As part of its commitment to sustainability, world-class equipment, technology and services company, CNH, encourages employees to act as a positive voice for the communities where they work and live.

A group at CNH has taken on a project that exemplifies their commitment. The Sioux Falls Sustainability Committee is an employee driven committee made up of 16 dedicated members that meet monthly to plan ways they can help. Projects have included river clean-up efforts and Earth Day events. But their newest project is the largest they have taken on to date!

In partnership with Friends of the Big Sioux River (FBSR), the committee is designing and building a floating island system to support wildlife habitats on the river. These islands will eventually be anchored along the Big Sioux and provide several environmental benefits:

• Increased biodiversity.
• Protected areas for wildlife to live and breed.
• A root system to house spawning fish and filter the river water.
• A platform covered in native plants and flowers to provide pollination opportunities.
• Improved water quality, positively impacting agriculture in the area.
• Added beauty to the Big Sioux River for all visitors to enjoy.

FBSR is an organization on a mission to raise awareness about the impacts the river has on the surrounding area, people, wildlife, and agriculture.

More on the project and how it came to be:

The Sioux Falls Sustainability Committee recognizes the Big Sioux River as an important part of their local ecosystem. The committee is spearheaded by two members of the Precision Technology Product Development team, Sienna Mayer, Program Manager and John Waltz, Electrical Design Engineer.

In late 2024 Sienna and John reached out to FBSR on behalf of the committee and connected with Travis Enteman, the FBSR Executive Director. The conversation focused on upcoming projects or events that CNH could participate in. When Travis mentioned his ideas for this habitat system, Sienna and John agreed immediately and volunteered their engineering skills for the design.

CNH is driven by its purpose; a shared passion to continuously seek out opportunities for innovation, productivity and sustainability. By rising up to these challenges, we are doing the noble work of advancing global agriculture and supporting the world's construction needs.