Sustainable Land Use

Our activities have the potential to affect land use, nature and biodiversity, directly and indirectly. Our real estate portfolio includes properties for manufacturing and office use. The construction and operation of these facilities have direct impacts on land. The extent of these impacts depends on the size of each facility and whether it is a "greenfield" site (involving new construction) or a "brownfield" site (one previously used for industrial purposes). One example of our efforts to redevelop brownfield sites is the Fairlane Green retail center in Allen Park, Michigan, which we developed on a former landfill site. Ford's productive reuse of this landfill is providing amenities, jobs and taxes on a site that would otherwise have remained dormant. In May 2008, this redevelopment received the Phoenix Award for excellence in brownfield redevelopment.

Ford's most significant potential impacts on land and biodiversity are indirect, occurring elsewhere in our value chain or arising from the use of our vehicles. Indirect impacts include the extraction of raw materials to make vehicle parts, habitat fragmentation from road construction, localized pollution from vehicles and the potential effects of climate change on biodiversity.

Many of our facilities have taken steps to improve biodiversity and wildlife habitat on their lands, as follows.

Creating Wildlife Habitat

Ford has created wildlife habitats at many of its facilities. Wildlife habitats on Ford facilities range in size from five to more than 100 acres and include ecosystems as diverse as wetlands, woodlands, prairies, meadows and forests. Ford employees, often in partnership with local civic and education groups, develop and maintain the habitats, which host dozens of native plant and wildlife species. At many of the facilities, employees and other volunteers have built nature trails, erected bird and bat houses and planted wildflower gardens, in addition to establishing wildlife habitats. These facilities have also developed community education programs to encourage broader understanding of the importance of corporate wildlife sanctuaries. We are committed to maintaining our existing wildlife habitat sites and to creating new sites as possible in the future. For example, we have created large natural reserves at our facilities in Valencia, Spain, and Kocaeli, Turkey.

Sustainable Landscapes

A highly visible example of Ford's commitment to sustainability can be seen on more than 200 acres of Ford-owned land throughout southeast Michigan, which is adorned with sunflowers, wildflowers, prairie plants and other non-turf grass plantings. This landscaping provides habitat for wildlife; for example, fox, wild turkeys and coyote have been spotted on Ford properties. This landscaping also reduces mowing and other maintenance costs. By replacing what would otherwise be traditional turf grass, the Company saves approximately 30 percent on the costs of labor, gas and fertilizer.