Month: October 2019

Our Coffee Problem:

You may have heard the news that our world’s migratory songbirds are in jeopardy. Habitat loss is one of the greatest threats to these populations, and your morning cup of joe is partly to blame!

Traditionally, coffee farmers would grow their coffee beans in 100% or partial shade grown farms, yet now farmers in the Americas are cutting down entire forests to yield a higher production of coffee beans grown directly in the sun.

The Solution:

The South Carolina Wildlife Federation has partnered with an organization called Birds & Beans Coffee to help fight the loss of habitat on coffee farms in Latin America. 100% of the coffee beans within a Birds & Beans coffee bag are from shade grown coffee plants.  That means 100% of the farms, from which they purchase their coffee beans, provide wintering habitat for almost 50 species of birds that breed in the U.S. during the summer.  You can help save the birds we enjoy in the U.S. by simply switching your coffee to “Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center” certified Birds & Beans coffee.

What is the SCWF Coffee Club?

The coffee club provides an easy and cost effective way to purchase your Birds & Beans coffee.  Every month, an SCWF volunteer will place a group order of the coffee you need to get through your morning (or afternoon, we don’t judge) routines. The standard Birds & Beans $9.50 shipping cost will be divided by all the individuals purchasing coffee during that month’s order!  You simply report how much coffee you would like, the roast, and the grind, and our volunteer will place the order.   You then pay your share of the coffee costs directly to our volunteer via Venmo, PayPal, check, or another means.  The coffee will be shipped to SCWF’s office for pick up by you!

How to join?

All you have to do is go to this link and type your name and email address: https://scwf.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=0f71efbf0895d10b1cee47044&id=a3902bf5e3

You will then be automatically added to the coffee club’s email list and will receive a notification before the next coffee order is made.

Note: We know the SCWF office isn’t convenient for everyone. If you would still like to support SCWF’s partnership with Birds & Beans Coffee, you can visit this link: https://www.scwf.org/birds-beans. SCWF will receive 5% of year-end sales of all coffee purchased and shipped to South Carolina. Plus, you’ll be helping the birds!

The South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) is fortunate to partner
with companies all over the state for the Wildlife and
Industry Together (W.A.I.T.) Program. W.A.I.T. creates an opportunity for organizations to
restore wildlife habitat on their properties, provide educational opportunities for their staff, and participate in
community outreach with their local schools and/or neighborhoods.

This month, SCWF is shining a spotlight on W.A.I.T. partner Lonza
in Greenwood, South Carolina. Read our Q&A with their W.A.I.T. team to learn more about the awesome work they
are doing!

1. Tell us a bit about Lonza. Lonza is a company of high-performing teams and of
   individual employees who are encouraged to act with an entrepreneurial spirit on behalf of customers. As a
   global organization, Lonza is focused on achieving the strategic vision of being the world’s leading,
   integrated solutions provider for its pharma and consumer healthcare and nutrition customers all along the
   healthcare continuum.

   The company serves that continuum and certain other targeted markets through a wide range of
   businesses in its Lonza Pharma Biotech & Nutrition and Specialty Ingredients segments. The core
   competitive advantages that span these groups are advanced manufacturing and quality-control systems,
   superior regulatory expertise, in-depth market knowledge, extensive technical-customer support and strong
   R&D capabilities.

   With its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, Lonza has more than 100 sites and offices and
   approximately 15,500 full-time employees worldwide at the end of 2018. The company’s businesses benefit from
   global supply chains, but Lonza also has the flexibility to address regional and even local marketplace
   needs.

   A strong ethical thread is interwoven throughout the entire Lonza organization and consists of a
   firm commitment to ethical business conduct. Lonza also takes a sustainable approach to minimizing our
   impact on the environment, conserving energy and natural resources, and helping to improve the quality of
   life. In addition, the goal of Lonza’s Vision Zero initiative is to achieve zero workplace accidents and
   injuries, zero environmental incidents, zero product transportation incidents and zero manufacturing process
   incidents.

   Through these and other safety, quality and human resource initiatives, the company strives to be
   the Place to Go, Stay and Grow.

2. What was Lonza’s motivation for partnering with SCWF for the W.A.I.T. program? The
   W.A.I.T. program works in conjunction with Lonza’s ethical approach to business and the company’s
   sustainability efforts. Our local site leadership continuously seeks for sustainability improvements and
   this certification (W.A.I.T.) was highlighted because of it’s state symbolism. It was a natural partnership!

3. What is your team’s favorite element of Lonza’s wildlife habitat? There are so many
   key elements for the garden such as state symbolism and plant-life that it is difficult to pin-point one
   favorite component. One of the most beautiful aspects is that a colleague can stand at the garden for mere
   seconds and see an abundance of wildlife such as the butterflies. This provides a sense of serenity that any
   industry can support.

4. How has Lonza’s participation in the W.A.I.T. program impacted your community? The
   partnership with our local community college, Piedmont Technical College, has been beneficial for
   horticulture students in the area. They use the garden for students to identify different plant life and the
   characteristics of each species.

5. What wildlife, or wildlife centered event (on Lonza’s property) does your team enjoy the
   most? We have really enjoyed the increase of butterflies, birds and rabbits in our habitat.

6. Where can people go to keep up with Lonza and the work you are doing? They can
   check out our website
   and social media accounts. Follow Lonza: Facebook, twitter, YouTube ,LinkedIn

Are you interested in learning more about W.A.I.T.? Contact Jay Keck
to learn more!

South Carolina Wildlife Federation Celebrates City of Columbia Community Wildlife Habitat Announcement with Mayor Stephen Benjamin and National Wildlife Federation President and CEO Collin O’Mara

In a ceremony at the Robert Mills House and Gardens, the South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) celebrated the City of Columbia’s new status as a certified Community Wildlife Habitat. SCWF Executive Director Sara Green was joined by National Wildlife Federation president and CEO, Collin O’Mara, for the ceremony’s opening remarks. In addition, Mayor Stephen Benjamin addressed the crowd and released an official proclamation naming October 11, 2019 as “Columbia’s Community Wildlife Habitat Day.”  Keith Mearns, Director of Grounds for Historic Columbia, also spoke and gave a tour of the native plants used on site at the Robert Mills House and Gardens.

The City of Columbia joins more than 200 communities in the United States to be certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat and is now the largest community in South Carolina to receive the certification. The National Wildlife Federation’s Community Wildlife Habitat program was created to encourage communities to become more wildlife-friendly through the use of native plants and sustainable land management. To reach eligibility as a Community Wildlife Habitat, the SCWF team helped certify more than 700 local properties as wildlife habitats, led initiatives to remove invasive species in the area, and engaged local schools, garden clubs and churches in educational events on the importance of habitat restoration. South Carolina has the second highest number of Certified Wildlife Habitats per capita compared to every state in the United States.

“We are extremely excited to help the City of Columbia become a Community Wildlife Habitat,” said SCWF Executive Director Sara Green. “Climate change, human population growth, and land development are the biggest threats to our native wildlife. We are grateful to every individual and partner who helped offset these threats by enhancing wildlife habitat throughout the community to make this milestone in Columbia possible.”

“At a time when wildlife needs our help more than ever, planting native habitat and providing clean water can help ensure species—like pollinators, songbirds, and frogs—thrive,” Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “We are thrilled to join the South Carolina Wildlife Federation to honor the City of Columbia and Mayor Benjamin for their outstanding national leadership in wildlife conservation through our Certified Community Wildlife Habitat program. By engaging more than 700 residents and community sites, while encouraging each of us to do our part, Columbia is a shining example for all Americans of how we can save imperiled species, together.”

“We are anxious to see how many different species of wildlife are increasingly attracted to and use the gardens at the Robert Mills House as we continue our transition to one hundred percent Eastern North America native plants,” said Historic Columbia Director of Grounds, Keith Mearns. “We also look forward to expanded cooperation with SCWF on the site, in the form of nature walks and other programming.”

In addition to Historic Columbia, other SCWF community partners in Columbia with Certified Wildlife Habitats open to the public include: Harbison State Forest, Riverbanks Zoo, Mast General Store, Stormwater Studios, Palmetto Experience, Rosewood Market, Forest Lake Presbyterian Church, and the University of South Carolina. Individuals or communities who are interested in learning more about certifying a space as wildlife habitat should visit: https://www.scwf.org/wildlife-habitats.

About the South Carolina Wildlife Federation:

One of the 52 state & territory affiliates of the National Wildlife Federation, the South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) is the oldest conservation organization in the state and prides itself on science-based wildlife conservation policy and high-quality education programs. SCWF’s mission is to conserve and restore South Carolina’s wildlife and wildlife habitat through education and advocacy. For more information, visit: www.scwf.org.