Chrysler Group LLC Recognized for Environmental Excellence

BALTIMORE, MD and Auburn Hills, MI, November 15, 2013 /3BL Media/ — Chrysler Group LLC received international recognition last night for its commitment to environmental stewardship at the Wildlife Habitat Council’s (WHC) 25th Annual Symposium, Celebrating Corporate Conservation. The Company achieved Wildlife at Work certification for its Chrysler Group World Headquarters and Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Mich.

“Chrysler Group is being recognized as an industry leader in corporate conservation,” said Margaret O’Gorman, WHC president. “It is a model for how we at the Wildlife Habitat Council connect corporations and communities to create habitat and increase biodiversity on corporate properties for the benefit of all. Through its certification programs of private lands owned by the corporate sector, WHC has set the standard for conservation programs on privately held land for more than 25 years.”

The Chrysler Group World Headquarters and Technology Center is located in an expansive wooded setting with wetlands on a 465-acre site roughly 30 miles north of Detroit, Mich. A wide variety of wildlife species have been observed on the site, including great blue heron, double-crested cormorant, wood duck, cottontail rabbit, and Blanding’s turtle. The facility includes a 1.5-mile nature trail as well as an activities area with a ball field and picnic tables.

“Preserving the natural habitat of this site was part of the Master Plan when our Chrysler Group World Headquarters and Technology Center was first conceived,” said Greg Rose, Director – Environment, Health and Safety, Chrysler Group LLC. “Achieving Wildlife at Work certification is great recognition of the success of our vision.”

The facility is adjacent to Galloway Creek, which serves as a tributary to the Clinton River, the center of Michigan’s most populous watershed and home to over 1.4 million people. The river has a major impact on the water quality of Lake St. Clair, which supplies drinking water to millions of southeast Michigan residents.

There are four natural wetlands on the property, comprising approximately 17 acres. The wetlands are an important habitat for great blue herons, which have formed a rookery (nesting colony) on the property, consisting of 20 nests with approximately 30 birds. The water levels and water quality of the wetlands are maintained for the herons and other wildlife through engineering controls which direct road runoff away from the wetlands, direct precipitation into the wetlands, and minimize erosion and silt entering the wetlands.

Another project on the grounds of the Headquarters and Technology Center is the newly-created pollinator garden. Pollination is a fundamental ecological and economic service performed by a variety of species including bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and bats. Nationwide trends show that pollinating species are declining sharply in number, due largely to improper pesticide use and habitat fragmentation.  The Chrysler Wildlife Team planted 15 different species of native plants which were selected to provide a food source from spring through fall, and cover in the winter.

The Chrysler Group World Headquarters and Technology Center was one of 255 programs recognized at the 2013 Symposium as meeting the strict certification  requirements of Wildlife at Work. In addition, 65 programs received Corporate Lands for Learning certification. Certification requirements are stringent and require that programs apply for periodic renewal. Wildlife at Work certification recognizes outstanding wildlife habitat management efforts at corporate sites, and offers third-party validation of the benefits of such programs. Corporate Lands for Learning certification provides programs with third-party recognition for educational programs. Since 1990, WHC has certified 668 Wildlife at Work and 161 CLL programs worldwide.

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 45 states, the District of Columbia and 12 other countries. To learn more, visit www.wildlifehc.org. 

About Chrysler Group LLC

Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 to establish a global strategic alliance with Fiat S.p.A., produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, SRT, FIAT and Mopar vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance builds on Chrysler Group’s culture of innovation, first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat’s complementary technology that dates back to its founding in 1899.

Additional information can be found at: http://www.chryslergroupllc.com/sustainability

Contacts:

Jeff Ghannam, Wildlife Habitat Council, 240-247-1731, jghannam@wildlifehc.org

Mary Gauthier, Chrysler Group LLC, 248-622-8243, mary.gauthier@chrysler.com