BALTIMORE, MD—November 19, 2002—Employees at Alcoa's Gum Springs Arkansas facility received national recognition today for their contributions to wildlife habitat conservation at the Wildlife Habitat Council's (WHC) 14th Annual Symposium, Investing in Bio-diversity, held in Baltimore, Maryland. Alcoa demonstrates its commitment to environmental stewardship and increasing native biodiversity by achieving certification at Gum Springs.
"In 2003, we will celebrate a milestone with our 15th Anniversary. Together with our partners and members, we share a vision to conserve and restore natural ecosystems for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity," said Bill Howard, WHC President. "Congratulations to Alcoa for their commendable efforts towards the restoration and enhancement of wildlife habitat. WHC will continue to focus on educating our youth for they are the future conservators of our natural resources. Through knowledge and passion, we can promote a greater understanding of the natural world," Mr. Howard continued.
The Alcoa Gum Springs plant is located on a 1,500-acre site in southwest Arkansas . As part of Alcoa's corporate sustainability initiative, a wildlife habitat enhancement program was begun in January 2001. The formulation of this initial habitat management plan has led the site to adopt a comprehensive, five-year habitat management strategy, whose foundation relies upon the regular completion of wildlife and habitat inventories. The facility utilizes 75 acres, with 1,000 acres leased for grazing, and the remaining 425 acres comprised of scattered woods, sloughs and drainage areas, as well as open fields. There are several sources for food, water, protective cover and foraging space with protective cover for raising young. These include sloughs, storm water drainage ditches, ponds, pastures, lawns, fallow fields, woods, thickets and snags.
"The Alcoa Gum Springs habitat committee has taken steps to enhance the various habitat types by emphasizing native vegetation and increasing plant diversity," said Judy McQueen, Plant Manager of the Gum Springs facility. The first project undertaken by the group was to create a butterfly garden near the plant's main office building. The committee's expressed goal of plant species diversification is to provide viable habitat for butterflies, Eastern bluebirds and purple martins. To further enhance vegetative diversity, a wildlife food plot mixture consisting of sorghum, millet, soybeans and cowpeas was planted. The food plots have attracted a number of deer, songbirds, quail and rabbits. The team also focused habitat enhancement projects on successfully constructing, maintaining and documenting the activity of bird populations through a nest box monitoring program. Besides providing nest boxes, team members planted native species and created brush piles to provide more suitable habitat for wildlife species that are regularly seen on-site.
Gum Springs was one of 130 international sites recognized at the 2002 Symposium. Since 1990, WHC has certified 312 sites 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.
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