Dresden Wildlife Site

About the Program
CRH Americas Materials, Inc. Dresden Wildlife Site encompasses 83 acres of wildlife habitat located 50 miles east of Columbus, Ohio, on aggregate mining land in Dresden, Ohio. The site is bordered by the Muskingum River to the east, and forest, grassland and wetland habitat in all other directions. Since 2006, the site has collected extensive biological inventories and community wildlife data to maintain soil stability, provide food and shelter for wildlife and offer environmental education opportunities for the K-12 learners. To this end, the team continues to be a leader in environmental stewardship, fostering community conservation awareness in protecting, enhancing, and conserving native wildlife.

Program Impacts

• Eighteen acres of forest habitat are actively monitored to provide ground cover for soil stabilization, habitat, shelter and foraging opportunities for native wildlife and invasive species control across the habitat. The team conducts annual species inventories using quarterly quadrat sampling under the Shannon-Weiner Index.
• Two acres of grassland habitat are actively managed to increase biodiversity and populations of native grasses, protect native wildlife and remove invasive species. Employees apply techniques such as controlled and prescribed burns, chemical treatment and mowing as needed to maintain the habitat.
• Sixty-three acres of wetland habitat provide sanctuary for wildlife and are monitored to improve water quality levels and increase biodiversity in the ecosystem. Team members use survey monitoring techniques such as plant diversity and abundance surveys, invasive species surveys and wildlife surveys. Since the inception of the project, the improved water quality has increased the biodiversity on-site.
• Team members installed nest boxes across the site to provide safe nesting habitat for native avian species to reproduce and forage in the habitat. Maintenance on the nesting structures occurs as needed.
• The site installed a pollinator garden and insect hotel to provide shelter for native pollinators to forage and reproduce. The habitats on the property provide water and migratory stopover for native species.