How to Compile a Successful SM Wildlife at Work Application Wildlife Habitat Council 24th Annual Symposium November 7, 2012 Corinne Lackner Stephens Wildlife Habitat Council Certification Manager What is Wildlife at Work? Certification Program • Designed to recognize a wildlife habitat enhancement program on your site or an adopted site. • Employees encouraged to participate in a wildlife team at their place of employment. • Where possible, community organizations, university students, conservation groups, and local, state, and federal agencies should be invited to participate in the wildlife team. Minimum Requirements for Wildlife at Work Certification Grifols Therapeutics Inc. - Clayton Facility Anheuser-Busch, Inc. – Jacksonville Nutri-Turf Land Application Site • Site visit with a Wildlife Habitat Council Biologist • At least one project that addresses all four components of a habitat must be actively maintained and monitored for at least one year • At least one project must go above and beyond mitigation requirements • The site must be in compliance or working towards compliance with environmental regulations, including the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, & RCRA 4 Essential Habitat Components Application must explain how food, water, cover, and space are addressed food water cover space e.g. native plants e.g. vernal pool e.g. rock pile e.g. nest sites among prairie grasses OPG - Niagara Plant Group D. Stephens, MNCPPC MD DNR USFWS Example: Habitat Components for a Nest Box Program Vulcan Materials Company - Graham II Quarry Example from Waste Management’s Lake County Recycling and Disposal Facility Application Deadlines • Early Bird: postmarked by May 1 • On-time: postmarked by June 1 • Late: postmarked by July 1 Chevron – Cincinnati Facility Titan America LLC - Pennsuco Complex Required Application Components use the application checklist as your guide • • • • • • • • • • Application Fee Signed Application Form (must be signed) Site Overview Questionnaire EPA ECHO Compliant? (Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and RCRA compliance documentation, if needed) Wildlife Management Plan and/or Project Summary Sheets (PSS), including a monitoring plan and current project status Updated Species Inventory (include common/scientific names and where/when the species was observed) Reference Interview Questionnaires Media Information Sheet JPG Digital photos (don’t only embed photos in a PowerPoint, Word document, or PDF) Documentation for all projects Monitoring Plan Describe the short and long-term monitoring plans (how will projects be monitored and why) for the project using tools such as: • Monitoring log for each project • Wildlife Journal • Before and after data • Photos Waste Management - Northwestern Landfill Documentation Include ALL documentation in your application and indicate which project the documentation applies to. Documentation may include: •project monitoring & activity logs •seed mixes •receipts and invoices •Wildlife Team meeting minutes/ emails •Wildlife Team project journal •program flyers, pamphlets/checklists for visitors, event information •photos Example Documentation Date Time Weather Species Location Method 6/25/09 All Day Clear Phragmites 50’x50’ section Sprayed East Plant/ Nursery Area 6/25/09 All Day Clear Canada thistle 10 acres West Grassland 7/10/09 All Day Clear Phragmites 50’x50’ section Manual Pulled prior to being East Plant/ sprayed Nursery Area 7/22/09 10:00 Rain Phragmites 30’x30’ section East by Learning Center Mowed Found new growth will spray next week due to rain in area Oldcastle Materials - Montpelier North Wildlife Habitat Site Characteristics of Strong Applications • Include ALL required documents and information in the proper format • Provide as much up-to-date information as possible to illustrate projects • Organized and well documented • Help the WHC reviewers imagine they are there; we only know what you tell us in the application • Ask your partners and interns to help write or review the application Albemarle Corporation - Orangeburg Facility Contact your WHC Biologist GOOD applications start with GOOD projects A WHC Biologist can: •Help to ensure that your project addresses the 4 habitat components •Review seed mixes •Recommend outreach opportunities •Help to ensure your projects are ecologically appropriate •Assist with your Wildlife Management Plan Asbury Methodist Village WHC Biologists are always available to assist with project development and implementation!!!! Wildlife at Work Certification Criteria • Understanding and Management of Habitat (based on Wildlife Management Plan/PSS) • Project Scope • Commitment to Program • Understanding and Management of Native and Non-native Species • Education and Outreach • Partnerships • Credibility • Supporting Documentation Benefits of a Strong Application and Program Koch Industries, Inc./The Matador Cattle Company Beaverhead Ranch Sears Holdings Corporation – Hoffman Estates Support Center • Strong programs with strong recertification applications are eligible for 3 year recertification. • High quality applications representing the strongest programs are nominated for Rookie of the Year (ROY) and Corporate Habitat of the Year (CHOY) awards. Certification Awards Nominated by WHC • Corporate Habitat of the Year • Rookie of the Year • Corporate Lands for LearningSM of the Year • Corporate Lands for Learning Rookie of the Year • William W. Howard Conservation Education and Outreach (CEO) Apply for these • Bat Conservation Action • NAPPC / WHC Pollinator Advocate • Prairies for Tomorrow • Upland Wildlife Management • Wings Over Wetlands • Community Partner of the Year Award Applications • Program must be certified or applying for Wildlife at Work and/or Corporate Lands for Learning (CLL) certification to be eligible • Review checklist for award application • Required materials for award applications must be submitted as a separate file, folder, or CD • Community Partner of the Year is always $100 • Partner award fees waived with Wildlife at Work/CLL applications – If submitting without a certification application, partner awards have $100 application fee Contact Us WHC Biologist Main Number (301) 588-8994 ext 2 Certification Department Main Number (301) 588-8994 ext 3 Corinne Lackner Stephens, Certification Manager (301) 588-8994 ext 125 certification@wildlifehc.org Emily Voldstad, Certification Coordinator (301) 588-8994 ext 107 evoldstad@wildlifehc.org Pfizer Inc - Pfizer Global Manufacturing - Kalamazoo