PEMC

About the Program
The PEMC Toyota Motor North America project site is located in the state of Kentucky in the eastern United States. The project site consists of 0.51 acres of former pasture land that the team is in the process of partially restoring to include grassland areas and forest areas, which will then better match the adjoining habitat areas that are adjacent to the property. In order to increase the biodiversity of the site, the team began a tree planting project in the Japanese tradition of Morizukuri, which was being promoted as a beneficial cultural activity part of the Tokyo Winter Olympics of 2020. The team also is supporting avian and bat populations by installing bird and bat houses that are tailored to each of the target species.

Practices and Impacts

• The team planted over 2,000 trees as part of a cultural celebration of a long-held tradition in Japan and as large-scale forest restoration on the project site, which up until the project start was primarily composed of non-native grass species. The project included over 30 species of native trees, each with their own habitat value.
• In order to take advantage of a valuable environmental education opportunity, the team enlisted company employees to take part in the main tree planting event. The participants learned about proper tree planting techniques and helped to plant over 40 species of native trees.
• Across the nation, the American kestrel, a raptor species in the falcon family, is declining at an unsustainable rate. The team installed a kestrel box to provide a site for breeding/nesting and shelter that is in close proximity to water and food sources.
• In the same spirit of avian conservation, the team installed a series of birdhouses to provide habitat for eastern bluebirds. The boxes used design specifications suited to the species and included predator guards to prevent losses from raccoons. Monitoring is carried out to evaluate the success of the project.
• The team also installed multiple bat houses to encourage the presence of various bat species of the site. The project connects with potential habitat areas that are adjacent to the site and that also include bat boxes. The project is predicted to increase its success going forward as bats on site acclimate to the boxes and take up residence in them in greater numbers.