The Lafarge North American plant in Calera recently earned recognition for its wildlife conservation efforts.

The plant won the Wildlife Habitat Council&8217;s &8220;Corporate Wildlife Habitat Certification &8212; International Accreditation Program&8221; certificate.

The WHC was particularly impressed by the plant&8217;s bird nest monitoring program.

&uot;This prestigious distinction is awarded to your program as a result of your demonstrated commitment towards long-term wildlife habitat enhancement efforts,&8221; said Robert Johnson, WHC president, in a letter announcing the honor. &8220;Employees at Lafarge North America, Inc.&8217;s Roberta Plant should take pride in knowing that they have made an important contribution to wildlife habitat conservation.&8221;

Environmental and Public Affairs Manager Travis Reed said Roberta plant employees had worked tirelessly on the habitat program and he was pleased that their hard work, along with the work of a local Cub Scout troop, had been recognized.

&uot;This is a great honor for the plant, for its employees and for the community,&uot; Reed said. &uot;We joined hands in the early spring with Cub Scout Troop 220 and placed birdhouses throughout the grounds at the plant to ensure that we served as a habitat for local wildlife.&8221;

The plant will officially receive the award on Nov. 14, 2006 at a ceremony in Baltimore, Md.

Lafarge North America is one of the largest suppliers of construction materials in the U.S. and Canada. They produce and sell cement, ready-mixed concrete, gypsum wallboard, aggregates, asphalt and related products that are used in residential, commercial and public works construction projects across North America