The Monroe Plant, located about 50 miles south of Detroit, is adjacent to Lake Erie, bordered on the south by the River Raisin, on the north by Sterling State Park and I-75 and on the west by other wetlands.The facility consists of 500 acres with 200 acres containing parking lots, production areas and two closed hazardous waste impoundments situated on a central island. The remaining 300 acres are comprised of intercoastal wetlands and transitional meadows and forests.
"The people of Visteon Monroe really value the conservation and stewardship of the plant's natural habitats," said Cliff Fleener, chief environmental control engineer at the Monroe plant. "Monroe and the other certified facilities exemplify Visteon's commitment to being a profitable and environmentally responsible company."
The goal of the Monroe Plant wildlife management plan is to improve the facility's natural habitat for the benefit of employees, the community and wildlife that live in the area. To achieve this goal, employees integrated a plant wildlife committee into their ISO 14001 Cross Functional Team. This group, made up of hourly and salaried employees and partnering contractors, works to implement a variety of wildlife habitat projects the site chooses to undertake. The main efforts are focused on controlling invasive species, improving educational activities and employee knowledge of wildlife on-site and promoting the availability of nesting habitat for native bird populations.
The wildlife team members installed a walking path with accompanying benches to the west of the landfill area. The next team project chosen was installing bluebird nesting boxes. In 2003, team members expanded the nest box monitoring program by constructing additional boxes, and augmented the nature trail by placing informational materials. Also, in 2003, wildlife team members installed two perches adjacent to the east landfill. Currently, the team conducts weekly monitoring to document use of the perches.
Visteon Corporation is a leading full-service supplier that delivers consumer-driven technology solutions to automotive manufacturers worldwide and through multiple channels within the global automotive aftermarket. Visteon has approximately 75,000 employees and a global delivery system of more than 180 technical, manufacturing, sales, and service facilities located in 25 countries.
Visteon Monroe Plant Wins Wildlife Habitat Council Recognition For Wetlands Conservation
The recognition was presented at the WHC's 15th Anniversary Symposium on Nov. 18 in Baltimore. The WHC is a nonprofit, non-lobbying group that helps corporations manage their land in an ecologically sensitive manner for the benefit of wildlife.