Spartanburg Manufacturer Introduces Wildlife Preserve in Production Facility

Spartanburg — Oshkosh Defense LLC, a Spartanburg manufacturer, has announced plans to establish a wildlife preserve at its Spartanburg assembly unit where the company is producing the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle for the United States Postal Service. In a recent news release, the company detailed that this initiative is a manifestation of its commitment towards environmental stewardship and sustainability.

The company aims to transform the greenspaces surrounding their facility into a habitat for local wildlife, promoting a healthy ecosystem and biodiversity. “Our intent is to turn our greenspace at the facility into a thriving habitat for native wildlife, supporting biodiversity, and a healthy ecosystem,” said Trent McJunkin, facilities and maintenance manager at Oshkosh Defense Spartanburg Assembly. He also added that this initiative would not only boost the local wildlife but would also increase efficiencies in groundskeeping, amalgamating sustainability, and operational effectiveness.

Partnership with Hatcher Garden

Oshkosh Defense has joined forces with Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, a non-profit organization based in Spartanburg which serves as a sanctuary for local plants. Dan Shook, Manager at Hatcher Garden, in a statement expressed gratitude to be collaborating with Oshkosh Defense, emphasizing the value that such natural spaces add to human lives, and their ability to bring people and nature together.

Corroborating with Wildlife and Industry Together Program

In addition to the collaboration with Hatcher Garden, Oshkosh has also allied with the Wildlife and Industry Together (WAIT) program. This program, which is part of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, aids corporate landowners in incorporating wildlife habitat requirements into their land management decisions. Jay Keck, SCWF industry habitat manager, expressed that one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss is land degradation and habitat loss. Hence, efforts like the installation of native plants and nest boxes by a property owner like Oshkosh Defense can extensively support the local ecosystem and a wide array of plant and animal species.

Oshkosh Defense’s Leading Role

Oshkosh Defense, established in 1917, is a renowned tactical vehicle manufacturing company, known for designing and producing a wide range of highly protected and tactical vehicles for clients globally. The company hopes that this innovative project will inspire similar setups in other industrial sites, significantly contributing to wildlife preservation. In 2021, Oshkosh Defense declared its plan to manufacture mail delivery vehicles at a new Spartanburg plant. This comes as part of fulfilling a $482 million contract for the U.S. Postal Service, although USPS expects to spend billions more on updating its delivery fleet in the future.

The project initiated by Oshkosh Defense represents a novel approach in the industry to balance manufacturing needs with environmental concerns, setting an example for other companies in how best to utilize an industrial facility’s green spaces. Combining ecological preservation with industrial expansion, this endeavor ensures both business growth and a prosperous natural environment for the local community.