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Performance Track Collaborates with NGOs to Develop Habitat Challenge Goal
Performance Track and the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) are pleased to announce an exciting new challenge goal for Performance Track members nationwide. The Habitat Challenge Goal represents the first time that Performance Track has collaborated with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and external stakeholders to develop a challenge goal. Other groups, including the USDA National Agroforestry Center and the World Conservation Union, also played a role in the development of this goal.
Restoring habitat is one of the most important ways to protect fish and wildlife. Habitat provides food, water, shelter, and space for organisms to grow and survive. A healthy habitat can also provide ecological services to improve our water and clean our air.
The new Habitat Challenge Goal focuses on both quality and quantity of wildlife habitat. A Performance Track member that wishes to set a Habitat Challenge Goal must commit to restore or enhance at least 10 acres of land over three-year period. In addition to addressing these areas, a habitat improvement plan must be developed and receive written third-party assessment and on-site review by a qualified person, such as a wildlife biologist or organization.
The habitat enhancement or restoration projects may take place within the facility’s fence line, off-site, or a combination of both, as long as the improvement activities enhance or restore wildlife habitat. Restoring or enhancing habitat means ensuring adequate and appropriate sources of food, water, shelter and space for wildlife, and can involve activities such as introducing native plant species, removing exotic and invasive plants or animals, creating riparian buffers, providing nesting habitat, and/or other such projects. An educational outreach component of this goal is encouraged, but not required.
- To learn more about the new Habitat Challenge Goal.
- To learn more about challenge goals in general.
- To learn more about the WHC
and Performance Track collaboration.
