Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi, Inc.

About the Program
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi (TMMMS) is an automobile assembly facility located outside of Blue Springs, Mississippi. The TMMMS team uses various sites around the facility to restore native populations of plants and trees, improving biodiversity and supporting associated native wildlife populations, such as pollinators. The site hosts several conservation education events and activities for students and employees that educate learners about the importance of pollinators, bats and wildlife conservation efforts at the company.

Practices and Impacts

• Nest boxes for wood ducks were installed in the habitat to provide a safe nesting habitat for native wood ducks to increase local populations. Team members monitor the wood ducks during the nesting season and repair or replace boxes as needed. Additionally, the team has installed cameras and predator guards to protect the species from harm.
• A tree planting project on-site converted unused grassland to a forested area containing native species of flower trees and shrubs to provide foraging opportunities for native wildlife. The team uses drone technology to capture photos of the habitat twice per year.
• A landscaped pollinator garden was installed on a 0.2-acre parcel of land on the property. The TMMMS team planted native species to provide foraging opportunities to native pollinators and to increase biodiversity. Additionally, the team actively manages the habitat by mulching or weeding of invasive species and monitors vegetation annually using visual observation techniques and photos.
• Over eight acres of grassland is managed as a pollinator garden for native wildlife. The habitat is actively managed using annual burning, chemical treatment and annual mowing techniques.
• TMMMS hosts an annual Lunch and Learns for employees and on-site contractors every year to educate members on the importance of pollinators, bat conservation and ongoing wildlife habitat development projects across the company. The events reach up to 87 members annually.
• The site hosts Earth Day activities to showcase the importance of pollinators through hands-on activities with elementary students. The event reaches 64 people annually and occurs once per year.