Waste Management has partnered with students from a Mississippi elementary school to establish a microhabitat at the company’s Pecan Grove Landfill in Pass Christian.
The garbage solutions business joined fifth-grade students from DeLisle Elementary School, along with Tandem Global, Mississippi Native Plant Society, and local elected officials, in planting more than 750 native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and grasses across a 1,500-square-foot area at the landfill.
The new microhabitat, or a localized environment within a larger area that provides a unique set of conditions and resources, will exist as a biodiverse ecosystem aimed at improving soil health and supporting the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s natural resilience. It also serves as Waste Management’s sustainability campaign aimed at enhancing the local environment and fostering community engagement.
“This project is a wonderful example of how sustainability and education intersect,” Management Gulf Coast Communications Manager Tricia Farace said. “By partnering with local students, we’re not only creating a habitat that supports native species but also inspiring the next generation to be environmental stewards in their own communities.”
RELATED: Waste Management opens compressed natural gas facility in Lee County
Microhabitats like the one in Pass Christian are believed to play a vital role in addressing biodiversity loss, mitigating the effects of climate change, and reducing the urban heat island effect. Small, densely planted green spaces act as natural carbon sinks, absorbing and storing carbon dioxide to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They also provide shade, cooling, and soil stabilization, which benefits coastal regions like the one in Mississippi that face erosion and rising sea levels.
“Our students are learning that stewardship starts right here at home,” DeLisle Elementary School Principal Carisa Fryer said. “From tending our school greenhouse and gardens to planting native species with WM and Tandem Global, they’re growing not just plants but a sense of responsibility, curiosity, and hope for the future.”
