WSSI Native Habitat

About the Program
The Davey Tree Company's Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI) office in Gainesville, Virginia, is located on a site of about five acres in a residential and commercial area about 35 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. The site includes about one acre of woodland along with the developed area surrounding the office building. The wildlife team has drawn on the extensive knowledge among employees about ecosystems to plan and maintain habitat projects that demonstrate the company's commitment to sustainable, low-impact development. Conservation objectives include maintaining a native meadow-type habitat to provide habitat for wildlife including pollinators; creating, enhancing and maintaining habitat for cavity-nesting avian species; and managing stormwater and providing natural habitat for wildlife including pollinator species.

Practices and Impacts

• A native planting on a berm along the roadway in front of the site, and in a bed alongside the building, is being maintained and monitored. The berm area is mowed annually to keep it open in the manner of a native Virginia meadow. Hand control of invasive plants, cutting overgrown woody plants and tree pruning is ongoing. Monitoring includes annual insect surveys and a plant survey.
• Five nest boxes with predator guards are installed at the edge of the meadow area. The boxes are monitored weekly and are used by house wrens and sparrows. The team is consulting with a purple martin specialist to learn ways to attract the martins.
• In 2006, a 3,626-square-foot green roof was installed, designed to support wildlife as well as to manage stormwater and insulate the building. Mostly native species were planted (along with some non-invasive sedum) for pollinators; the plants were chosen with a range of bloom times. The green roof also includes two wetland pods and is used as a demonstration of low-impact development practices.