G
rey Towers History and Mission
Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, was a visionary whose
commitment to the conservation of American forests influenced President
Theodore Roosevelt to create the Forest Service in 1905. His life-long, unrelenting
concern for the stewardship of forests won him the title of “father” of American
forestry. Today, Mr. Pinchot’s legacy lives on in Grey Towers National Historic Site,
his ancestral home that was donated to the Forest Service in 1963 by his family
and dedicated by President John F. Kennedy as a National Historic Landmark
that same year. His early 20th century dream of conservation and stewardship
is a forerunner of today’s sustainability ethic and is reflected in the present use,
management, and mission of Grey Towers.
This Sustainability Report was made possible through a PRIZIM Inc. Corporate Social
Responsibility Program charitable donation.
Table of Contents
Message from the Director
Guiding Values
ii
iii
Sustainability Assessment Summary
Economic Indicators
1
5
Environmental Indicators
7
13
Looking Forward 17
GRI Indicator Index 19
Social Indicators
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Message from the Director
“ The vast possibilities of our great future will
become realities only if we make ourselves responsible for that future.” –Gifford Pinchot
Environmental stewardship is the heritage of Grey Towers National Historic Site (Grey Towers). We are
dedicated to preserving the forest conservation ethic of Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the U.S. Forest
Service. Since President John F. Kennedy dedicated Grey Towers as a national landmark in 1963, we have
offered public programs, tours, and conservation education to promote Pinchot’s vision of conservation.
Part of being a leader in the conservation of natural resources includes “walking the talk,” putting in
place those practices we advocate. In the 2007 National Environmental Footprint Report Forest Service,
Abigail R. Kimbell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, said, “History will judge us by how well we respond
to the issues of climate change. I submit that we all have a responsibility to be leaders in this arena. Our
traditional stewardship role is one and the same as reducing our own environmental footprint.” At Grey
Towers, environmental stewardship is the legacy that links our past to our commitment for the future.
Every action we take has an impact on the environment—the amount of energy and water we consume,
the amount of waste we generate, even the products we buy. The resulting environmental damage
from climate change, air and water pollution, and depletion of finite natural resources have an adverse
impact on the future health, well-being, and sustainability of our planet. By acting responsibly in the
choices we make every day, we can help to create an environmentally sustainable future.
Once we understand how much of these resources we use, and the pollution and wastes we generate,
we can start to reduce that consumption. This Sustainability Report, the first conducted for Grey Towers,
is a significant step in defining the baseline of our environmental footprint. In subsequent sustainability
reports, we will continue to measure our performance against this baseline, add new information, and
track our progress.
Education is a large component of the Grey Towers mission, and we ourselves continue to learn about
creating a sustainable future. We lead by example, so as conscientious leaders in environmental sustainability, we commit to continually reviewing our progress against sustainability goals and sharing these
results with our stakeholders.
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GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Richard Paterson
Director, Grey Towers National Historic Site
Guiding values
A
ccording to the U.S. Forest Service’s (Forest Ser-
“Climate change has
vice) website, the concept of sustainability is
been linked to declining
embedded in the Forest Service mission to “sus-
snowpacks, retreating
tain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s
forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and
future generations.” For more than 100 years, the Forest
Service has been committed to caring for the land and
glaciers, and changing
patterns of precipitation
and runoff. The evidence
shows that we are entering
a period of water scarcity
serving people in a manner that encourages a shared re-
not seen in our history.
sponsibility among partners and visitors, and sustains a
The national forests were
full suite of public benefits, including ecosystem services
created in part for ‘securing
that are essential for quality of life.
favorable conditions of
water flows,’ the importance
In addition to Grey Towers desire to minimize their environmental footprint, Executive Order (EO) 13423 –
Strengthening Federal Energy, Environmental, and Transportation Management (recently made a law under
of which has grown as
populations have grown. We
can make a difference by
managing national forests
and grasslands to restore
PL111-B Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 SOC 748).
ecological processes and
EO 13423 provides a relevant legal driver to reinforce the
functions that support clean
importance of monitoring and decreasing environmental
and healthy streams, lakes,
impacts. EO 13423 identifies several areas for focused
and aquifers.”
environmental stewardship efforts: Energy Conservation,
Water Conservation, Green Purchasing, Fleet and Trans-
—U.S. Forest Service
Chief, Abigail R. Kimbell
portation Management, Waste Prevention and Recycling,
Sustainable Buildings, and Environmental Management
Systems. Available information on these elements of the
EO requirements is included in this Report.
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Sustainability
assessment summary
Stakeholders
Economic Impacts
•
•
•
•
• Local jobs
• Free/low cost site for community events
• Internships for students
Forest Service management and staff
Partner organizations
Local community
General public
Environmental Impacts
Social Impacts
•
•
•
•
• Community services
• Educational resources
• Partnerships with community associations,
schools and universities, non-governmental
organizations
Energy use
Waste and recycling
Water use
Landscape and forest management
Major Strengths
Major Weaknesses
• Outreach and education
• Economic stimulus funding
• Creative approach to historical window repair/
replacement
• Management and staff support and enthusiasm
for sustainability efforts
• Carbon sequestration
• Challenges of balancing historic preservation
and modern energy efficiency installations and
retrofits
• Extensive landscaping requires frequent
watering
• Incomplete transportation impact
Major Opportunities
Major Challenges
• Potential use of alternative energy sources,
including biomass, solar-powered energy, and
geothermal energy
• Reduce energy use
• Reduce water consumption
hOrganizational Profile
Grey Towers, a national landmark, is part of the
Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA), a department within the
Federal government. The Federal Government,
USDA, and the Forest Service are headquartered
in Washington, D.C. Grey Towers serves the federal
government, specifically the USDA, and non-profit
organizations, including the Grey Towers Heritage
Association and The Pinchot Institute for Conservation, by facilitating meetings, conferences, and
seminars, as well as coordinating with the organizations for outreach and educational endeavors.
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PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
GRI
Indicators
Description:
Organizational Profile
2.1
Name of organization
Grey Towers National Historic Site
2.2
Primary services
Outreach and education, tours, partnerships, green
meetings
2.3
Operational structure of the
organization
U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S.
Federal Government
2.4
Location of headquarters
Washington, D.C.
2.5
Countries of operation
United States; limited operations in other countries,
including Mexico and Canada.
2.6
Nature of ownership
U.S. Federal Government
2.7
Markets served
U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service,
conservation non-profit organizations, community groups,
educators
2.8
Scale of organization
Number of Employees: 18 FTEs; 14 PTEs
Products and Services Provided: Education, Conference
Facilities, Training, Workshops, Historic and Resource
Stewardship
2.9
Significant changes
N/A
2.10
Awards received
N/A
hReport Parameters/Scope
Sustainability encompasses many elements of
preserving, protecting, conserving, and minimizing the use of resources, as well as improving
management quality through stakeholder engagement, public disclosure, and performance improvement. To gauge the degree to which these
elements are being achieved, accountability and
transparency in reporting are necessary. A common method for achieving both accountability
and transparency is to identify goals and timelines
by which these goals are to be achieved. Then, the
implementation phase begins: developing baselines, tracking progress toward the goals, documenting benchmarks. As implementation rolls
out, communication is needed – to communicate
the results, identify successes and challenges, and
discuss next steps. Through a process of continuous improvement, an organization can develop,
implement, and repeat this cycle. Grey Towers is
committed to such a strategy.
This Sustainability Report adheres to the reporting criteria of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI),
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Grey Towers Performance: Baseline 2008
GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
a������������������������������������������������
stakeholder governed institution providing global standards in sustainability reporting. The GRI
standards facilitate transparency in reporting and
offer a framework for specific criteria and indicators. This Sustainability Report describes Grey
Towers’ sustainable management approach, defines benchmarks, and provides supporting metrics in four key areas:
• Resource conservation
• Energy use
• Carbon footprint
• Outreach and education
This report includes the Mansion and other historic core buildings (the Ice House, Letter Box, and
Bait Box) as well as the maintenance compound
and visitor service centers at Grey Towers. In this
report, the reporting period for energy and water
use and social factors is calendar year (CY) 2008.
The reporting period for tracking training programs is fiscal year (FY) 2008. In future years, data
collection will be adjusted to ensure consistency
of reporting time periods.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
GRI
Indicators
Description: Report Parameters
Grey Towers Performance: Baseline 2008
3.1
Reporting Period
Energy Use, Water Use, Carbon Footprint:
CY 2008
Outreach and Education Programs: FY 2008
3.2
Date of Last Report
N/A
3.3
Reporting Cycle
Annual
3.4
Contact Individual
Richard (Dick) Paterson, Director
rpaterson@fs.fed.us
570-296-6061
3.5
Report Content
Determined based on data availability, applicability to Grey
Towers mission and operations, and assumed stakeholder
value
3.6
Report Boundaries
Grey Towers National Historic Site facilities, activities, and
operations
3.7
Limitations on Report
Data was not available for all indicators due to information
availability related to tracking and reporting constraints
3.8
Reporting on Outside Influences
N/A
3.10
Re-statements
N/A
3.11
Changes from Previous Reports
N/A
3.12
GRI Content Index
C level
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hGovernance, Commitments, and
Engagement
Grey Towers is also responsible for understanding and working with its stakeholders. As a relatively unique unit within the Forest Service, Grey
Towers maintains both the Forest Service traditional stakeholders and a distinct set of stakeholders, such as non-profit organizations and partners.
In the latter group, Grey Towers management accounts for persons, groups and/or organizations
that have direct and indirect interactions with the
site, facilities, and/or operations.
As a unit within the Forest Service, Grey Towers
is governed by the Forest Service, which is governed by the USDA. The Secretary of Agriculture
manages the USDA and its agencies. Ultimately, as
a cabinet level appointment within the Executive
Branch of the U.S. government, the Secretary is
governed by the President of the United States.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
GRI
Indicators
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Description: Governance,
Commitments, and Engagement
Grey Towers Performance: Baseline 2008
4.1
Governance Structure
As a unit within a federal agency (Forest Service), Grey
Towers reports through the Forest Service, which reports
to through the USDA to the President of the United States,
the highest level of authority for the Federal government
4.2
Chair as Executive Officer
N/A
4.3
Independent/Non-executive
N/A
4.4
Stakeholder Input
Forest Service staff, management
4.14
Engaged Stakeholder Groups
Forest Service staff and leadership; Leadership seminar
attendees and coordinators; Local and regional
communities; General public; Partners; General public
4.15
Identification of Stakeholders
Data is tracked and collected to identify potential
stakeholders, including persons, groups, and organizations
that interact with Grey Towers, directly or indirectly.
GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Economic indicators
I
n 2008, Grey Towers had annual operating budget of $1.9 million,
which was allocated through Forest Service funding, based on appropriations from Congress. The operating budget supports Grey Towers’
functions, including but not limited to staff salaries, facility and grounds
management, conference, tour, and outreach operations, and utilities.
Although not accounted for in the operational
budgets, federal agencies and units, particularly
those in land management agencies such as the
Forest Service, are likely to be most acutely impacted by financial implications associated with
climate change. While the impacts may occur
slowly, gradual changes in the climate are predicted to affect seasonal temperatures, rainfall, and
vegetation changes, including changes in species
populations in the local areas. These changes all
have potential economic impacts, including increased costs associated with utilities such as air
conditioning and heating needs, irrigation and site
management challenges associated with annual
rainfalls and local water availability, and direct
economic benefits associated with timber sales,
where applicable. Although Grey Towers does not
engage in timber sale activity, the availability of
downed timber and/or preferred species for biomass production, a proposed plan for Grey Towers, may translate into economic terms. Biomass
may become more or less lucrative and practical,
depending on the effects of climate change to the
local area.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
GRI
Indicators
GRI Indicator: Economic Core
Performance Indicators
Grey Towers Performance : Baseline 2008
EC2
Financial Implications from
Climate Change
Unknown; however, predicted to require additional
funding for changes in land management practices and
utility costs.
EC4
Government Financial Assistance
Dependent upon federal funding, which was allocated
through Congressionally-approved appropriations.
Annual Operating Budget: $1.9 million
EC7
Local Senior Management
Hiring process is facilitated through the Federal USA Jobs
system; status as a member of the local community is not
a direct factor in the hiring decision process.
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GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Environmental
indicators
hResource Conservation
By limiting resource use and intensity, the need for new materials or replacement of existing resources is reduced. Ultimately, this
diminished demand translates into reduced impacts on the environment. Grey Towers adopted a forward-looking approach to conserving
and minimizing the use of resources through the following practices:
• All copier machines were set for two-sided copying, reducing copy
paper use by up to 50%, and staff made a conscious effort to used
lightly used paper as scratch paper in lieu of unused paper
• Spent light bulbs were recycled and replaced with low-mercury,
high-efficiency compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), generating fewer
waste light bulbs and reducing energy consumption by up to 25%
• Motion-sensing lights were installed in the new visitor bathrooms
and the faucets and urinals equipped with motion-sensors for ondemand water for hand washing and flushing to reduce water consumption
• The heating, air conditioning, and ventilation (HVAC) system was
actively monitored, managed, and repaired to optimize peak efficiency
• Insulation was added to buildings that had not been upgraded during previous rehabilitation work to improve the building’s energy
efficiency envelope
• The chiller was replaced with a more energy efficient model that
uses a non-ozone-depleting refrigerant
• Staff lowered the thermostat temperature in the winter, and raised
it in the summer to reduce the heating and cooling demands
• Native plants, trees, and shrubs were planted and maintained on
the property which assure regional soil and climate-adapted vegetation and reduced need for water use through irrigation
Grey Towers actively recycles many items including:
• Cardboard
Grey Towers developed an
environmentally preferable
(“green”) purchasing program for
the many cleaning, office, and
maintenance products used onsite. Through the program staff
give priority to green products
identified through program such
as the USDA BioPreferred program
and the Environmental Protection
Agency’s (EPA) Comprehensive
Procurement Guidelines (CPG).
The EPA CPG, for example, seeks
to lower the environmental and
human health impacts associated
with the use of these products.
For example, by using the EPA
CPG and USDA BioPreferred
programs, Grey Towers staff
were able to identify product
alternatives and reduce the use of
hazardous materials. This change
in purchasing decisions provides
benefits for the employees, the
environment, and the bottom line.
Minimizing the use of hazardous
materials results in less hazardous
waste generation and disposal,
saving time and money. Grey
Towers staff have also adopted
the practice of “buying as
needed,” to reduce waste from
unused products and eliminate
storage concerns associated with
potentially hazardous products.
• Newspapers
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• Magazines
• Toner cartridges
• Furniture
• Aluminum
• Batteries
• Glass
• Plastic
• Office paper
• Oil products (e.g., oil paint, used motor oil)
• Fluorescent lamps
Grey Towers also has two six-yard dumpsters used for disposal of mixed
trash that were emptied weekly by a commercial refuse service. This yielded
a maximum annual volume of 624 yards of trash. The volume of recycled
items was not measured. Plans are underway to measure both the volume
of recycled materials and the volume of trash to establish a generation baseline and improve documentation.
hEnergy
Energy consumption, direct and indirect, is a core GRI performance indicator. Energy saved due to conservation and efficiency improvements is
reflected in the calculation of total energy consumption. Grey Towers direct
energy use consists of electricity, natural gas, and propane gas. Electricity
is used throughout site for lighting, kitchen appliances, office equipment,
the fire suppression system, and power tools in the woodshop. Research is
underway to identify opportunities on-site for biomass and/or geothermal
heating system installation as well as a photovoltaic bank for electricity production.
kWh
Electricity Use CY2008
50000
45000
40000
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
Jan
Feb
Mar Apr
May Jun
Jul
MONTH
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GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Aug Sep
Oct
Nov Dec
Grey Towers staff are
addressing electricity
use reduction holistically,
identifying opportunities
across the site and not
limiting the scope. As
older bulbs burn out,
they are replaced with
high-efficiency compact
fluorescent bulbs. Small,
solar-powered lights are
installed around the site,
including lights used to
illuminate signs along
the driveway (see photo
below). Motion-sensors
were installed in the
public restrooms and
employees are instructed
to turn off lights whenever
leaving a room. The
maintenance garage was
designed to utilize natural
lighting through the use
of ceiling skylights, which
provide substantial natural
sunlight even when
cloudy. This eliminates
the need for electric
lighting on all but the most
overcast days.
Case study: Historic windows
As historic structures age and sustainability gains traction, questions arise as to how
to balance historical integrity and authenticity with improved energy efficiency and functionality. With the primary objective being the preservation of the fabric and the building,
a common question arises of how to preserve structural components. This issue gained
significance at Grey Towers recently when it was determined that the Mansion’s windows
required repair and refinishing. Old, uninsulated single pane window sashes conduct outside temperatures easily, creating challenges for a controlled interior environment. The
issue facing the staff was to preserve the historic materials yet identify an energy-efficient
solution to satisfy the energy conservation and sustainable building design requirements
in Executive Order 13423 – Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management in a cost-effective manner. Grey Towers, with its commitment to historic
preservation and sustainability, saw this as a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the complementary relationship between historic preservation and environmental sustainability.
The historic preservation staff at Grey Towers considered a broad range of factors when
analyzing how to restore the Mansion’s windows. As recommended by the Association
for Preservation Technology International, the staff took the long view in conducting their
analysis since long-term performance is fundamental to sustainability and historic preservation. Some of the more important factors considered included:
• Conservation of embodied energy
• Environmental impacts
• Economic costs and benefits
• Performance
• Historic integrity
After weighing these factors, Grey Towers staff identified restoration options for the
Mansion’s historic windows. The identified solution: custom “storm” windows designed to
create an energy-loss barrier while still retaining the historic window aesthetic. As planned,
the storm windows achieved both ends: energy efficiency and historic preservation.
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hSustainable Design
Constructing, renovating, repairing, and/or maintaining a structure according to sustainable design criteria includes principles such as resource
conservation, reduction, and operational efficiency. Grey Towers staff have
incorporated sustainable design features in a variety of contexts. For example, although preservation of the historic windows was the primary factor
in maintaining their 123 year history of continued use, consideration of sustainable solutions led the preservation staff to implement solutions with a
low visual impact while nearly doubling their energy efficiency (see page 9).
Sustainability was also a driving force when considering how the repave
the visitor parking lot and the maintenance facility design. For the visitor
parking lot, pervious pavement was selected over traditional asphalt, for
its benefit to storm water management and vegetation conservation. The
maintenance facility was designed to harness daylight from the skylights for
lighting in the main workshop area while radiant floor heating was used to
efficiently heat the space, providing heat where the staff needs it most during the winter: at ground level.
Staff used the opportunity
to incorporate sustainable
design when resurfacing
their visitor parking
lot. After considering
economic and
environmental factors,
the decision was made
to resurface the lot with
pervious material (see
photo below; traditional
asphalt on right;
pervious surface on left),
designed to allow storm
water penetration and
filtration. The porous
bituminous asphalt used
“Perhaps the greenest building of all is the
one that is already built, one that has embodied energy, or energy that has already
been expended to construct the building. Grey
Towers’ buildings that already exist and are
rehabilitated have already saved an enormous
amount of harvesting, extraction of materials
and minerals, [and] manufacturing of products.” —Dick Paterson, Director, Grey Towers
for the repaving project
realized two conservation
objectives. First, this
type of asphalt allows for
rainwater to permeate
the surface, allowing the
water to percolate into
the underlying aquifer.
Second, the pervious
pavement reduces the
potential for erosion
problems by reducing
storm water runoff. The
end result is a functional
parking lot that also
conserves water and
minimizes impacts to
surface vegetation.
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GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
hNatural and Propane Gas
At Grey Towers, natural gas is used for space heating in the Mansion and
other buildings that make up the historic core, including the Letterbox, the
Bait Box, the Ice House, the Farm House, and the Gate House. The Visitor
Pavilion, which is a modern structure, is also heated with natural gas. Since
space heating requirements are highest in the winter months, natural gas
usage naturally drops off significantly from April to November.
HUNDRED CUBIC FEET (CCF)
Natural Gas CY2008
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Jan
Feb
Mar Apr
May Jun
Jul
Aug Sep
Oct
Nov Dec
MONTH
Propane gas is used for space heating in the maintenance building, the
four-bay garage, and the curatorial building, which are all modern buildings.
The reduction in propane use during summer months, seen in the chart below, results from the use of propane solely for heating, which is typically not
needed in summer months.
GALLONS
Propane Use CY2008
1000.0
900.0
800.0
700.0
600.0
500.0
400.0
300.0
200.0
100.0
0.0
Jan
Feb
Mar Apr
May Jun
Jul
Aug Sep
Oct
Nov Dec
MONTH
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hWater Use
About one-third of Grey Towers’ 102 acres is maintained landscape with
extensive gardens. The majority of the water used at Grey Towers is for watering and maintaining the grounds. The highest usage occurs during the
drier months from late spring to late summer, as shown on the chart on the
next page.
Quarterly Water Use CY2008
300000
GALLONS
250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
0
Mar
Jun
Sep
Dec
MONTH
hCarbon Footprint
This initial CFA includes direct emissions associated with natural gas and
propane use on-site along with indirect emissions associated with purchased electricity that is generated off-site. Therefore, most of the emissions sources in this initial CFA are represented by the indirect emissions,
due to the relatively initial scope of this carbon footprint. Further carbon
footprint analyses may expand emissions source tracking to include direct
emissions sources such as diesel and gasoline fuel use on-site related to
maintenance operations, and indirect emissions sources such as staff commuting, staff air and vehicle travel, and/or air and vehicle travel for Leadership Program participants.
Grey Towers’ greenhouse gas inventory was conducted according to the
Greenhouse Gas Protocol, a decade-long partnership between the World
Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Businesses. Emissions data is based on utility records from CY 2008.
Estimated Greenhouse Gas Emissions in
Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide (MTCO2) by Source for CY2008
Emissions Source
MTCO2 Emitted
Percent
DIRECT EMISSIONS
Propane
19.61
5.9
Natural Gas
217.32
65.7
SubTotal
236.93
71.6
INDIRECT EMISSIONS
Purchased Electricity
93.78
28.4
Total
330.71
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GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Source for CY 2008
5.9%
28.4%
Propane
Electricity
Natural Gas
65.7%
Grey Towers’ forested property, which has carbon sequestration potential, was also evaluated,
using the USDA Carbon On-Line Estimator tool
(COLE-EZ). Based on characteristics of the forested
acreage, including forest types, age of the stand,
stand productivity (annual board feet), and management characteristics (natural versus managed
for production), the COLE-EZ model suggests that
a total of 111.48 tons of carbon per acre are sequestered in the forested stands on the property.
However, due to the limitations associated with
the COLE-EZ model,1 the total carbon sequestration potential was not used for calculation of a net
carbon footprint. With time, it is expected that the
reliability of this tool will enable Grey Towers to
more accurately account for its carbon sequestration potential.
A CFA is a useful tool in many ways. The analysis
provides a mechanism through which Grey Towers’ staff may identify ways to reduce emissions
from site activities and track changes over time.
The CFA can also serve as a tool to educate staff
and visitors about climate change and the importance of forestry practices in promoting mechanisms for carbon sequestration.
According to the COLE website, the model output
is based on a combination of data sources “where
results are unreliable” and the “combinational options
provided to the user is large.”
1
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
GRI
Indicators
Description: Organizational Profile
Grey Towers Performance: Baseline 2008
EN1
Materials by weight/volume
Projected maximum annual trash volume: 624
yards (the exact amount of trash is not currently
measured)
EN3
Direct energy consumption
Electricity: 230,135 kWh
Natural Gas: 527,638 CCF
Propane: 3214.6 gallons
EN8
Total water withdrawal
720,634 gallons
EN11
Location of land near biodiversity
102 acres of forest and vegetated landscape
EN16
Direct and indirect greenhouse gas
emissions by weight
Direct: 236.93 MTCO2
Indirect: 93.78 MTCO2
EN17
Relevant indirect greenhouse gas emissions
by weight
93.78 MTCO2
EN23
Number and volume of significant spills
N/A
En26
Initiatives to mitigate environmental
impacts
Green meetings, pervious parking lot, recycling,
refurbishment of historic windows
EN28
Fines and non-compliance sanctions
N/A
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GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Social indicators
A
s an agency within the USDA, the Forest Service is committed
to serving the public. Grey Towers enacts this philosophy at every
possible turn – welcoming schools groups, conservation leaders,
and the general public to the grounds and facilities to learn about and experience conservation in action.
Consistent with the Federal government as a
whole, as well as Pinchot’s values, the Forest Service has a strong and well-documented commitment to prohibiting discrimination. The Federal
government as a whole, and the USDA and Forest Service in particular, prohibit discrimination on
the basis of race, color, national origin, age, and
disability. Discrimination is also prohibited where
applicable sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic
information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because
all or a part of an individual’s income is derived
from any public assistance program.
In addition to prohibiting discrimination, the
Forest Service actively promotes diversity among
the workforce. The agency maintains a Diversity
Statement that demonstrates its commitment to
recruiting, nurturing, and maintaining a diverse
workforce.
Outreach and Education
In 1963, the Pinchot family donated Grey Towers and the surrounding land to the Forest Service
with the purpose of carrying on Gifford Pinchot’s
life work of conservation. Pinchot’s legacy lives on
at Grey Towers in the numerous public programs,
interpretive tours, and conservation education
programs provided and facilitated on-site. As a
conference site, Grey Towers provides a venue for
leading conservation and environmental visionaries to meet to help guide the future of natural resources conservation.
Forest Service Leadership Programs
This program is designed to enhance Forest
Service leaders’ skills, knowledge, and awareness
of leadership and the role it plays in building and
maintaining relationships. It is open to Forest Service leaders including senior management, district
rangers, forest supervisors, deputy forest supervisors, and staff officers. In FY 2008, Grey Towers
hosted a total of eleven Leadership Programs with
211 attendees (see “Grey Towers Leadership Programs” on page 15).
Green Meetings
Grey Towers’ management looks for opportunities in all aspects of the site’s use to practice
what they preach. Staff are encouraged to make
thoughtful personal decisions, and the public is
asked to do the same. Green meetings are one
such example. Green meeting best practices reduce the environmental impact of trainings, meetings, and seminars hosted at Grey Towers. The
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facility’s commitment extends to the intent of developing and following a
Green Meeting Policy that may include the following guidelines:
• Minimize paper use for conference and meeting materials
• Ensure conference materials contain post-consumer recycled content
and/or are reusable
• Recycle materials used at the conference, including composting food
materials
• Offer organic and/or local foods for snacks and meal service
• Reduce energy and water consumption
• Promote public or shared transportation for travel
• Minimize or off-set emissions resulting from travel associated with the
event
Grey Towers’ commitment to finding ways to integrate sustainable practices into their programs, conferences, events, meetings, and seminars is
an integral part of the Site’s heritage of combining conservation and education.
Partnerships
Grey Towers has a long history of working cooperatively with natural
resource conservation organizations and community groups, such as the
Grey Towers Heritage Association, the Delaware Highlands Conservancy,
and the Pinchot Institute for Conservation.
Grey Towers Heritage Association
In addition to guided, interpretive tours, the Association sponsors many
popular community events. Among the most successful is the annual Festival of Wood. As a celebration of the natural and cultural heritage of wood,
the Festival educates thousands about the many valuable uses of wood
in everyday lives and illustrates the concept of sustainable forestry. Introduced to America more than 100 years ago by Gifford Pinchot, sustainable forestry is celebrated through exhibits, films and lectures, wood crafts
demonstrations, and a living history program.
An education and conference center for natural
resources conservation, Grey Towers also serves as
a living museum bridging the Pinchot legacy and
contemporary environmental issues.
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GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Diversity Statement:
Achieving a Single
Mission Through
Diverse Perspectives
The Forest Service is
made up of thousands
of employees from very
different backgrounds.
But we’re all working
toward the same goals.
For those of us in the
Forest Service, diversity means much more
than ethnicity, gender or
culture. We believe that
diverse perspectives help
us solve problems more
effectively. That’s why we
maintain an environment
in which people from different backgrounds feel
comfortable, and in which
people feel free to express their opinions and
share their viewpoints.
To help employees acclimate to life in the Forest
Service, there are several
employee affinity groups
that give employees the
opportunity to interact
with others of similar
backgrounds and viewpoints.
These and other initiatives support our organizational commitment to
diversify the Forest Service and strengthen the
diverse population of employees we already have.
And the more diverse we
are as an organization,
the more effectively we
can respond to the needs
of the diverse publics we
serve.
—USDA Forest Service Diversity
Statement
Grey towers leadership programs
Forest Supervisor’s Roundtable
The Roundtable uses a “study group” format, and the session is a highly interactive process, focusing
on integrating previous models and establishing a consultative climate of peer support between Forest
Supervisors.
Forest Supervisor and Deputy Session: Building an Effective Working
Relationship
This session is a unique opportunity to explore, reflect on, discuss and enhance the unique working
relationship between the Forest Supervisor and the Deputy Forest Supervisor.
Leadership Laboratory for Forest Leaders (formerly known as Personal
Mastery for Forest Leaders)
This training is designed to increase conscious leadership behavior and promote growth and development among participants in areas such as collegiality, peer support, trust building, people skills, and
increased leadership competence.
Ranger Academy at Grey Towers
Open to all Forest Service Rangers, this program focuses on learning advanced problem solving,
communication, decision making, and leadership skills, and offers the opportunity to network among
peers. This program is presented in alignment with the succession leadership competencies established by the Forest Service.
Forest Staff Officers Program
This training is a leadership development program designed to meet the professional development
needs of employees who are currently working as forest staff officers. It focuses on improving a broad
range of professional skills such as decision making, problem solving, interpersonal communication,
collaboration, and partnership skills.
The Leadership Legacy: Yesterday until Tomorrow
For leaders new to the Forest Service, this program provides a view into Forest Service leadership
roots, a connection to present day agency leadership issues, and an invitation to create a personal
leadership legacy.
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Delaware Highlands Conservancy
The Pinchot Institute for Conservation
The Conservancy’s mission is to conserve the
forests, farms, and waters of the Upper Delaware
River region. As a land management agency and
a semi-forested site in the region, Grey Towers
partners with the Conservancy to assure and inform model land management practices that will
further the efforts of the Conservancy in their outreach to private landowners, state offices, and local federal agency offices and operations.
The Edgar Brannon Conservation Fellows Program is a cooperative program between the Pinchot Institute for Conservation and Grey Towers to
commemorate the work of Edgar Brannon, former
Director of Grey Towers. The program is open to
natural resource professionals in the public sector
and focuses on furthering knowledge and understanding of conservation issues.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
GRI
Indicators
LA1
GRI Indicator:
Social Core Performance Indicators
Workforce by type, contract, location
Grey Towers Performance:
Baseline 2008
Regular Full-Time: 18
Regular Part-Time: 14
Contractors: None
Note: All Grey Towers staff are based on-site in
Milford, PA.
LA10
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Average hours of training per year per
employee category
GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Management Staff: 96 hours
Administrative Staff: 40 hours
Looking forward
G
ifford Pinchot’s pioneering work on natural resources conservation, environmental and historic preservation, sustainability,
and public service has created a distinguished heritage that has
already spanned more than a century. This enduring legacy still finds voice
today in Grey Towers’ leadership in sustainability, as well as in providing
an intellectual forum for debate, training, and progressive leadership development in conservation-related themes. Grey Towers continues to be at the
national forefront for educational programs, interpretive tours, cultural
activities, and community engagement in sustainability and environmental
leadership.
Adaptive use of existing structures demonstrates how historic preservation priorities can
be successfully merged with contemporary challenges to develop creative solutions. Grey Towers
is committed to leading by example, promoting
the union of historic preservation with environmental conservation and illustrating the impacts
that incremental change can have wide-reaching
effects. Thoughtful and creative use of all available
resources, historic or contemporary, embodied or
newly-created, natural or man-made, is a guiding
principle and unwavering commitment of Grey
Towers National Historic Site.
Environmental Goals
• Reduce energy use by 2% annually from 2008
baseline
• Reduce water use by 2% annually from 2008
baseline
• Establish a goal for proportion of energy use
from alternative, renewable energy sources
• Develop baseline for solid waste and recycling
quantities
• Establish a reduction goal for solid waste based
on baseline
• Develop baseline of carbon footprint associated with meetings, trainings, and conferences
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GRI indicator index
GRI Indicator
Description
Page Number
Strategy & Analysis
1.1
Message from Director
ii
1.2
Key impacts, risks, opportunities
––
Organizational Profile
2.1
Name of organization
ii
2.2
Primary services
2
2.3
Operational structure of the organization
2
2.4
Location of headquarters
2
2.5
Countries of operation
2
2.6
Nature of ownership
2
2.7
Markets served
2
2.8
Scale of organization
2
2.9
Significant changes
2
2.10
Awards received
2
Report Parameters
3.1
Reporting period
3
3.2
Date of last report
3
3.3
Reporting cycle
3
3.4
Contact Individual
3
3.5
Report content
3
3.6
Report boundaries
3
3.7
Limitations on report
3
3.8
Reporting on outside influences
3
3.9
Data measurement techniques
––
3.10
Re-statements
3
3.11
Changes from previous report
3
3.12
GRI content index
3
3.13
External assurance on report
––
Governance
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4.1
Governance structure
4
4.2
Chair as executive officer
4
4.3
Independent/Non-executive
4
4.4
Stakeholder input
4
4.5
Compensation link to performance
––
4.6
Avoidance of conflict of interest
––
4.7
Qualification of governing body
––
4.8
Mission, values, codes
––
4.9
Identify sustainability issues
––
4.10
Evaluate governing body performance
––
GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
GRI Indicator
Description
Page Number
4.11
Precautionary approach
––
4.12
Externally developed sustainability initiatives
––
4.13
Membership in associations
––
4.14
Engaged stakeholders
4
4.15
Identification of stakeholders
4
4.16
Approach to stakeholder engagement
––
4.17
Issues raised by stakeholders
––
Economic Core Performance Indicators
EC1
Direct economic value
––
EC2
Financial implications from climate change
5
EC3
Benefit plan obligations
––
EC4
Government financial assistance
5
EC6
Local suppliers
––
EC7
Local senior management
5
EC8
Impact from pro-bono actions
––
Environmental Core Performance Indicators
EN1
Materials by weight/volume
13
EN2
Percentage of materials that are recycled
––
EN3
Direct energy consumption
13
EN4
Indirect energy consumption
––
EN8
Total water withdrawal
13
EN11
Location of land near biodiversity
13
EN12
Impact of services on biodiversity
––
EN16
Direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by weight
13
EN17
Relevant indirect greenhouse gas emissions by weight
13
EN19
Emission of ozone-depleting substances by weight
––
EN20
NO, SO emissions by weight
––
EN21
Water discharge by quality and destination
––
EN22
Weight of waste by type and disposal method
––
EN23
Number and volume of significant spills
13
EN26
Initiatives to mitigate environmental impacts
13
EN27
Percentage of product packaging reclaimed
––
2N28
Fines and non-compliance sanctions
13
Social Core Performance Indicators
LA1
Workforce by type, contract, location
18
LA2
Number and rate of turnover by age group, gender, location
––
LA4
Percentage of employees under collective bargaining
––
LA5
Minimum notice periods
––
LA7
Rates of injury, disease, lost days, death by location
––
LA8
Resources for diseases
––
LA10
Average hours of training per year per employee category
18
LA13
Composition of governance body and breakdown of employee diversity
––
LA14
Ratio of basic salary (men , women) by employee category
––
Additional or Supplemental Indicators
––
Forest Service Sustainability
Message
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The Forest Service was founded in 1905 to sustain and manage the United States’ national forest
resources. Sustainability is the essence of the Forest Service’s mission to “Care for the Land and
Serve the People.” Fulfilling this mission has endured the tests of time, and the Forest Service
remains committed to managing the Nation’s forests to assure their existence and availability for
future generations as well as the present one.
Your comments on this Sustainability Report are welcome and may be sent to Dick Paterson,
Director, Grey Towers National Historic Site at rpaterson@fs.fed.us or P.O. Box 188, 151 Grey
Towers Drive, Milford, PA 18337.