BASF Coatings Technical Support Center-Whitehouse

About the Program
BASF Coatings Technical Support Center is a research and development facility located in Whitehouse, Ohio, on the outskirts of Toledo. The 20-acre campus, which includes three buildings and parking lots, sits on the eastern fringe of the ecologically significant Oak Openings region, where the eastern deciduous forest gives way to the western prairie. On-site habitat includes forests, prairie, and a small riparian wetlands area.

Practices and Impacts

• While two songbird nest boxes were originally installed on-site, the team expanded the program in 2002 with nine additional nest boxes. Songbird nest boxes are designed to attract native cavity-nesting species, like the eastern bluebird. 
• BASF sought to foster community engagement through participation in a local wildlife festival in 2019.
• Team members have constructed and regularly monitor tubes provided to give Mason Bees suitable habitat for depositing larvae.
• The team monitors a 10-acre woodland to understand both native species and vegetation. In addition, they actively monitor 0.2 acres of grassland prairie for native vegetation and pollinators.
• BASF works with a contractor to remove and seek to prevent establishment of invasive species, including autumn olive, garlic mustard, Japanese honeysuckle and brush honeysuckle, along a stream bank and throughout their site at large.
• Team members have installed and monitor a small pollinator garden, and they also monitor a landscaped garden to support native vegetation.