For information contact: Elenor Hodges 703-228-6427

ARLINGTON CREATES COMMUNITY WILDLIFE HABITAT TEAM
– public meeting to kickoff project to make County more wildlife friendly –

Arlington, VA – Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE) will sponsor a meeting on Tuesday, September 25 on "Creating Wildlife Habitat" at Arlington's Central Library as the first step in registering Arlington County as a National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat. The meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Central Library Auditorium, 1015 N. Quincy Street in Arlington.

The Community Wildlife Habitat project will create urban wildlife habitats in Arlington that provide food, water, shelter, and places to raise young. The meeting will provide information for interested homeowners, businesses, churches, and schools via a slide show presentation and free materials.

"Through this effort, we will help create sustainable landscapes in Arlington that promote neighborhood beautification, safety, and resource conservation," said Janine Finnell, a volunteer with ACE who serves as Director of Habitat Programs.

The steps in creating a Community Wildlife Habitat include forming a team, developing a vision statement and plan of action, registering the project, and certifying the community. The project is expected to take two years to complete. The September 25 meeting will introduce the Arlington Community Wildlife Habitat team to the public and begin the recruitment process to find volunteers interested in developing wildlife habitats in the community.