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U.S. Mission Certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a Green Workplace
3 MINUTE READ
November 19, 2009

Douglas M. Griffiths, U.S. Mission Chargé d'Affaires, with the Certification Sign at the Mission Entrance.
Douglas M. Griffiths, U.S. Mission Chargé d’Affaires, with the Certification Sign at the Mission Entrance.

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.