Bridgestone | Community and Company Come Together to Restore Habitat in Northern Mexico
En Español
Located in the town of Ciénega de Flores in Mexico’s state of Nuevo León, Bridgestone Neumáticos de Monterrey manufactures tires for passenger cars and light trucks. More than half of this 190-acre facility is also home to a wildlife habitat primarily consisting of submontane scrub forest– a habitat that develops between the mountain slopes and lowlands of the Mexican Plateau.
Providing educational opportunities for employees, students, and the community is an important aspect of the program.
The main conservation project of the employee-led team is restoration of the submontane scrub forest ecosystem using seed propagation and reforestation efforts. These efforts began in 2010 with the construction of a greenhouse and nursery that can grow up to 1,500 plants at a time. Using seeds collected in the spring and summer, and compost made from food waste from the employee cafeteria, the team grows native plant species such as anacahuita, honey mesquite, Texas ebony, and Yucca filifera.
The seedlings grown are then used for reforestation endeavors in several areas of the property. So far, more than 500 trees have been planted by the team and community members during a series of reforestation events held each year, such as tree planting for employees and their families during annual open house events. The team also hosts tire collections that directly connect to its reforestation efforts. Employees and community members bring in old tires to be reused on-site as pathway markers and planters, and the team plants or donates a tree for every tire collected.
Providing educational opportunities for employees, students, and the community is an important aspect of the program so, unsurprisingly, these efforts extend beyond the topic of reforestation. Students from the local elementary school often help the team out with seed planting efforts while learning about the importance of native plants and how to avoid waste in their daily lives. Employees learn about composting and waste reduction as part of the on-site composting initiative and the Zero Landfill Project, and participate in river clean-ups to remove tires and other debris from local waterways. The team also hosts community events focused around Earth Day, Arbor Day, and Environment Day, and produces field guides of local flora and fauna.
A model example of the power of community engagement, the Bridgestone Neumáticos de Monterrey team and the surrounding community have made great strides in restoring submontane scrub forest on-site and improving awareness about local biodiversity.
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Quick Facts
| Site Name: | Bridgestone Neumaticos de Monterrey |
|---|---|
| Category: | Member Spotlight |
| Tags: | Awareness and Community Engagement, forest, formal learning, landscaping |
| Site Location: | Ciénega de Flores, Mexico |
| Certification Since: | 2014 |
| WHC Index Link: | View Project |
