Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton today presented Temple-Inland with its highest honor, the Conservation Service Award. Norton also recognized employees, volunteers and other partners of the U.S. Department of the Interior at the 62nd Department Honor Awards Convocation in Washington, DC.
The Department of the Interior selected Temple-Inland for its long-term contributions to the management and conservation of natural resources on company lands in the southeastern United States.
To foster a nation of citizen stewards, Secretary Norton advances a 4 Cs philosophy - conservation through communication, consultation and cooperation. The Conservation Service Award reflects her philosophy as it is granted to individuals, businesses or groups who have performed outstanding and direct service to the Department of the Interior. It is the highest honor bestowed upon a private citizen, business or group by the Secretary.
"Those being honored today have made all of us proud. They have gone beyond the decision to serve. They have made their choice, their calling," Secretary Norton remarked in opening todays ceremony.
"Temple-Inland was a natural choice because they have a true conservation ethic that runs throughout their company," said Dale Hall, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Southwest Region. "The ethic becomes tangible in their ongoing efforts to conserve and protect important sensitive natural communities, threatened and endangered species and their associated habitats. They implement sustainable forest management practices on their forest lands and adjacent private lands influenced by their management." The Service, with enthusiastic concurrence from state and federal agencies and non-government organizations, nominated Temple-Inland for the award.
Temple-Inlands wildlife and conservation class=msoDel> class=msoDel> programs are designed to protect company lands that support endangered and threatened species, imperiled ecological communities, and a number of other significantly sensitive sites. Highlights of Temple-Inlands wildlife and conservation programs include the following:
list Temple Inland, in cooperation with Federal and State agencies and conservation groups, has implemented a significant effort to conserve the Long Leaf Pine ecosystem on company lands in Texas and Louisiana.
list The company achieved partnership status in the Forestry for Wildlife Partnership Program of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in part for establishing a conservation easement conservation easement
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a government agency or qualified conservation organization that restricts the type and amount of development that may take place on a property in the future. Conservation easements aim to protect habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife by limiting residential, industrial or commercial development. Contracts may prohibit alteration of the natural topography, conversion of native grassland to cropland, drainage of wetland and establishment of game farms. Easement land remains in private ownership.
Learn more about conservation easement to protect a globally imperiled plant community on the Coosa Valley Prairie.
list The company has integrated biodiversity and wildlife enhancement practices into forest operations. For example, the company has implemented comprehensive streamside management zone guidelines that exceed state forestry Best Management Practices and encompass approximately 17% of the companys land base.
"The list of Temple-Inland's accomplishments is long and comprehensive," said Hall. "We welcome working with others to protect wildlife and its habitat."
Indent 6ptTemple-Inland Inc. is a major manufacturer of corrugated packaging and forest products with a diversified financial services operation. The Companys 2.0 million acres of forestland are certified as managed in compliance with ISO 14001 and in accordance with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative
