Tag Archive for: avian

5 Ways to Keep Your Conservation Program Thriving This Winter

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Winter is just a few weeks away. For many of us, the drop in temperature comes with an increase in to-do items — from year-end tasks to holiday celebrations. During this busy time of year, it’s important to take some time to consider what the new season means for any conservation projects that you’re a part of. Lax or maladapted winter maintenance can undercut the hard work that you’ve done all year. Conversely, taking the unique winter needs of the species on your site into consideration can enhance your year-round efforts. Here are some ideas for keeping your conservation program going this winter.  

 1. Look out for Bats 

Many bat species hibernate in caves, mines or buildings during the winter. If bats hibernate at your site, take note of their location and avoid interaction — if a hibernating bat is disturbed, their metabolism will speed up and they could quickly deplete fat reserves meant to last the entire winter.  

Many bat species only use bat boxes in warm months, making the winter an ideal time to perform routine maintenance on your site’s boxes. Keep in mind that some bat species, like the big brown bat, do sometimes overwinter in bat houses, so it’s important to have a sense of what species are present in your area.  

2. Put Down the Pruners 

Many pollinator species overwinter in leaf litter and loose soil, and butterfly pupae can often be found on bare stems and stalks. When possible, avoid mulching or over-tidying your pollinator gardens to provide important winter habitat. If you’re concerned about appearance, consider supplementing your garden with informative signage explaining the ways in which an unkempt garden can help wildlife — visitors might be inspired to go home and do the same in their own yards!   

3. Maintain Space for Birds 

While winter may be a good time to perform nest box maintenance, don’t take them down altogether! As discussed in a previous WHC Wildlife Blog post, the bird boxes you’ve placed on-site for springtime nesting can provide overwintering shelter for small mammals and non-migratory bird species.  

If any of your projects involve native tree or shrub planting, ensure that you’ve planted some species that produce berries in the winter to maintain a food source for non-migratory birds — or for birds that have migrated to your area for the season. If you take inventory of bird species, wintertime monitoring can give you an idea of how species distribution varies between seasons.   

4. Continue to Monitor Invasive Species 

While cold weather may stave off some invasive species, plants like garlic mustard and insects like the emerald ash borer can endure the winter (young borers even produce glycerol, which acts as an internal antifreeze agent). Knowing what invasives overwinter on your site, and coming up with a plan to control them, can bolster your year-round efforts.  

5. Plan (and Attend) Virtual Education Events 

In 2020, many of us have been turning to nature for socially distant recreation. As temperatures drop and people spend more time in their homes, keep their newfound appreciation of the outdoors going with virtual events showcasing the habitats on your premises and the ways in which your projects promote conservation. As an added benefit, inclement weather won’t prevent attendees from showing up! The Education Projects page of Our Conservation in a Time of Crisis guide contains tips on virtual events. 

If you’re spending more time indoors, it is also a good opportunity to enrich your own knowledge– as a starting point, check out the on-demand webinars available on the WHC website, and be on the lookout for upcoming webinars.  

Winter conditions vary greatly across the continent and can even differ within a region. Be sure to take local weather and migration patterns into account. The extension program of a university in your state (searchable via the NIFA/USDA directory) is a good starting point for region-specific information.  If you’re using this winter to consider what your program can be doing year-round, now is also a good time to consider how WHC Consulting can help you reach your 2021 goals.  

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Bats, Birds and Owls – A Conservation Conference Session Recap

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One of the more popular breakout sessions at the 2018 Conservation Conference, Bats, Birds and Owls: Capturing Community Interest Through Species Management Programs, focused on the use of species projects as a pathway for community engagement. Presenters from Freeport-McMoRan and Waste Management shared their stories about using the preservation and management of an iconic local species to create a positive narrative around conservation and industry.

Sean Wenham, Community Development Manager for Freeport-McMoRan, kicked off the session with an introduction to Freeport’s efforts to enhance burrowing owl habitat at its facility in Safford, Arizona. Community outreach and educational events with groups such as Wild at Heart have been integral in this project’s continuing success. Freeport won the 2016 WHC Avian Project Award for these efforts and continues to work closely with its partners to involve the community in learning about and creating habitat for this species.

Sean’s colleagues Emily Muteb, Development Manager, and Leah Sunna, Environmental Scientist, at Freeport’s Morenci Mine, also located in Arizona, discussed how their facility protects and monitors bats in the Eagle Creek Bat Cave and engages local schools in education about bats. This cave is an important maternity colony for over 1.8 million Mexican free-tailed bats.

Chelsea Adams, Assistant Principal for the Morenci Unified School District, also joined in the discussion, providing a school administrator’s perspective of these outreach events. Chelsea explained how companies and schools can most effectively work together to provide an engaging educational experience that meets both the company’s goals and the school’s academic standards, noting the importance of identifying your goals, planning and preparation, and allowing cross-pollination of concepts that can complement the learning experience. She also described how Freeport uses bat and bee mascots to ignite kids’ imaginations and get them excited about native species; this same bee mascot later surprised Conference attendees with an appearance at the Dinner and Awards Presentation.

Adriene Fors finished off the session by discussing the American kestrel banding project at Waste Management’s Grand Central Landfill in Pennsylvania. Bird banding is a valuable tool that allows you to track changes in bird populations and behavior/movement patterns, and is a fantastic way to engage the community. Adriene described how the facility built community interest in the project over time, using tools like social media and inviting the community to bird banding events.

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Flamingos? Nope – They’re Roseate Spoonbills!

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With their long legs and rosy pink color, it’s easy to understand why roseate spoonbills (Platalea ajaja), a waterbird species that lives in coastal areas of the southeast U.S. and Caribbean, are often mistaken for flamingos.

On their website, Audubon describes them as “gorgeous at a distance and bizarre up close.” But let’s be honest, in the world of weird-looking birds, roseate spoonbills are in good company. (I mean, have you ever seen a shoebill stork?)

Like flamingos, spoonbills’ coloration comes from carotenoid pigments in their diet, which consists primarily of aquatic invertebrates and small fish. Their feathers can range in color from bright magenta to pale pink, depending on age and location.

Their spoon-shaped bill is unmistakable, however. Although the long, flat, spoon-shaped bill may seem downright strange and even impractical, it actually serves an important purpose. The bill shape helps the birds to detect, trap, and strain fish and invertebrates out of the shallow, muddy water where they forage.

Like other colonial waterbirds, roseate spoonbills can usually be found in small flocks among other wading birds like egrets, nesting and foraging in the same area.

If you are lucky enough to have roseate spoonbills living on your site, you’ve got a great opportunity to help this species, which is declining in some areas (like the Everglades) and is stable but low in numbers throughout the rest of its range.  Here’s a few great ways your team can enhance habitat for these birds:

  • Plant native wetland vegetation, which will benefit spoonbills’ food by providing food and cover and by improving water quality
  • Install structures such as submerged brush piles and rock piles, which will benefit spoonbills’ food
  • Conduct regular surveys of the spoonbills’ colony to track changes in the population over time
  • Plant more of the shrubs and trees (e.g., mangroves) that spoonbills and other colonial waterbirds in your area use for nesting
  • Take measures to decrease disturbance to nesting spoonbills, such as by posting signage or educating employees about the importance of keeping your distance from nesting colonies.

If you need help tailoring these projects to your particular site, or just aren’t sure how to begin, we’re here to help!  Give our Conservation Strategy and Planning Department a call at 301-588-8994 or send us an email at strategyandplanning@wildlifehc.org.

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Peregrines: Not Your Average City Dweller

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One of my favorite bird species is the spectacular bird-of-prey, the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). This bird can be found on six continents around the world, though it does not occur in large numbers in most areas.

This bird is amazing because not only has it recovered from the brink of extinction in North America, it is now thriving in many regions because it has adapted really well to urban settings. It naturally nests on ledges high up on cliffs, easily out of reach of most predators. With the increasing growth of cities with tall buildings and abundant prey in the modern era, peregrines have found new nesting opportunities on the roofs and ledges of skyscrapers and other tall structures like water towers, power pylons, and bridges.

At WHC’s main office in Silver Spring, we routinely see the resident pair of peregrine falcons soaring high above us and hunting the city’s numerous pigeons. Peregrines and other falcons are aerial hunters, meaning they catch their prey while in flight. Peregrines use a swift dive, or “stoop,” that is spectacular to watch. A peregrine’s stoop can reach over 200 mph (320 kmh), making it the fastest animal on earth!

These birds are known for using their speed and agility to prey upon a wide variety of birds, mostly medium-sized birds, including several species that can be a nuisance in urban settings like pigeons and starlings. Although falcons won’t eliminate the pigeon or starling population in a city, they can certainly help to keep it in check.

A nest box like this one at DTE’s River Rouge facility is a common way to enhance habitat for peregrines.

A nest box like this one at DTE’s River Rouge facility is a common way to enhance habitat for peregrines.

If you want to help peregrines at your corporate facility, one of the best ways is to work with your state wildlife agency to implement the appropriate measures for your site. These birds are still protected by law and can be very defensive of their nests, so before taking any actions it will be important to consult with the agency about things like safety precautions or requirements related to their protection. A common and often successful project is the installation and monitoring of a nest box for peregrines. This kind of structure provides a secure, ledge-like nesting location that provides some protection against the elements, and many facilities use a nest cam to monitor the nest with minimal disturbance to the birds. Discussions with your wildlife agency will also help determine if other projects such as artificial raptor perches, banding of peregrine chicks, or release of captive-reared peregrines would be appropriate for your facility.

Bats and Birds Will Eat Your Mosquitos

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Hate mosquitos? You’re not alone! Although they are an important part of the ecosystem, too many mosquitos can create quite a nuisance. They buzz in your ear and leave red, itchy welts when they bite, and some even transmit diseases like West Nile Virus and malaria.

You wouldn’t know it from their cute faces, but these little brown bats are voracious insect predators, and can eat thousands of mosquitos in a single night. Source: USFWS.

You wouldn’t know it from their cute faces, but these little brown bats are voracious insect predators, and can eat thousands of mosquitos in a single night. Source: USFWS.

Luckily, nature has provided us with many natural mosquito predators to help keep them under control.

Bats in temperate areas of the world tend to be insectivorous, with voracious appetites for mosquitos and other flying insect pests. A single bat can eat about 1,200 insects an hour, and about 6,000-8,000 insects a night. Female bats that are nursing young may even eat up to their weight in insects nightly.

Insectivorous birds like purple martins, swallows, eastern kingbirds, and yellow warblers are also known for eating flying insects, including mosquitos, though to a lesser extent.

So if you have a problem with mosquitos and other flying pest insects, try enhancing your site’s habitat to attract these natural insect predators. You could install artificial structures that provide nesting and roosting habitat, such as nest boxes for birds and bat houses or other artificial roosts for bats. You should also make sure the surrounding habitat provides the resources and complexity needed by the species you want to attract, including plenty of native vegetation that will provide additional food sources and cover habitat. Not only will you contribute to conservation of these species, you’ll also be helping yourself!

It’s important to remember that none of these species will provide a singular solution to controlling mosquitos in all locations. Rather, attracting natural predators is an important step in long-term planning for reducing mosquito numbers in your area.

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Designing & Building Barn Owl Nest Boxes

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The IBM Almaden Research Center, located in San Jose, California, is pioneering the design of artificial nest boxes by partnering with a dedicated volunteer.

Steve Simmons of Merced, California, developed a Barn Owl box plan that has been in extensive use throughout the Central Valley after years of experimenting with and documenting the siting, mounting, and design of artificial nest boxes for Barn Owls. As a shop teacher, he organized the student production of over 10,000 Barn Owl boxes, which were sold to local ranchers for pest control. The sales from the boxes provided over $168,000 in scholarship money for his students over a nine-year period. His personal monitoring of Barn Owl boxes (currently 200 annually at 8 sites) has led to an enormous amount of data on year-round behavior, reproductive habits, diet, predators, habitat requirements, and nest box preferences. Mr. Simmons and other volunteers have placed seven Barn Owl nest boxes at the Almaden Research Center, all of which are monitored on a regular basis.

Download a copy of the Simmons Barn Owl Nest Box Design and start your own project!

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Tag Archive for: avian

Ashland | Responsibly Solving to Support a Thriving Habitat at a Former Landfill

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Ashland’s Old York Road site, a former landfill located in Burlington Township, New Jersey, comprises seven acres of grassland and has been actively managed for conservation since 2012. The site houses projects ranging from invasive species management to mammal monitoring to educational partnerships. Ashland’s conservation goals include monitoring and supporting native wildlife and incorporating native vegetation to reduce maintenance needs across the site. Through a partnership with Rutgers University, the company also facilitates hands-on learning opportunities for future conservation professionals.

Ashland’s commitment to environmental protection aligns with the Responsible Care® program, a global initiative developed by and for chemical companies. “Identifying opportunities to create conservation projects on environmental remediation sites aligns with Ashland’s global environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and Responsible Care goals of improving the environmental and social impacts of the company’s operations on our communities,” explained Shannon Lloyd, remediation project manager at Ashland.

Old York Road plays host to various species of birds, bats, mammals and pollinators, with projects designed to attract and support these native species. The bird box project targets cavity-nesting songbirds, with predator guards ensuring that only avian species can access the boxes. Through weekly monitoring, employees found that 52 fledglings successfully graduated from the nesting boxes in 2020 and 2021, with the number of successful fledglings nearly doubling in 2021.

As white-nose syndrome has been documented in the state of New Jersey, Ashland’s solvers have aligned their bat project with the White-Nose Syndrome Response Team’s recommendations for supporting bat populations, such as providing shelter, food and water. In addition to box observations, Ashland also uses an ultrasonic microphone for monitoring purposes. Through echolocation surveys, the team has determined that there are five species of cave-dwelling bats in the area: big brown bats, little brown bats, red bats, hoary bats and silver haired bats.

To facilitate further species monitoring, Ashland has installed a wildlife camera trap annually since 2019 to record evidence of mammals such as white-tailed deer, racoons and red foxes. Two cameras are installed and deployed for five days during seasonal monitoring events. Nine species were identified using this camera, including the target species plus groundhogs, opossums and squirrels. Ashland also conducts pollinator monitoring of bumblebees, honeybees and butterflies, and in May 2021, 19 total pollinator species were observed.

Through a formal learning connection with Rutgers University, Ashland creates real-world educational experiences for local students that surpasses what is possible through classroom instruction alone. “Ashland has made a commitment to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education,” said Lloyd, “and partnering with students who gain hands-on field experience action supports that commitment.” This mutually beneficial partnership with Rutgers provides students the opportunity to apply their ecological expertise to the site’s projects by monitoring nest boxes and conducting wildlife and vegetation surveys, while Ashland receives useful data for monitoring and documentation. Through this project, students hone their skills of data collection and management, field observation, species identification and applied conservation. “There is a learning curve that varies each year,” explained Lora Sterner, senior associate environmental scientist, Kennedy Jenks Consultants, Inc. and program manager for Ashland’s WHC sites. “Preparing step-by-step procedures specific to each project is part of the programmatic approach and improves the consistency and quality of information used in preparing the certification documentation.”

The program at Old York Road also targets invasive species. The tree of heaven is an invasive tree in the area that grows quickly and outcompetes native plants for resources such as water and sunlight. They were first observed on-site in 2017 and were targeted for removal via mowing and cutting. Tree of heaven often serves as habitat for another invasive species, the spotted lanternfly, which was first seen on-site in 2020. The team has since targeted trees of heaven more heavily for removal, and the ongoing removal of these trees will help slow the growth of lanternfly populations.

As part of their remediation of the former landfill, the team at Ashland went above and beyond regulatory requirements by seeding the landfill cap with a native seed mix and developing a maintenance plan to support the growth and success of native plants. Thanks to a conservation easement, the remediation project is protected from any habitat loss or fragmentation that might occur due to development or reuse of the site.

Through partnerships, rigorous monitoring and a dedication to supporting native plants and animals, Ashland’s solvers have developed a thriving habitat.

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Ontario Power Generation | Crossing the Fence Line to Drive Regional Conservation Action

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The expansion of conservation activities on a site can take many forms. While growth often entails adding new projects or increasing the area of an existing habitat, companies that look beyond their fence lines to support other local conservation efforts can amplify their own impact while forging invaluable partnerships and building environmental resilience.  

The Ontario Power Generation (OPG) facility in Wesleyville, Ontario (60 miles east of Toronto) sits on 1,200 acres of agricultural and pasture lands, as well as forested areas and provincially significant wetlands. Wesleyville Creek, one of the highest-quality coldwater streams in the region, flows across the property, draining into Lake Ontario. For over twenty years, these natural areas have hosted an extensive conservation program that has allowed OPG to strengthen its relationship with neighboring landowners and support local scientific research.  

OPG Wesleyville’s conservation work began in 1997 with an environmental survey that identified two opportunities for OPG to increase on-site biodiversity: reforestation and restoration of the lower reaches of the Wesleyville Stream to support brook trout and other native fish, which face threats such as predation by sea lampreys and the warming of coldwater streams from climate change and deforestation.  

In response to these findings, starting in 1998, employees planted native trees (including pine, spruce, ash, cedar, maple and oak varieties), resulting in over 40,000 seedlings planted on the property over the decades. Additionally, Wesleyville employees began work on a multi-phase stream restoration project, the first step of which entailed clearing out excessive sediment and removing beaver dams that were confining the creek’s brook trout population to areas with limited food and few places to spawn.  

Over time, OPG employees, with assistance of contractors and local conservation authorities, have removed in-stream culverts for greater trout mobility, planted willows to provide shade and moderate the creek’s temperature and, with the help of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, installed a barrier that prevents invasive sea lampreys from entering the creek. Monitoring data collected by the local Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) indicates that brook trout spawning activity is increasing, sea lampreys are being effectively controlled and the creek’s water quality has remained high.  

Since implementing these initial projects, OPG has continued to grow its conservation efforts. In 2009, 16 nest boxes for cavity-nesting birds like tree swallows and bluebirds were installed. Routine monitoring conducted later that year revealed a pair of young ospreys nesting atop a utility pole. When the ospreys flew south at the end of the year, employees removed wires from the pole and installed a more stable nesting platform. Today, the site features 57 nest boxes, about 95% of which are used by birds each breeding season, and ospreys have fledged nearly every year. Both ospreys and songbirds can find food in the restored forest, and within the site’s two barrier beach marshlands, which OPG fenced off and began to monitor in 2011. 

In addition to managing these on-site projects, OPG has driven conservation action on neighboring properties, which also contain portions of Wesleyville Creek. In 2017, OPG and adjacent landowners partnered in a cost- and data-sharing program that has resulted in uniform creek management practices across the sites, and installation of 20 nest boxes on neighboring lands.  

Ashley Fox, Environmental Advisor at OPG, recommends other conservation teams emulate these efforts. “Collaboration with neighbors has helped OPG’s efforts extend beyond its borders. Considering the benefits of landowner partnerships, it’s worth exploring what your neighbors are already doing. From there, you can discuss opportunities to reduce each company’s workload, share scientific information and stay informed about local changes.”  

Moving forward, OPG and its neighbors intend to work with the Nature Conservancy and the GRCA to control the use of ATVs and dirt bikes near the creek, as these recreational vehicles can destroy spawning sites and increase erosion along the banks.  

In addition to sharing monitoring data with its neighbors, OPG and its partners have made valuable contributions to local research. Every year, grasses and other material from bluebird and tree swallow nests are provided to the Royal Ontario Museum in support of research on cavity-nesting birds, and monitoring data on these species is sent to the Ontario Eastern Bluebird Society, who integrates the information into its spring newsletter. Data collected in the wetlands is used by Environment and Climate Change Canada (a federal agency) as baseline information in studies on biodiversity and climate change’s impact on wetlands.  

Ashley says that these opportunities for collaboration have been critical to the Wesleyville program’s success. “The most rewarding part of our work has been two-fold: meeting new and enthusiastic citizen scientists, and collaborating with our community and professional partners to complete work that has a measurable impact on the local ecosystem. The success of the Wesleyville program is due to the incredible team effort made by a variety of employees and the commitment of OPG’s neighbors and community partners.”  

With its robust partnerships and commitment to maintaining healthy habitats on- and off-site, the OPG Wesleyville program has thrived for decades, and its employees and partners are primed to serve as regional conservation leaders in the years to come.   

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Chemours Washington Works | Decades of Conservation, Driven by Partnerships and Ambition

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From wavering employee interest to budget constraints, conservation programs can face many challenges as years go by. Forming the right partnerships and continually taking small steps toward big goals are, in these cases, keys to program longevity.  

Chemours operates a plant within Washington Works, a large plastics manufacturing facility shared with DuPont and Kuraray located outside Parkersburg, WV. Since 1988, employees and retirees from the three companies (known as the Washington Works Nature’s Environmental Support Team, or WW-NEST), have worked to support wildlife on company grounds through conservation and habitat enhancement projects across the 1,950-acre site. Four years later, the team achieved WHC Conservation Certification® for their efforts, and in the same year began to construct a trail system.  

Today, the Washington Works conservation program is Certified Gold and the trails serve as a venue for extensive environmental education and community outreach work that benefits both the company and the wide array of visitors that explore, study and volunteer time on-site. The Washington Works Nature Trails are open to the public and transect the site’s 65 acres of hardwood forest (which feature over 40 native tree species, including oak, maple and ash varieties), 18 acres of meadowland, a pond and a constructed vernal wetland.  

Chemours employees make up the largest share of WW-NEST volunteers and a retired technical fellow from Chemours, Dave Johnson, currently oversees the program. Dave began working with WW-NEST about 10 years into the team’s history, when they were focused on habitat conservation and enhancement. He explains that once these natural areas began to thrive, “It was clear that we could do more if we could engage the public in the outdoors. Seeing people walking the trails with their family or dogs in tow, avid birders and photographers at work, and classes on field trips inspires the WW-Nest Team to continue their efforts and to dream big.”  

While many community members explore the trails independently, WW-NEST also offers structured programming for local students and youth groups. The first field trip conducted at the site was for a local church’s reading camp. A Chemours employee who volunteered with the camp suggested that the children travel on-site to identify and research wildlife by using reference guides, providing participants with a hands-on, interdisciplinary way to exercise their reading skills. The event was well-received, and the church now returns each summer.  

WW-NEST soon expanded their offerings to local schools, who can either partake in docent-led field trips or develop their own lesson plans. Each year* about 180 first graders travel the trails to participate in activities like leaf collection, insect lifecycle lessons, and snake and frog observation; local high school students visit the site to conduct transect monitoring, GIS mapping, tree identification and water testing. Dave cites these field trips as one of WW-NEST’s greatest achievements, explaining that, “Developing partnerships with local teachers and schools has taken quite the effort, but the payback in seeing students’ enjoyment and engagement makes it worth the effort.” He adds that WW-NEST volunteers are typically eager to serve as field trip docents.   

While organizing volunteers for habitat construction and maintenance activities has been more challenging, the team has been able to accomplish these tasks through partnerships with local Scout troops. Cub and BSA Scouts regularly contribute to habitat enhancement tasks, including planting American holly trees and constructing bird and bat boxes.  

Since 2004, 10 Eagle Scout candidates have also completed their required service projects at Washington Works. Each of these projects, which are selected by individual Scouts after they learn about WW-NEST’s needs, have increased the accessibility of the site — information kiosks, bridges and benches have been added to public areas, and two Scouts reconstructed trails to make them wheelchair accessible through the use of compacted gravel. Dave says that “Getting involved with Scouting, particularly with Eagle Scout projects, has been a win-win for both parties. The Scouts provide planning, manpower and partial funding and WW-NEST collaborates on the planning and provides additional funding to achieve projects that would normally be beyond the scope that a Scout could achieve on his own.”  

Dave reflects that each addition to the program is “a step toward fulfilling the WW-NEST’s dreams.” Ultimately, the team would like to construct a classroom building and other educational facilities for school groups to utilize year-round. As a first step they hope to soon construct a shelter area for school groups so that field trips can proceed in inclement weather.  

He encourages other teams to likewise set lofty goals. “Don’t limit what you can do to what you think you can do,” he says, “and don’t prejudge what you will be allowed to do before you make the case for doing it.” WW-NEST was able to secure routine corporate funding for their program after demonstrating what they had accomplished using proceeds from site-level contributions. He also reinforces the importance of partnerships, stating that WW-NEST’s “partnerships with Scouting and schools allow achievements greater than what could be achieved through employee volunteer efforts alone.”  

Through this combination of ambition, strategy and collaboration, WW-NEST’s efforts have been sustained for over three decades and are primed to keep thriving.  

*Community engagement figures derived from 2018 (pre-pandemic) Certification application  

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Bacardi Bottling Corporation Jacksonville | Creativity, Flexibility and Resiliency in Conservation

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Bacardi’s operations have coexisted with wildlife since the company’s inception — the brand’s distinctive bat logo was inspired by the bats that lived in the rafters of the Santiago de Cuba distillery in which the Bacardi family first made, stored and aged their rum in the 1860s.   

Today, at the Bacardi Bottling Corporation site in Jacksonville, FL, spirits are produced and bottled on a 90-acre property that provides ample space for local wildlife. An on-site habitat is managed by a group of dedicated employees known as the Green Team, which since 2016 has been led by co-chairs Kara Bogden, Senior Beverage Scientist, R&D, and Eric Hearn, Environmental Health & Safety Site Coordinator. The team has always approached conservation with a sense of adaptability. This mindset proved invaluable in 2020 — when the COVID-19 pandemic led to canceled events and logistical challenges, the team found creative ways to continue with their work.   

At stake was a long-standing conservation program that has provided wildlife with quality habitat and has allowed the team to build a rapport with other employees and partners throughout North Florida. The program, which first achieved WHC Certification in 2013, contains 22 acres of native warm season grasses and wildflowers, a pollinator garden, and structures to attract bats and birds. This land once contained high-maintenance turf grass, but now supports local wildlife while also reducing on-site landscaping costs in a subtropical region where plants grow quickly for most of the year.  The Green Team partners with the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Gainesville, FL to construct the site’s bat houses. (The conservancy was founded by Luis F. Bacardi, who was the great-grandson of the company’s founder and passionate about bat conservation.) They also work with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Jacksonville Zoo on a long-term bat study that utilizes acoustic monitoring techniques. The avian project has likewise allowed the team to connect with the greater Jacksonville community, including local scouts who constructed boxes for eastern bluebirds. Monitoring has demonstrated an increase in bluebird fledglings over time, and on his walks throughout campus, Eric has been pleased to see more bluebirds year-round. 

The pollinator garden was originally in the back of the campus, but in response to employee enthusiasm, the team moved it to the front, and it’s now one of the first things employees and visitors see when they arrive on-site. The team leveraged the popularity of this pollinator work to creatively engage with employees throughout the pandemic.  

When the team had to cancel their large-scale annual Earth Day event, they instead distributed pollinator plant seeds to employees for them to plant at home. Bacardi employees live all around the Jacksonville area, as far as 40 miles away from the facility, so this activity has allowed the team to transform yards across the region into pollinator habitats and outdoor classrooms. “It was great,” Kara recalls, “People would stop us and talk about how their milkweed was growing and how excited their kids were to find chrysalises in their yard.”   

In November, the team invited employees to a socially distanced on-site planting event, resulting in a record turnout. The team attributes this to a desire to return to campus on the part of currently remote employees, and a newfound appreciation of nature overall.   

The pandemic not only shaped large-scale events, but also routine monitoring and maintenance. While plant operations kept going, many employees went at least partially remote, reducing the personnel free to assist on-site. Moreover, tasks are usually done in pairs, but became solo efforts per distancing regulations. The team was, however, determined to stay consistent with their work. For instance, they still performed nest monitoring on the same dates that this information has been collected in previous years, identifying an employee who was scheduled to be on-site on each date, and assigning the duty to them. While, as Eric notes, these tasks lost their social aspect this year, they instead offered employees a unique way to “break from work and get out in nature,” providing stress relief in a difficult time.  

Although they’ve had a trying year, the Green Team shows no signs of slowing down. They are in the process of installing satellite wildflower gardens along the pathway that leads from the parking lot to the site’s main building. The team was able to get these gardens funded through a wellness initiative, as they will benefit not only wildlife, but also employee morale. The team has also worked with the Duval Audubon Society, discussing ways to engage adult learners via on-site community events, which they hope to start hosting once the pandemic has subsided. As employees return to campus, Kara and Eric expect to see an influx of Green Team participants. As Kara notes, the pandemic has made people realize that “we are just a small part of this world,” and many have taken more time to stop and appreciate nature. The team looks forward to keeping this momentum going into 2021, and beyond. 

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Stellantis | Partners and Employees Create Habitat for Wetland Birds, Pollinators and More

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The Stellantis US Headquarters and Technology Center, also known as the Auburn Hills Complex sits on a 550-acres corporate campus in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It serves as the North American headquarters for Stellantis, as well as its main research and development facility. The campus buildings and test track are surrounded by natural wetlands, stormwater ponds, upland and floodplain forest and landscaped areas.

Located in the wetlands is a heron rookery, where over 25 pairs of great blue herons have nested since 2006. Stellantis works to limit human disturbance of the nesting birds, as this might cause them to abandon their nests. Efforts are also taken to control and filter stormwater runoff that might enter the wetlands to protect water quality for the herons and their prey. The wetlands are also the location of a recently-installed wood duck nest box, as well as a beaver dam.

There are numerous pollinator gardens, including one that is a certified Monarch Waystation installed near one of the ponds. Stellantis also partnered with the on-campus First Nations Resource Group to install a garden near the main cafeteria that features culturally-important plants such as the three sisters (corn, beans and squash) and medicinal herbs.

Partnerships with local conservation organizations and schools help make this program as successful as it is. One of Stellantis’ strongest partnerships is with Avondale High School. Avondale students have participated in multiple projects over the years: they helped plant one of the pollinator gardens, they constructed bat houses, they built insect hotels (along with students from another school, Bowers Academy). The students also participated in a competition about reducing carbon, with the best projects presented at that year’s Earth Day event. In addition, every year Stellantis helps the students learn about stream ecology through the Stream Leaders stream monitoring program. David Jump, Environmental Health and Safety Specialist, understands how working with students like this is valuable for not only raising awareness of conservation issues, but encouraging an interest in STEM fields as well: “I want to be able to show these young people what STEM is, how cool it really is, and maybe give them a push to come into something like it.”

Other local organizations also contribute a great deal to the program and its success. The Oakland Audubon Society helps conduct bird and butterfly surveys several times a year, and leads employee “nature strolls” during the annual Earth Day event. Trout Unlimited also mapped an on-site creek connected to the wetlands and released juvenile trout to promote healthy fish populations.

In addition to Stellantis’ robust partnerships, employees have a strong enthusiasm for the projects that keeps the program going strong. Tonya Hunter, an Ecologist with contractor Environmental Consulting & Technology, remarked how Stellantis employees are “very enthusiastic about the wildlife and very passionate and excited” about the conservation projects. After participating in a trial use of EchoMeter Touch 2 acoustic bat detectors with WHC and local partners, a small group of employees even purchased their own bat detectors and survey the site for bats after hours a few times each year.

When it comes to successful conservation programs, a combination of strong partnerships and enthusiastic employees is a great approach to create long-lasting, positive outcomes.

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Shell | Protecting Migratory Species in the Energy Corridor

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Off Interstate 10 in the Energy Corridor of Houston, Texas, lies a haven for pollinators and other wildlife along the migratory flyway. The Shell Oil Company’s Woodcreek Campus sits on 100 acres of land, with just under half of that boasting natural areas including wildflower gardens, a creek and a forested area.

With the rapid development (and paving over) of natural habitat in the Energy Corridor of West Houston, we feel that our campus plays an important role in the migratory success [of pollinators] –Laura Castle, External Relations Advisor – Environmental

The Woodcreek Campus has always been focused on keeping as much green space as possible, with design considerations for wildlife being an important factor since the property was acquired in 1978. When Shell Real Estate began to refurbish existing buildings and construct new ones, it made certain the construction was in line with conserving and restoring wildlife habitat on-site, and aimed to increase the accessibility of nature to its 6,000 employees.

The site’s employees tend to several conservation projects at Woodcreek Campus, which first achieved WHC Certification in 2010. They built a native pollinator garden that includes monarch-friendly plants such as milkweed, Gulf mulhy, Texas lantana and yellow bells. Steps were taken to protect hummingbirds with the installation of window screens during migratory season to reduce window collisions, along with moving flowering vegetation to open areas so the birds are not drawn near the buildings. Shell employees have also taken up actions to reduce human-snake interaction while remaining a no-kill facility, including relocating snakes found on site to the nearby Addicks Reservoir where suitable habitat exists, and human-snake interaction is less likely. Wildlife sightings and health of the habitats are monitored daily to make sure maintenance is not needed and the projects are meeting campus environmental goals.

Gina Flynn, Real Estate Services Manager at Woodcreek, says that employees are incredibly proud of the collection of projects on their site. With three different community engagement events a year, they certainly get that chance to educate and share their success. Woodcreek hosts Powering Conservation Day each year where employees and their children interact with Shell’s environmental partners and learn about the campus’s conservation initiatives. Environmental Awareness Day celebrates Earth Day each year and engages over 1,000 people in learning about the value of conservation in their business and encourages employees to become more involved in the efforts.  Flynn states, “We are proud that we get to tell our story in community engagement events. The positive response we get from our employees and environmental NGO partner attendees is energizing!”

In addition to engaging employees and families, the team at Woodcreek works closely with local schools. Over 30 second graders from a local elementary school are educated each year, meeting an important community need for science education. The students learn about the importance of butterflies as pollinators, Houston’s critical location in the Tri-Regional Monarch Flyway, and how Shell is working with national and local conservation groups to use milkweed and other native Texas plantings to increase the numbers of monarch butterflies passing through to and from Mexico.

The global pandemic has not stopped Woodcreek from achieving their conservation goals.  Although education and engagement events are not possible, Flynn states they continue to make capital improvements in their landscaping with conservation in mind. The team is also dedicated to continuing education about native landscaping and the importance of these habitats virtually, including encouraging employees to incorporate native landscaping in their personal gardens with the use of the WHC collaborative document: A Guide to Native Landscaping in the US.

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Atlantic Richfield | From Superfund to Super Habitat

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Engaging in conservation activities on corporate lands sometimes requires managing ongoing impacts of historical uses. For the Atlantic Richfield Dutchman site, located on 3,447 acres in the Upper Clark Fork River Basin of southwestern Montana, a legacy of past mining, smelting and overgrazing resulted in significant impacts to habitats and wildlife.

The Dutchman property is part of the Anaconda Smelter NPL Site, an area of 300 square miles impacted by nearly 100 years of historical copper smelting by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. High arsenic levels in the soil caused by smelting required remedial action. Additionally, previous use of the property for grazing and breeding livestock had a detrimental impact on the site’s habitat and vegetative cover. Fortunately, Atlantic Richfield (a subsidiary of BP) has overcome the challenges posed by these impacts to transform the Dutchman site into a haven of grassland and wetland habitat used by wildlife and humans alike.

Ecological restoration began at the Dutchman site more than 30 years ago with the creation of a Functionally Effective Wetland Area, now 517 acres and the largest contiguous wetland habitat in the watershed. Through the years, further efforts have been made to address the site’s legacy of impacts, including native seeding, livestock and vehicle exclusion, invasive species management, erosion control and wildlife monitoring.

When describing the efforts Atlantic Richfield has made to exceed both wetland mitigation and remediation requirements on-site, team member Shannon Dunlap, Operations Project Manager, noted that, “What sets the Dutchman site apart is the rigorous monitoring Atlantic Richfield conducts year-round to monitor not only wetlands, but avian and mammal populations, invasive species, grassland vegetation and erosion.”

Field crews work with Go Bird Montana every year to inventory bird populations on-site and have so far observed over 120 species of birds from 35 different taxonomic families. These surveys have found evidence that several rare species and species of concern are breeding on-site. Atlantic Richfield is also investigating ways to implement more comprehensive monitoring that can better guide management efforts, such as the use of remote sensing technology or aerial spectral analysis by drones, or satellites to evaluate vegetative cover.

Not only are bird species thriving, but mammals are as well. Starting in 2008, Atlantic Richfield began restricting vehicle access and installing wildlife-friendly fencing, which restricts cattle access to the site while allowing wildlife to cross safely. These measures have permitted the grassland and wetland vegetation to flourish, benefitting numerous bird and mammal species, including deer and other big game, swallows, sparrows, chickadees, hawks, and waterfowl.

Atlantic Richfield makes a special effort to maintain the property as a public recreation area, offering features such as trails, educational kiosks and bird watching checklists to encourage the visitors to enjoy the site’s natural beauty. Atlantic Richfield also works closely with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to offer sustainable hunting opportunities to the community, which helps ensure that herds of elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer and moose continue to remain healthy and do not over-browse the habitat. Dunlap articulated that despite the difficulties in allowing public access, “it is a rewarding challenge to balance habitat preservation and public access at the site.”

The Dutchman site demonstrates how with time and commitment, a previously impacted landscape can become a thriving asset to both wildlife and the community.

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Marathon Petroleum | A Unique Outdoor Classroom for Illinois Students

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Nestled along the western banks of the Wabash River in Illinois is Marathon Petroleum’s Palestine Neal Pit, an 80-acre former limestone quarry that sits adjacent to Robinson Refinery. A portion of the pit sits atop an aquifer which provides water for the 1000-acre refinery, while the remaining land is comprised of a number of habitats including forest, grassland and wetlands. The site’s wildlife team, made up of about 20 employees, works tirelessly to maintain a number of WHC-certified projects – from pollinator gardens and bird boxes to habitat restoration and environmental education.

One of the bigger projects is the site’s nest monitoring program, which was designed to counteract the decline of nesting habitat for migratory birds. To date, over 50 nesting structures have been installed on the grounds of Palestine Neal Pit, consisting of boxes for bluebirds, barn owls, woodpeckers and wood ducks, and platforms for osprey. In addition, several bat boxes were constructed to protect the local brown bat populations from habitat loss and their increasingly limited roosting options. The team conducts regular monitoring of the bat boxes and uses bat monitors to track the bats.

Biodiversity isn’t the only beneficiary of the conservation work done at Palestine Neal Pit; local students also greatly benefit from visits to the site. A number of educational events are hosted at the site, including the biannual “Neal Pit Day” for second-graders from surrounding schools. In addition to a nature walk, half-a-dozen different stations are set up for students to visit, focusing on a wide variety of subjects including pollinators, solar panels and small wind turbines. Some presentations are even interactive, with electricians discussing energy while students pedal on bicycles to generate electricity and solar power.

“To further improve the experience for visiting students, we built a pavilion that is completely off-the-grid,” says Greg Hevron, who leads the wildlife team at Palestine Neal Pit. “Solar panels and wind energy produce the electricity, and a small well and the aquifer provide running water. The pavilion is situated in a remote area of the site so it allows the students to be completely immersed in nature while learning about it.”

While there are many ideas about what project to tackle next, including native plantings and work on the site’s wetlands, the team continues to focus much of its time and energy on the program’s education projects since hands-on environmental education is, as Hevron states, “essential in inspiring the next generation of teachers, scientists and environmental stewards.”

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Vulcan Materials | Birds Flourish at a North Carolina Quarry

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A typical quarry site is busy, loud and teeming with workers and vehicles—not exactly ideal for wildlife habitat. But quarries (both active and inactive), with their large parcels of land that can include grasslands and wetlands, can in fact provide a safe and beneficial home to a variety of wildlife.

The Gold Hill Quarry, located on 400 acres in the small community of Gold Hill, North Carolina, might not seem like the typical home for birds, but species like osprey, wood ducks and eastern bluebirds have been flourishing there for decades. The quarry, which is owned and operated by Vulcan Materials, supplies and distributes aggregates like gravel, sand and crushed stone for use in construction. The management of the quarry’s conservation projects is performed by a small but dedicated team of employee volunteers led by Jordan Littauer, District Operations Manager at Vulcan Materials. The Gold Hill Quarry team is primarily focused on supporting avian species that use the site’s ponds and other habitats.

One of those other habitats is a somewhat unlikely one – the top of the stacker conveyer support structure in the processing plant, where a pair of osprey have nested for years.

Although the conveyer moves throughout the day, Littauer chuckled as he explained how the movement is slow enough that the birds “don’t seem bothered by it and just ride it back and forth all day.” Nevertheless, employees make sure to minimize vehicle and noise disturbance in the vicinity when osprey are on-site.  Their nesting activity, such as when they arrive at the nest each year and the nestlings’ behavior, is monitored regularly. Littauer described how much he enjoys watching the birds gathering nesting materials each spring: “They fly around rim of the pit, grab a branch, and keep flying. It’s really neat to watch.” Last year, a second nest was built on top of another nearby support structure; although no young have been observed in the nest, it’s a good sign that a second pair of osprey might begin nesting on-site in the coming year.

While the osprey enjoy their unusual nesting spot, other bird species prefer a more traditional dwelling in the form of nest boxes. Through a partnership with Delta Waterfowl, an organization focused on waterfowl conservation and management, the Vulcan employees gain expertise to assist with maintaining and monitoring the 8 wood duck nest boxes installed around the ponds. There are also 21 boxes for eastern bluebirds dispersed throughout the quarry property, with neighboring agricultural fields supporting the insects bluebirds feed upon in the spring and summer. Several of the facility’s quality control technicians assist with monitoring the boxes, which are too numerous and spread out for the small employee team to monitor on its own.

The program at the Gold Hill Quarry has maintained its WHC certification for an impressive 27 years. Littauer attributes this long-term success to good planning. Each year, the team meticulously schedules the monitoring and maintenance activities for its projects, such as when to clean out and repair nest boxes, when to start monitoring them in the spring, and the best timing for determining how many young hatch and then fledge from the nest boxes.

The employees that manage these habitats are all very passionate about wildlife and environmental conservation and are continually encouraged by a company-wide dedication to biodiversity and the pursuit of WHC Conservation Certification®.

Littauer says that he and his teammates receive the most satisfaction in the value they’re providing to local species, “What we like to see is the results. It gives me the most pride that we’re making a difference.”

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DuPont | A Forest and Wetlands Species Wonderland in Northern Spain

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Asturias, a region of northwest Spain atop the Iberian peninsula, is known for its rugged coast, mountains, religious sites and medieval architecture. It is also home to DuPont’s Asturias plant, located in the northern Iberian peninsula in Spain, which encompasses more than 80,000 acres. The region is predominantly deciduous forests, but has lost much of its original native vegetation to agricultural development and the spread of invasive species. It’s not surprising then that one of the main focuses of Asturias’ WHC gold-certified program is forest habitat and restoration.

Originally used as a production facility in the 90s, DuPont Asturias has evolved to become a center for specialty services and corporate finances. Much of the plant’s success is attributable to DuPont community relations efforts. The company sought advice locally before it designed a plant in harmony with its surroundings. Landscapers planted 160,000 trees and shrubs and restored the area’s original habitats, including peat bogs and wetlands.

Since then, the team at Asturias collaborates with government agencies, environmental contractors and other partners to manage the 340 acres of forest habitat on the site. They work tirelessly to monitor the habitat, regularly removing invasive species and replanting native flora. When invasive eucalyptus was discovered during recent annual monitoring, the team removed it from more than 25 acres on the site’s northern perimeter. The area was replanted with 800 native trees, including chestnuts, oaks, birches and cherry trees.

Another focus of the conservation program at Asturias is La Furta. Once lost to agricultural use, La Furta is now a thriving, primarily wetland habitat that has become an essential stop on the migratory route to and from Europe and Africa for many avian species. Designated as one of Spain’s Special Protection Areas for Migratory Birds, academics, ornithological groups and nature photographers regularly visit the site to see the birds that call these wetlands home. In addition, the fields around the healthy wetlands are managed for managed for grazing livestock.

DuPont’s commitment to conservation extends far beyond the borders of the site. With an abundance of bird, butterfly, plant and livestock species on the site, Asturias regularly opens its gates to the community, providing opportunities to view these species and learn about them  throughout the year. From guided tours to large-scale celebrations, DuPont Asturias has hosted thousands of visitors since the inception of its conservation program.

One special day celebrated annually is the World Wetlands Day. Created to “raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and our planet”, World Wetlands Day is observed on February 2 each year. And each February, DuPont Asturias’ hosts a celebration at its wetlands, welcoming members of the local community, employees and their families to enjoy the site and its wildlife.

The success of the restoration efforts at DuPont Asturias – in terms of both biodiversity and community outreach – is a shining example of the impact corporate conservation can have and highlights DuPont’s continued commitment to manage its lands to enhance habitat for wildlife.

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Tag Archive for: avian

Bird-Safe Glass and Native Grass: Why Avian Projects Aren’t Just About Nest Boxes

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Nest boxes have become a common sight on corporate lands around the world, providing cavity-nesting songbirds a safe place to raise their young. Given the wide range of challenges that birds encounter, however, it is important to consider the many other ways that companies can take action. From planting native vegetation to spreading the word about birds’ needs, conservation teams in any location have a variety of opportunities to provide habitat for birds and mitigate the threats that they regularly face.  

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In this webinar, experts from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and avian advocates from the corporate world will explore various tactics for supporting native birds. Whether your site has a long-running nest box project but wants to do more, or you’re just beginning to research conservation options, the speakers will provide ideas to get your team thinking outside the nest box.  
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What you’ll learn:  
  • Common threats to native birds and how to address them 
  • Ideas for creating or enhancing avian habitat on a wide range of corporate lands 
  • How to incorporate bird-friendly design elements into new and existing buildings 
  • Tactics for teaching others about avian conservation  
Who should take this webinar:  
  • Conservation teams that wish to create or enhance on-site habitat for birds 
  • Anyone interested in supporting native birds via changes to their site’s purchasing or property management practices 
Presenters:  
  • Dr. Ruth Bennett, Research Ecologist, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center 
  • Kirstin Hill, Bird Friendly Program Manager, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center
  • Paul Messing, Test Lead, General Motors
  • Kim Morse-Harvey, Tech Specialist, General Motors

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three yellow birds on branch

Birds: Nature’s Key Performance Indicators

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A call to action for corporate landowners to restore, enhance and manage habitat for birds
Sponsored by Ontario Power Generation

Birds are everywhere. From the grey pigeon seen on city streets to the brightly feathered tropical species found in rain forests, birds have colonized every continent and evolved to inhabit niches both specialized and general. Because they are everywhere, birds can easily be the focus of a corporate conservation effort. Most species respond well to conservation management, making them an ideal indicator to overall ecosystem health. With accessible technology and an increased need, now is the time for corporate landowners to engage in bird conservation projects.

To download this white paper, please fill out the form below.

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Grassland Birds in Decline: How You Can Help

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Grassland birds are in decline across North America. Can your meadow or grassland habitat help to support populations of these resident and migratory species? Would you like to move beyond nest box projects to see your meadow or grasslands come alive with the sound and movement of native avian species, further strengthening your habitat restoration goals? In this webinar, you’ll hear from experts in grassland birds, land management and partnership building who will provide resources applicable to grasslands and meadows, both large and small, in regions across the United States.

You’ll learn:

  • The current state of grasslands bird species and factors that contribute to their decline
  • How specific management practices can help to bolster breeding populations and what programs and partnerships can help you create habitat for migratory species
  • Tools for better monitoring of grassland species and how your efforts support your Conservation Certification

Presenters:

  • Daniel Casey, Coordinator, Northern Great Plains Joint Venture
  • Joel Merriman, Conservation Specialist, Wildlife Habitat Council

View the webinar

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