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Member Spotlight | Project Spotlight Visit the Member Spotlight for more members in the news, awards and online updates. Project Spotlight
By Jeffrey Popp, WHC Land Restoration Program Manager In its early years, the Woodlawn Landfill was nothing to get excited about. A county landfill where household, agricultural and industrial waste was disposed of. Today, thanks to Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc. and the Wildlife Habitat Council, there are many things to be excited about; as this former dump has been transformed over the years as a beautiful and productive wildlife area known as New Beginnings: The Woodlawn Wildlife Area. These days, Woodlawn serves as a wildlife area, outdoor classroom, and a place for people to step outside and enjoy nature. Activities are held throughout the year, and focus on environmental education and appreciation. With all the activities happening, the many pictures taken at each event would be hard to organize and find a way to ensure all participants get copies. Tim Bent, of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., wanted to find a way to share these activities on a larger scale, so everyone could see what was happening on site. So, in July of 2008, a Picasa Web Album was created to show off all the latest pictures of activities, projects, and the wildlife they benefit at the Woodlawn Wildlife Area. Picasa Web Albums are an easy way to share and organize photos taken on your wildlife habitat site. The program is easy to use, set up, and best of all, its free! The pictures you take can be organized according to your preference, and shared with anyone. Picasa Web Albums is also a great way to keep photos organized for Wildlife @ Work and Learn how to set up your Picassa web Album by downloading WHC’s “how-to” Picasa guide. You can also find additional information at http://picasa.google.com/features.html . If you are looking for a great way to show off your wildlife projects, community activities, or just great photos of the wildlife that frequent your company’s grounds, then Picasa Web Albums is for you! If you decide to tell your site’s story through Picassa Web Albums, please drop an email to Jeffrey Popp WHC’s Land Restoration Program Manager, at jpopp@wildlifehc.org and
By Paul Burgarino, East County Times, Mercury News As the wind whipped through the tules Monday below an observation deck overlooking the Dow Wetlands Preserve, the Wildlife Habitat Council presented Dow Chemical Co. with the Signature of Sustainability designation for its work in making the 472-acre site conducive to learning. Dow is one of 21 organizations in "Our mission is to maintain this area and share it with the community. The focus is also on education, so that students can learn how animals interact in different ecosystems and work in the environment," said Krist Jensen, a volunteer at the preserve.
Dow purchased the wetlands property east of its The wetlands are home to more than 130 bird species, as well as river otters, beavers and the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse. The Dow Wetlands Preserve was among 33 organizations that applied for the Signature of Sustainability award, said Marica Maslonek, a vice president of the Wildlife Habitat Council. An outside panel chose the top 21, or "best of the best," Masionek said. What put the Jensen said that Dow partners with a number of groups in using the preserve, including docent-led tours by the Lindsey Wildlife Museum and allowing field experimentation with students from UC Berkeley and Los Medanos College. An Earth Team event is planned for Saturday with high schools from around "It's definitely one of the best of the best," said Thelma Redick, director of the Corporate Lands for Learning program. The ability of Dow to link with other organizations is "such a benefit to the community" in teaching about biodiversity and allowing experimentation in the field. Maslonek added: "This award proves that you can have industry and wildlife working side by side. The folks at Dow Chemical do it very well here, without a doubt." The preserve, which is open to anyone, also has fishing off the levee near the river. Jensen said he enjoys the serenity when working on his photography. "A lot of folks know about this place, but the vast majority are surprised to find this is in the middle of the city," he said.
Nature's Mysteries When Leslie Ellis found out Springfield Middle School wasn't going to have a Science Olympiad team this school year, she decided to join the school's new Envirothon team because she enjoys science. Leslie and her team participated in a mock Envirothon Thursday at Bridgestone Firestone's Freedom Wildlife Habitat Refuge as a means of preparing for regional competition March 14 in
Envirothon is the largest environmental education competition available for middle and high school students. During the mock competition, students' knowledge of aquatics, soil, forestry and wildlife were measured during timed tests, which the students could take as a team. In the wildlife section, for example, students had to identify examples of animal tracks. Each member of a team concentrates on learning what they can about one specific area. Leslie, for example, concentrated on soil. Five students are on each team. Schools can have more than one team. This is the first year Next year, the Area 4 regional event will be held in David Mahan, area business manager for Bridgestone Firestone, said he is happy to see more schools and community groups using the company's habitat refuge. The refuge was opened two years ago. Mahan said Scouts frequently use the area and that two troops teamed up with Bridgestone Firestone employees last weekend to finish cutting and clearing the last leg of the new section of trails at the facility. |
