Left to right: SCA's Robert Alsobrooks, Muscle Shoals High School Student Balee Hamm and SCA's Joseph Rickard assist with putting the bluebird houses up around the SCA Barton facility.BARTON – Environmental team members and other volunteers at the SCA Tissue facility in Barton, Ala., have expanded the company’s commitment to sustainability through the construction and implementation of 25 bluebird houses throughout the outer boundaries of the facility.
 
Built out of recycled wood pallets and scrap cores from the SCA Tissue plant, the bluebird houses have been strategically placed to increase the population of bluebirds and enhance the habitat conditions.
 
“The bluebird housing program not only brings more wildlife into the community, but also shows our employee pride, since volunteers will donate their time to help build the houses. This is a great example of another way SCA Tissue is committing to sustainable and environmental initiatives,” said Joseph Rickard, logistics technician and SCA Tissue environmental team member.
 
Putting firsthand learning into practice

Rickard first learned about the bluebird-housing program at a local fundraiser with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). TVA, provider of electricity for 9 million people in parts of seven Southeastern states, holds Wildlife at Work(SM) certification at its Colbert Fossil Plant in Tuscumbia, Ala. Certification was granted for the plant’s successful execution of wildlife habitat enhancement efforts, including bluebird houses and a spring planting day.
 
Earlier this year, Rickard and fellow environmental team members, Matt James and Matt Rickard, toured the TVA Colbert Fossil Plant to learn firsthand about the environmental initiatives.
 
The Wildlife at Work program is part of the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), a nonprofit, non-lobbying 501(c)(3) group of corporations, conservation organizations and individuals dedicated to enhancing and restoring the wildlife habitat. The program uses a volunteer-based wildlife team of employees and community partners to create and implement habitat enhancement projects, usually on corporate property.
 
“Our goal is to one day become Wildlife at Work certified, and to provide an enhanced wildlife habitat for not only bluebirds, but also other local species,” said Robin Wood, utilities and environmental manager for the Barton facility. “This is also a great opportunity to raise conservation awareness. We are always aiming to educate and inspire the community to be more environmentally friendly.”
 
A WHC biologist must conduct a site visit for the property to achieve Wildlife at Work certification. Additionally, a project, such as the bluebird houses, needs to be monitored and maintained for at least one year prior to applying for certification.

About SCA Tissue:
SCA Tissue is one of the three largest producers of Away From Home tissue products in North America, supplying paper napkins, tissues, towels, specialty wipers, dispensers and soap used in commercial settings such as restaurants, office buildings, schools and healthcare facilities.