JOINT CLIENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS
Along with allowing individual office locations to choose community support
projects that mean the most to their location, TRC also looks for opportunities to
partner with our clients on projects that support the mission and values of both
companies.
i-Tree Helps Property Owners Quantify the Benefits of Trees
TRC and American Electric Power (AEP) launched a sustainability partnership
project with the Grange Insurance Audubon Center (GIAC), located in the heart
of Columbus, Ohio.
The trees on this property in Ohio would
save 651.7 kWh of electricity according to
i-Tree.
TRC and AEP are partnering with GIAC through the Audubon At Home Program
to support and enhance actions homeowners and property manager s can take
to improve the environment of their urban community. The goal of the Audubon
At Home Program is to foster understanding of homeowner impact on the
environment and work with them to demonstrate how the average person can
make a difference in their community starting with their own yard or property.
For example, Audubon At Home promotes increases in food and water resources
for birds and other wildlife, shelter and nesting opportunities, native plantings,
and biodiversity while decreasing the spread of invasive plants, lawn storm
water runoff and pesticide use. By maintaining existing and adding new urban
trees, forests and other habitats, the program strives to obtain a measurable
decrease in carbon emissions and air pollution as well as a measurable increase
in storm water interception, carbon sequestration, air pollutant absorption, and
avian habitat.
TRC is providing support to GIAC by developing training materials and
conducting training for i Tree – a free, web-based tool provided by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture that allows users to make a simple estimation of the
benefits individual trees provide. With inputs of location, species, tree size and
condition, users receive an understanding of tree benefits related to greenhouse
gas mitigation, air quality improvements and storm water interception.
TRC is proud to be part of this initiative which will result in tangible benefits
in terms of climate change, water, biodiversity, air quality and sustainability
education. The project embodies TRC’s Vision: We will solve the challenges of
making the Earth a better place to live – community by community and project
by project.
FY14 Target Achieved: Identify two community engagement projects to partner with
clients on during 2014. Target renewed in FY15.
46 | 2014 Sustainability Report