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Five-Star Restoration Program Descriptions
BFI Hutchins Environmental Education Center
Dallas, TX
Beginning in the summer of 1997, the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC),
Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI, the National Association of Service and
Conservation Corps (NASCC), the Dallas Youth Services Corps (DYSC) and
EPA entered into a partnership to enhance wildlife habitat on private
land in Texas by involving community groups. The partnership embarked
on a project to create an environmental education center on the site of
an old landfill. The BFI Hutchins Facility, a closed and capped landfill
south of Dallas, Texas, was chosen as the project site. The facility is
also the site of BFI's District headquarters, which employs many local
residents. WHC worked with BFI to organize a Wildlife at Work team made
of employees that volunteered their time and energy to enhance habitat
at their workplace. The BFI team lent assistance, expertise, and equipment
to the effort and also supplied the land for habitat projects. BFI also
provided student volunteers to help in the restoration work. EPA provided
technical assistance and funding through the Five Star Restoration Program
for salary for DYSC students and the cost of materials. Both WHC and NASCC
provided other resources to foster the link between wildlife habitat and
the community organizations.
Aside from the obvious benefits to DYSC students, this project center,
which has been named the Hutchins Environmental Education Center, may
soon become the home of birds formerly displaced by development and other
activities. The Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center saves these birds
and then releases them in safer areas. The Rehabilitation Center chose
the Hutchins Environmental Education Center as a release site for approximately
100 birds based on the physical nature of the site, its trees and water,
its food supply, and the strong partnership between BFI, EPA, and DYSC.
Most of the birds are now ready to be released to begin their winter migration
to the Texas coast. The Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is even
considering relocating to the Hutchins Environmental Education Center.
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