WICHITA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Six Koch companies’ sites have achieved recertification from Wildlife Habitat Council for their ongoing contributions to environmental education and wildlife habitat stewardship. The certification is part of WHC’s international accreditation program in which companies create and maintain wildlife habitat areas on corporate land and provide environmental education opportunities to their communities.
“Our long-standing relationship with Wildlife Habitat Council has helped us build model programs that we believe are advancing habitat stewardship and environmental education,” said Jim Mahoney, executive vice president of operations excellence and compliance for Koch Industries, Inc. “We appreciate this honor and look forward to continued success in these areas.”
Koch Industries’ subsidiaries Flint Hills Resources, Georgia-Pacific and INVISTA were recognized at Wildlife Habitat Council’s annual symposium Nov. 13-14 in Baltimore.
Flint Hills Resources’ Wildlife Learning Preserve in Corpus Christi, Texas, was recertified as a Corporate Lands for Learning site. The preserve consists of 120 acres and serves as a wetlands education center for students and volunteers from the Texas State Aquarium’s SeaCamp program. The site originally received certification in 2007.
Flint Hills Resources’ Joliet, Ill., site achieved Corporate Lands for Learning recertification for its annual Prairie Day event, where employees and local educators help kids explore nature through hands-on activities. The event is held at an outdoor classroom on 10 acres of native trees and wildlife populations at FHR’s site. It first received certification in 2004.
Georgia-Pacific in Big Island, Va., earned Wildlife at Work recertification. Twenty-five employees are involved in projects underway at the site’s 941-acre wildlife habitat area, including a 20-year commitment with The American Chestnut Foundation® to restore this native species to the area. The site first achieved certification in 2011.
Georgia-Pacific’s Leaf River Cellulose facility in New Augusta, Miss., achieved Corporate Lands for Learning recertification for its Discovery Day environmental education program. Elementary school students explore the ecology of the Leaf River firsthand using basic scientific investigations. About 2,000 students in grades 4-6 have participated in the program since it was first certified in 2007.
Georgia-Pacific’s Savannah River Mill was recertified as a Wildlife at Work site. Employees work with wildlife experts to enhance the 150-acre habitat area at the mill site, including managing forest stands to benefit gopher tortoises and replanting native tree species. The site, located in Rincon, Ga., has been certified since 2008.
INVISTA’s Waynesboro, Va., site achieved recertification for its wildlife habitat area, which includes monitoring stations for eastern bluebirds. As part of the certification, the INVISTA team — comprised of more than 14 employees and community volunteers — must build upon the monitoring program each year. The site has been certified for 23 years.
Other Koch companies with Wildlife Habitat Council certified sites are Flint Hills Resources in Rosemount, Minn.; Georgia-Pacific in Monticello, Miss. and Savannah, Ga.; INVISTA in Camden, S.C. and Victoria, Texas; and Matador Cattle Company’s Beaverhead Ranch in Montana.
About Koch Industries, Inc.
Based in Wichita, Kan., Koch Industries, Inc. is one of the largest private companies in America with annual revenues of about $115 billion. It owns a diverse group of companies involved in refining, chemicals and biofuels; forest and consumer products; fertilizers; polymers and fibers; process and pollution control equipment and technologies; minerals; commodity trading and services; ranching; glass; and investments. Since 2003, Koch companies have invested about $60 billion in acquisitions and other capital expenditures. With a presence in nearly 60 countries, Koch companies employ about 60,000 people worldwide. In 2012, Koch companies employed more than 47,000 people in the United States and paid compensation and benefits totaling more than $4 billion. From January 2009 to present, Koch companies earned about 770 awards for safety, environmental excellence, community stewardship, innovation, and customer service. www.kochind.com
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About Flint Hills Resources
Flint Hills Resources, LLC, through its subsidiaries, is a leading refining, chemicals and biofuels company. www.fhr.com
About Georgia-Pacific
Based in Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific LLC and its subsidiaries are among the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of building products, tissue, packaging, paper, cellulose and related chemicals. www.gp.com
About INVISTA
INVISTA is one of the world’s largest integrated producers of chemical intermediates, polymers and fibers. The company’s advantaged technologies for nylon, spandex and polyester are used to produce clothing, carpet, car parts and countless other everyday products. www.INVISTA.com
