The Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Creates Long-lasting Healing Spaces for Injured Animals with Trex

At Trex, we are dedicated to building a better tomorrow together, both at home and in the great outdoors. Recently, we were honored to partner with local wildlife rescue organization Blue Ridge Wildlife Center (BRWC) to help rebuild temporary housing for their animal “patients” during rehabilitation and recovery. 

Helping a Neighbor in Need

Situated in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, and just 20 minutes from our headquarters in Winchester, the BRWC serves as a sanctuary for injured wild animals. The organization works with injured, ill and abandoned animals, integrating veterinary medicine, rehabilitation, education, and research to nurture wildlife from rescue to release. Thousands of animals receive care there every year, recovering from injuries and regaining their independence as they transition from the hospital back into their natural habitats.

While in treatment at BRWC, animals are housed in large outdoor cages built by dedicated volunteers. Over time, these historically wooden structures have suffered natural deterioration from exposure to the elements and have had to be repaired or rebuilt every one to two years. After recent storms destroyed some of these essential structures, BRWC reached out to Trex for help.

Benefits Over Wood Make Trex Composite a Natural Solution

With a shared mission to protect nature and its inhabitants, Trex happily answered the call by donating decking material to rebuild an enhanced set of outdoor cages. Pairing authentic wood-grain patterns with rich nature-inspired colors, our composite decking delivers a natural, wood-like look that blends seamlessly with the natural surroundings at BRWC. Additionally, it provides a number of performance benefits that make it an ideal solution for the center’s setting and clients.

Among the greatest advantages of Trex decking for a project like this is that it’s engineered for optimal durability. Unlike wood, and even many PVC options, our high-performance composite material resists fading, scratching and mold – and won’t rot, warp, crack or splinter. Spilled food, liquids and dropped objects – by people or animals – are also no match for our decking.

Thanks to its durable outer shell, Trex decking is also easy to maintain. It never needs to be sanded, stained or painted, unlike wood. Just an occasional soap-and-water cleaning keeps it looking like new for decades. For the BRWC, this makes for easy and effective sanitation between patients, leaving more time for staff and volunteers to focus on animal care.

Our decking is also animal-friendly. Due to wood’s susceptibility to insects and moisture damage, which can lead to mold, rotting, warping and splintering, using wood for decks and cages can pose potential health threats to animals in rehabilitation. Conversely, composite decking is non-porous, moisture-resistant and impervious to pests. It’s optimal for boarding waterfowl since the boards can withstand water. Its ability to be easily cleaned also allows the BRWC to meet critical state sanitation requirements so that it can take in a broader range of animals.

Adding to the appeal of Trex for the eco-conscious team at the BWRC is the fact that our decking is sustainably made and sustainable over time. Made from 95% recycled and reclaimed material, including a mix of polyethylene plastic film and industrial wood scrap, Trex decking provides the look and feel of real wood without the environmental impact of deforestation. In fact, not a single tree has ever been cut down to make our decking. We are also one of North America’s largest recyclers of plastic film. Over the past 30 years, more than five billion pounds of discarded plastic film has been diverted from landfills and given new life as high-performance, low-maintenance Trex decking.

Building a Better Tomorrow Together

The belief that caring for the environment creates benefits for the people who inhabit it is something that we share with the BRWC. We know that the health of wildlife has a direct impact on the well-being of humans, and we are pleased to have been able to play a part in creating a safer space for injured and ill animals in our area to rehabilitate before they’re released back into the wild.

Together the BRWC and Trex are writing a story of resilience, collaboration and hope for a brighter future for our state’s wildlife. You can read more about the BRWC and its vital initiatives on their website.