1. science
2. ecology
3. pollution

Environmental Management Systems
International Standard ISO 14001
EMS ISO 140001
Why would the North Carolina
Zoological Park want to become an
EMS ISO 140001 institution?
EMS ISO 140001
1. Systematically improve the Zoo’s
ecological footprint.
EMS ISO 140001
2. Gain credibility for sound
environmental management
EMS ISO 140001
3. Model our management principles
and practices for others.
EMS ISO 140001
What does the North Carolina
Zoological Park need to become an
EMS ISO 140001 institution?
EMS ISO 140001
•staff commitment not just compliance
•desire to set an organizational climate of
improvement
•Management support and motivation for the
resources required for checking and reviewing
•realize change is gradual and needs to be
practical
EMS ISO 140001
EMS ISO 14001 provides an organized
structured approach to improve our section’s
environmental impact
PLAN
ACT
Continual
Improvement
CHECK
DO
EMS ISO 140001
PLAN
Policy/Objectives
»Environmental Policy
»Environmental Aspects and Impacts
»Legal Requirements
»Objectives and Targets
»Action Plans
EMS ISO 140001
DO
Structure/Responsibility
»Roles and Responsibility
»Training and Competence
»Operational Control
»Communications
»Emergency Preparedness
»Document Control
EMS ISO 140001
CHECK
Checking/Corrective Action
»Corrective and Preventative Action
»Monitoring and Measuring
»Record Keeping
»EMS Auditing
EMS ISO 140001
ACT
Review
»Management Review
The Zoo’s
Environmental
Policy
G
Growth in knowledge and continued improvement
R
Reduction in use of resources and waste
E
Environmentally responsible and sustainable operation
E
Example to others
N
Necessary compliance with environmental laws and
regulations
How we arrived at the Significant
Environmental Aspects and Impacts
We identified 45 activities under our
control which had 130 environmental
aspects and impacts.
For example an
aspect may be how
or where a waste is
generated and an
impact might be the
effect of that waste
on the environment.
The following criteria was used to determine
potential significant aspects/impacts.
Low(1) Medium(2) High(3)
Severity
Frequency
Quantity
Little
impact/no
danger
Danger non-life
threatening short
term reversible
less than 1 year
Potentially life
threatening long
term effects
reversible more
than 1 year
Less than
monthly
Monthly
to weekly
Weekly to
daily
Pounds
per year
Tons per
year
Tons per
month
The Process……
We added the criteria numbers together to
obtain a quantitative total as our first filter of
the 130 aspects/impacts.
Total rank of 5 and over was determined
potentially significant.
We then applied a qualitative team judgment
to prioritize the most important and significant
of these aspects/impacts.
10 Significant Environmental
Aspects/Impacts Were Identified
ACTIVITY
Compost operations
Pest management
Total Gasoline use
ASPECT
Total Organic
Materials
Pest management
Gas/Diesel
Irrigation and watering
Chemical fertilizing
Prescribed Burning
Electricity Greenhouse
Water use
Runoff
Land preservation
Electricity use
Operating Greenhouse
Propane
Maintain surface/grading
Renovating/Creating
Landscapes
Runoff/erosion
Invasive plants
IMPACT
T
Recycling/reusing/landfill diversion
Reduce use of harmful chemicals
Depletion of Nonrenewable
Resources
Depletion of water supply
Surface water contamination
Conserve natural communities
Depletion of Nonrenewable
Resources
Depletion of Nonrenewable
Resources
Surface water contamination
Reduction of native plants
Horticulture’s
Legal Requirements Were Clarified:
Compost permit
Pesticide application licenses
Pesticide storage inspections
Nursery certification permit
Endangered plant permits
Burn permits
Plant importation permits
Invasive plant laws
Vegetation/vermin control
Dam and Sedimentation laws
Chemical/Industrial pretreatment
Nonpoint Source Pollution legislation
Horticulture’s Objectives, Targets,
And Performance Indicators For
Our First EMS Program Have Been
Drafted. Responsible Staff And
Their Time Frames Have Been
Identified.
ACTIVITY Compost operations
ASPECT
Total organic materials
IMPACT Recycling/reusing/landfill
diversion
Objective: Maintain compost operation
Target: Minimum of 1067 Tons waste received
Program: 1. Training on separation of incoming
waste
2. Complete/Implement Tub
Grinder/burning study
3. Complete corrugated cardboard
study and implement interim
recommendations
4. Improve sanitation of site
5. Submit annual report and apply for
permit renewal
ACTIVITY Compost operations
ASPECT
Total organic materials
IMPACT Recycling/reusing/landfill
diversion
Objective: Add other organic materials to compost
Target: Increase sources by two
Program: 1. Gain compliance with procedure from
Sodexho
2. Evaluate new sources Avian prop.
Mammal prop., wildlife rehab
3. Review existing sources for
compliance
ACTIVITY Pest management
ASPECT
Pest management
IMPACT Reduce use of harmful
chemicals
Objective: Use least toxic, effective method of pest
control
Target: Evaluate two control methods
Program: 1. Review, document and update
operating procedures
2. Train on operating procedures
3. Study alternative herbicides
4. Evaluate Fire Ant control products
5. Evaluate Entomologist services
ACTIVITY Total Gasoline use
ASPECT
Gas/Diesel
IMPACT Depletion of Nonrenewable
Resources
Objective: Reduce consumption of Gas/Diesel fuel
Target: Formal plan of action developed and 5%
reduction in fuel consumptions from
2002 levels for 2003
Program: 1. Determine usage by Vehicle/
Equipment for first 6 months of
2002
2. Pilot study of usage patterns via
volunteers
3. Driving Tips awareness
4. Explore Alternative vehicles/equip.
5. Formal plan for efficiency measures
6. Develop, Document, Train on SOP’s
ACTIVITY Irrigation and watering
ASPECT
Water use
IMPACT Depletion of water supply
Objective: Apply Xeriscaping principles to greatest
extent feasible
Target: Implement Xeriscape principles on Garden
Friends, Chimp, and Rhino.
Program: 1. Implement Xeriscaping principles on
Garden Friends landscape
2. Develop, Document and Train on
SOP’s for Garden Friends garden
3. Water metering program for Chimp.
4. Develop, Document and Train on
SOP’s for Chimp exhibit
5. Develop irrigation system for Rhino
using Xeriscape principles
ACTIVITY Irrigation and watering
ASPECT
Water use
IMPACT Depletion of water supply
Objective: Apply Xeriscaping principles to greatest
extent feasible
Target: Train 80% of affected horticulture staff on
Xeriscape principles
Program: 1. Improve awareness of Xeriscaping
principles
ACTIVITY Chemical fertilizing
ASPECT Runoff
IMPACT Surface water contamination
Objective: Fertilize with environmentally friendly
products at proper levels
Target: Exterior protocols in place by 2002 and
research Interior protocols 2003
Program: 1. Maximize Exterior use of organic
fertilizers through protocols
2. Research organic fertilizer use in
interior exhibits
ACTIVITY Chemical fertilizing
ASPECT Runoff
IMPACT Surface water contamination
Objective: Maintain or Improve water quality
Target: Assess impact of Horticulture on Water
quality
Program: 1. Develop and implement a testing
program
2. Determine major contributors to
water quality
3. Determine methods to evaluate
water quality
ACTIVITY Chemical fertilizing
ASPECT Runoff
IMPACT Surface water contamination
Objective: Maintain or Improve water quality
Target: Implement Water Quality management plan
Program: 1. Develop plan of action
2. Develop, Implement and Train on
SOP’s
ACTIVITY Prescribed burning
ASPECT Land preservation
IMPACT Conserve natural communities
Objective: Conserve natural communities
Target: Maximize use of natural methods of
management using ecological factors
like prescribed burns
Program: 1. Review, Update and Train burn team
on operating procedures
ACTIVITY Electricity use at Greenhouse
ASPECT Electricity use
IMPACT Depletion of Nonrenewable
Resources
Objective: Conserve electricity
Target: Comply with standard operating procedures
Program: 1. Review, Update and Train
appropriate staff on operating
procedures
ACTIVITY Operating Greenhouse
ASPECT Propane
IMPACT Depletion of Nonrenewable
Resources
Objective: Conserve propane
Target: Comply with standard operating procedures
Program: 1. Review, Update and Train
appropriate staff on operating
procedures
ACTIVITY Maintain surface/grading
ASPECT
Runoff/erosion
IMPACT Surface water contamination
Objective: minimize runoff/erosion
Target: Document standard operating procedures
Program: 1. Document and Train appropriate
staff on operating procedures
ACTIVITY Renovating/Creating Landscapes
ASPECT Invasive plants
IMPACT Reduction of native plants
Objective: Conserve Native Plants
Target: Develop standard operating procedures
Program: 1. Develop and Train appropriate
staff on operating procedures
Currently Discussing Roles and
Responsibilities of the Program.
Mary Joan Pugh – EMS Coordinator
Core Team –Management Review Board
Gin Wall – Horticulture Management Representative,
Approve EMS documents
Cathy Lewis – Maintain documentation
Associate Curators – EMS Team Representatives, Develop
Protocols/Procedures, Trainers
Hort. Supervisors – EMS Team Representatives, Update
instructions, Responsible for EMS reporting
Hort. Technician & Grounds workers – EMS Team
Representatives
Organizing Training and Record Keeping
Tracking the EMS program appears to be complex but
we are looking at a decentralized database that once
in place could be used for other training record
keeping.
We are currently identifying:
Who needs training on what
Who the trainers should be
What documents should the trainer use
Who has authority to revise the document
“Picking the Low Hanging Fruit….”
Horticulture
staff’s
accomplishments
toward
sustainable
operations has
been admirable.
But we hit a
plateau.
Composting
Management
planning
Land use planning
IPM
Recycling
Organic
Fertilizers
It has
become
harder to
figure out
what we
should do
especially
on our more
fixed and
necessary
operations.
Internet
research
Other Zoo’s
programs
Conferences
Conservation
Captains
We’ve used various sources for tips and ideas
of how to improve our operations but never
had a process in which to focus on and break
down the more complex activities into
manageable ideas.
Starting with the low hanging fruit
helped us begin…
Now having a structured process and
highly motivating internal and
external audits should take us…
1. To More Sustainable Operations
2. EMS Certification
3. “Walking the Talk”.