Wildlife Habitat Council recognises Roanoke Cement for corporate conservation efforts, USA

Employees at Titan America, LLC's Roanoke Cement Company received international recognition for their contributions to conservation education at the Wildlife Habitat Council's (WHC) 25th Annual Symposium, Celebrating Corporate Conservation last week in Baltimore, MD.

"Titan America is being recognised as an industry leader in corporate conservation," says Margaret O'Gorman, Wildlife Habitat Council president. "It is a model for how we at the Wildlife Habitat Council connect corporations and communities to create habitat and increase biodiversity on corporate properties for the benefit of all."  Through its certification programs of private lands owned by the corporate sector, the WHC has set the standard for conservation programs on privately held land for more than 25 years.

The WHC's Corporate Wildlife Habitat Certification/International Accreditation Program recognises commendable wildlife habitat management and environmental education programs at individual sites. Candidates must document that programs have been active for at least one year with a management plan that lists goals, objectives and prescriptions. The Certification Review Committee, a panel of WHC wildlife biologists and staff, reviews the materials for certification eligibility and recognises deserving projects under designated categories.

"Our education team centres its Corporate Lands for Learning Program on the habitats that are maintained on the site," says Lance Clark, Environmental Manager at Roanoke Cement Company. "For example, the pollinator habitat is used to educate employees and visitors to the campus about the importance of pollinators in food production, biodiversity and as indicators of environmental quality."

Employees and their families contribute to the habitat by participating in site upkeep, such as pruning the apple trees. Employees also attend meetings with the Botetourt Beekeepers Association, and apply their new knowledge to the improvement of the pollinator habitat.

The trout pond habitat also benefits employees and their families through education and recreation. Visitors learn about water quality from the observation dock and enjoy an area of the campus that has been reclaimed for wildlife. Boy Scouts learn about the types of trout, diet and habitat, and why these fish are good indicators of environmental quality. The education team partners with Trout Unlimited on the "Trout in the Classroom" program that teaches students about the complete life cycle and importance of trout.

In August, the Commonwealth of Virginia DEQ Director, David Paylor, recognised Roanoke Cement Company as an Exemplary Environmental Enterprise within the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program. The program was established to encourage superior environmental performance by encouraging facilities and organisations within the Commonwealth with strong, established environmental records, to go above and beyond what is required by regulations, and set even better benchmarks.

The Wildlife Habitat Council is a nonprofit, non-lobbying organisation dedicated to increasing the quality and amount of wildlife habitat on corporate, private and public lands.