The U.S. Mission has just been certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a “Green Workplace,” becoming the first State Department facility, abroad or at home, to receive this designation.
The National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program certifies spaces which have provided the essential elements for healthy and sustainable wildlife habitats.
Certified spaces must demonstrate a commitment to conserving local wildlife by providing the following:
- Food Sources – For example: Native plants, seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, nectar
- Water Sources – For example: Birdbath, pond, water garden, stream
- Places for Cover – For example: Thicket, rockpile, birdhouse
- Places to Raise Young – For example: Dense shrubs, vegetation, nesting box, pond
- Sustainable Gardening – For example: Mulch, compost, rain garden, chemical-free fertilizer
The U.S. Mission’s “Green Team” and garden staff worked together on the Mission gardens to minimize water and chemical use, maximize use of pollinator-friendly, native plants, and to ensure roosting, water and food sources. The team organized a workshop for children, who made the birdhouses that now provide places for cover in the trees across the grounds.