News Releases
BALTIMORE – November 9, 2012 – Employees at Republic Services, Inc.’s (NYSE:RSG) Charlotte Motor Speedway landfill received international recognition for their contributions to wildlife habitat conservation at the Wildlife Habitat Council’s (WHC) 24th Annual Symposium, Working for a Greener World. Republic demonstrates its commitment to environmental stewardship and increasing native biodiversity by achieving Wildlife at Work recertification at Charlotte Motor Speedway landfill.
“Wildlife Habitat Council members continue to raise the bar for conservation success. We connect corporations, conservation and community to create habitat and increase biodiversity. The projects being honored today are the best examples of our model at work,” said Margaret O’Gorman, WHC President. “Congratulations to Republic Services for its successful efforts towards habitat enhancement and biodiversity.”
The 729-acre Charlotte Motor Speedway landfill contains a number of habitat types, including mixed hardwood forests, forested riparian wetlands, grasslands and a pond. The Rocky River also runs through the site, providing additional aquatic habitat. Approximately 165 acres are actively managed for wildlife. A pollinator garden was planted to improve habitat for pollinator species, and a number of species have been observed using the garden. The pond on site is also monitored frequently and a nature trail provides opportunities for wildlife viewing. Nest boxes near the pond enhance existing habitat for wood ducks and songbirds. The capped landfill is seeded with plants that provide additional habitat for wildlife.
The wildlife team maintains a log of the variety of species that are observed in the different habitats around the site. Species observed include mammals, such as white-tailed deer and otter, waterfowl, such as wood ducks, mallards and hooded mergansers, and songbirds, such as bluebirds and cardinals. Reptiles and invertebrates are observed throughout the variety of habitats on site.
In 2011, Charlotte Motor Speedway landfill became involved with the “USA Turtle Mapping Program,” an initiative of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC). Turtle sightings were documented by employees and submitted to PARC for compilation. The Wildlife Team also submits data to the University of Cornell’s FeederWatch program, a winter-long citizen science bird survey program. This extra effort to submit data collected on site show the dedication of employees to further extend their contributions to help outside organizations.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Landfill was one of 270 sites recognized at the 2012 Symposium for a Wildlife at Work program. In addition, 57 Corporate Lands for LearningSM (CLL) programs were recognized, reaching thousands of learners from schools and scout groups to master gardeners and university researchers. Since 1990, WHC has certified 665 Wildlife at Work and 147 CLL programs worldwide. The certification program recognizes outstanding wildlife habitat management and environmental education efforts at corporate sites, and offers third-party validation of the benefits of such programs. Certification requirements are strict and require that sites apply for periodic renewal.
The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) is a nonprofit, non-lobbying organization dedicated to increasing the quality and amount of wildlife habitat on corporate, private and public lands. WHC devotes its resources to building partnerships with corporations and conservation groups to create solutions that balance the demands of economic growth with the requirements of a healthy, biodiverse and sustainable environment. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 43 states, the District of Columbia and nine other countries. To learn more, visit www.wildlifehc.org.
About Republic
Republic Services, Inc. is an industry leader in the U.S. non-hazardous solid waste industry. Through its subsidiaries, Republic’s collection companies, transfer stations, recycling centers and landfills focus on providing reliable environmental services and solutions for commercial, industrial, municipal and residential customers. Republic and its employees believe in protecting the planet and applying common sense solutions to customers’ waste and recycling challenges. For more information, visit the Republic website at republicservices.com.