Social Impact & Volunteering

CSX Partner Spotlight: The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Apr 3, 2017 10:30 AM ET

CSX’s community investment strategy is supported by a strong group of national nonprofit partner organizations who collaborate with the company to address real community needs across four focus areas: Safety, Community, Environment and Wellness.

This week, our spotlight is on an important partner that helps CSX further its commitment to the environment: The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF).

NFWF works with companies like CSX, along with government agencies, individuals and nonprofits, to protect and restore imperiled species, promote healthy oceans and estuaries, improve working landscapes for wildlife, advance sustainable fisheries and conserve water for wildlife and people.

Together, NFWF and CSX have worked to improve water and wildlife in communities across the Chesapeake Bay. The combined efforts have reduced over 1.5 million pounds of pollution, and restored 21 miles of streamside habitat and 83 acres of oyster reef.

Some of the highlights of CSX’s partnership with NFWF include:

  • Rebuilding Maryland’s Oyster Sanctuaries: CSX, NFWF and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources joined forces to rebuild two depleted oyster sanctuaries in Chesapeake Bay in a year-long “Oyster Train” partnership. CSX successfully delivered 22 freight trains filled with approximately 100,000 tons of fossilized oyster shells from Florida to the Chesapeake Bay to populate reefs and reestablish the oyster population. Check out this article summarizing the early returns, monitored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
  • Improving Storm Water Management: Most recently, the organizations have worked together to install a large-scale demonstration schoolyard habitat at Green Street Academy in Southwest Baltimore, Maryland near Gwynns Falls. Best Management Practices for storm water are also being installed across nine additional nearby schools, creating a network of schoolyard habitats throughout Baltimore. 
  • Engaging Residents in Restoration: The organizations have teamed up to support efforts of citizens and businesses in Norfolk to take action in support of local environmental restoration. These efforts will collectively engage ten schools, nine local businesses, and more than 500 individual homeowners in installing rain gardens, rain barrels, and other green infrastructure measures to reduce storm-water runoff and harmful impacts to greater Norfolk’s Elizabeth River.

To learn more about CSX and the NFWF’s partnership – along with CSX’s additional partnerships that support communities and the landscapes we live in – visit the partner page on Beyond Our Rails.