plantings to create wildlife corridors and how permeable surfaces often replace pavement, turning stormwater management projects into a functional, yet beautiful, rain gardens that support wildlife. This session will also explore how lands of all sizes are being used to bring native plants and animals back to urban settings at relatively low costs and with easy maintenance. Technical Series

Employees, Education and Engagement: The Three “E”s to Success

Presenters: Michelle Holyfield, Responsible Care Coordinator, Eastman | Kathy McGlauflin, National Director, Project Learning Tree | Sean Frisch, CSR Manager, LafargeHolcim | Judy Archibald, Director of Public Affairs, Archibald Associates, LLC/Waste Management

Three case studies from WHC-certified programs offer insights into elements of success essential to strong projects: continual engagement with employees and strong partners; educational support to teach and gather data on your projects; and an understanding of the natural and human community in which you are interacting. Gain tips on building a team that can create, maintain and enhance projects over time and learn how management can help to develop volunteer efforts. Find out how to use Project Learning Tree in your location to engage young and old. And discover how to move your team, step-by-step, from awareness to action while maximizing partnerships, increasing data collection, and growing the visibility of your project. Technical Series

Get Your Feet Wet – The Value of Riparian Areas, Wetlands and Other Soggy Places
Presenters: Douglas Wood, Ward Hollow Wildlife Habitat Team Member, Dow/Union Carbide Corporation  |  Kerry Schwartz, Director, Arizona Project WET, University of Arizona | Carrie Clingan, Program Director, Community Stewardship and Youth, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Riparian areas and wetlands are some of the most important sites for biodiversity and the influence they have on fauna and aquatic ecosystems, including grasslands and woodlands. Hear how Dow/Union Carbide’s Ward Hollow Wildlife Habitat volunteers have been improving habitat for extant amphibian populations and restocking extirpated species, and increasing community engagement. You’ll also discover the tools and lessons of Project WET, which teaches youth that science is a fun and interesting way to observe and understand the importance of these unique habitats. We’ll also introduce you to the Five-Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program, which provides funds for wetland, riparian and coastal habitat restoration projects that incorporate conservation education. Technical Series

How to Navigate the Permitting Process Effectively and Efficiently
Presenter: Rick Black, Principal Scientist, Stanley Consultants

Environmental mandates and regulations run the gamut from floodplain, wetlands and sensitive species, to mine land reclamation and natural disaster recovery programs. Learn about the data analysis tools that support consultants and engineers to help businesses and industry comply effectively with these requirements. These tools also help managers understand their managed resources and check the status of the environment using simulations and 2D and 3D visualizations like those available in ArcGIS Pro. Explore alternative analysis and impact recovery trends, build impact analysis scenarios, and follow data through time prior to issuing or applying for permits, all of which will help you better understand your data and navigate through the permitting process more efficiently. Technical Series

Nature Trails: Turning Ordinary Walks into Extraordinary Experiences
Presenter: Jennifer Rigby, Director, The Acorn Group

Leading a walk on a nature trail requires more than calling out the names of plants and animals. To truly connect with your audience, you need to convey a sense of wonder, excitement and passion about a site’s significance. This is the essence of interpretation. This session will reveal guiding points of interpretation that will help you turn an ordinary nature walk into a powerful, transformative experience. Learn how to encourage audience involvement by weaving facts and concepts into themes visitors won’t forget and applying techniques to draw visitors into your site’s story. Technical Series

Optimizing Financial and Reputational Outcomes with Conservation Strategies
Presenters: Susan Kelsey, Global Biodiversity Program Manager, General Motors  |  Jonathon Weier, Natural Resources Planning and Management Lead, CH2M

Is your business making the most of Conservation Certification and biodiversity alignments to generate financial and reputational benefits? The thought-provoking case studies highlighted in this session include a look at remediation and mitigation projects from liability management that extend beyond satisfying regulatory requirements, the advantages of synergies with operations, and the utilization of ecosystem service opportunities provided by the landscape to help facilitate divestiture. You’ll also explore best practices including aligning your corporate biodiversity program to UN SDG goals. Corporate Series

General Session | State of Corporate Conservation
Presenter: Margaret O’Gorman, President, Wildlife Habitat Council

Hear from WHC leadership on how WHC members are achieving their biodiversity and sustainability goals and measuring success through WHC Conservation Certification.

The Critical Role of Business Partnerships for Biodiversity
Presenters: Kristen Sarri, President & CEO, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation | Leslie Honey, Vice President of Conservation Services, NatureServe

Moderator: Laurie Davies Adams, Executive Director Emeritus, Pollinator Partnership

Private sector organizations are a key stakeholder group operating at or near areas of important biodiversity. Business plays a critical role as a catalyzer of sustainable development, supporting conservation and management activities on both land and sea. Case studies reveal how public-private partnerships are an effective tool to support conservation in marine protected areas, solving critical problems that threaten conservation of marine species and their habitats, and details how one company spearheaded a lakeside restoration by galvanizing its own employees, local and national NGOs, and governmental partners into action.  With a Global Standard for the identification of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) finalized in 2016, and the guide for responsible business operations being released this year, you will also have the chance to explore the guidance and provide input on its usefulness to business operations. Corporate Series

What Everyone Should Know to Develop a Successful Monitoring Protocol
Presenter:  Jeff Waldon, Wildlife Biologist, Independent WHC Project Reviewer

Monitoring is a crucial step to developing a credible and valuable conservation project that meets the goals of Conservation Certification. This workshop will provide you with simple guidance and rules to develop monitoring protocols for WHC projects and will emphasize the difference between describing the project versus actually monitoring the project to help you improve your monitoring and application. Starter Series

General Session | Where the People Are: Creating Direct Connections to Nature with Urban and Industrial Green Spaces
Presenters: Mark Buscaino  Executive Director, Casey Trees | Pierce Flanigan President, P. Flanigan & Sons, Inc. | Tasha Lo Porto, NEPA Specialist, Ecosystem Management Coordination Staff, US Forest Service

Green spaces are vital to urban health, bringing people together across social, economic and racial divides. And the benefits provided by green spaces are extensive, from environmental and economic, to health and social. This General Session delves into the importance of green spaces, especially in urban and industrialized areas, with discussions highlighting green roofs, urban trees, green campuses, and the greening of environmental justice communities. This General Session will be immediately followed by an in-depth session that will discuss how green infrastructure projects are used to mitigate environmental challenges using vegetation, soils and natural processes as part of a living, engineered solution.

You’ve Got the Data, Now What?
Presenters: Christopher Wilson, Owner, Wildlife Ecologist & Conservation Scientist, Conservation Ecology LLC | Martha Holzheuer , Midwest Ecology Program Director, Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc. | Gene Huntington, Partner, Remote Intelligence

Monitoring data is critical to the long-term success of your project. Put your data to good use by carefully planning your monitoring efforts, critically reviewing your project findings, and responding with an appropriate action. Learn about technology and specific techniques to improve monitoring, and how to use your gathered data to improve your program. You’ll hear how UAS (drones) are being used all over the world for project planning, monitoring and management. Remote sensing allows users to map topography, conduct volumetrics, view thermal imaging, construct 3D modeling and much more.  We will also explore practical considerations and relative cost-benefits of the different inventory approaches. Examples will show how the data you collect can be used to minimize impacts to sensitive areas, prioritize areas for protection and restoration, and inform conservation easements. Technical Series

Showcase your brand as a sponsor or exhibitor.

Download the prospectus. Contact Daniel Litow at dlitow@wildlifehc.org, 240.247.0926 for more information.

Sponsors

sponsor		sponsor sponsor
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Exhibitors

• Arcadis US
• Carolinian Canada Coalition
• Conservation Ecology LLC
• [dtls] Landscape Architecture
• EarthShare
• Ecotone, Inc.
• Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc.
• Ernst Conservation Seeds, Inc.
• ExxonMobil
• General Motors
• Great Ecology
• Land Trust Alliance
• Martin Ecosystems
• McCormick Taylor
• NatureServe
• North American Land Trust
• North Creek Nurseries
• Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC)
• P. Flanigan & Sons
• Pollinator Partnership
• Project Learning Tree
• Ramboll Environ, Inc.
  
• Survae
• The Boeing Company
• The Conservation Fund
• The Davey Tree Expert Company
• The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust
• US Forest Service
• Wildlife Acoustics, Inc.

New Location for 2017!

Baltimore Marriott Waterfront
700 Aliceanna Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Reservations can be made online or by calling 877-212-5752. Be sure to mention you’re attending the Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Conference. Rooms are $229 per night. The WHC room block expires on October 13.

Discover waterfront relaxation in the heart of Baltimore. Boasting spacious, tastefully designed hotel rooms and an extensive array of first-class amenities, the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront is a terrific hotel location in downtown’s bustling Harbor East district, just steps from top-quality shopping and dining. The hotel rooms and suites offer flat-screen TVs, deluxe bedding, an ergonomic work space, and more, while many rooms feature striking waterfront views of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Savor fine dining at Apropoe’s, our hotel’s signature restaurant, take a dip in our indoor pool, or stay productive at our business center. In addition, the hotel’s ideal placement offers simple access to the Baltimore Aquarium, Fells Point, and Camden Yards.

The Baltimore Marriott Waterfront is a 24-minute drive from BWI Marshall Airport, and easy to reach from Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York from Interstate 95 or via Amtrak.

Area Attractions

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 or the Marriott’s local attraction guide.

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

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

PRICING DEADLINES	August 25 Biggest Savings!	August 26 – October 13	October 14 – November 7 Includes on-site registration
Member	$600	$725	$850
Non-Member	$675	$799	$925
Non-Profit, Government	$375	$425	$475

Registration Policies
Registration includes five (5) meals, including the WHC Awards Dinner, and admission to all sessions. Registration is not final until payment has been received. Substitutions will be allowed. Refund Policy: 100% before August 1, 2017; 50% between August 1 and September 1, 2017; no refunds after September 1, 2017. All requests for substitutions and refunds must be made in writing to conservationconference@wildlifehc.org.