Conservation Fund and Partners Fight Climate Change, Restore National Wildlife Refuge
Conservation Fund and Partners Fight Climate Change, Restore National Wildlife Refuge
The Conservation Fund and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have announced the restoration of 775 acres of forestland in the Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge outside Kansas City through a public/private partnership.
More than thirty corporations, foundations, and individuals supported the initiative through CF's Go Zero program, which works with companies and individuals to help reduce and offset the carbon footprint of human activity. Supporters of the project included Delta Air Lines, which partnered with the fund through its Force for Global Good, while computer-maker Dell provided support through its Plant a Tree for Me program.
The 234,000 newly planted oak, hickory, and pecan trees are expected to trap more than 230,000 tons of carbon dioxide, helping to address climate change, restore sensitive wildlife habitat, and enhance public recreation areas. The trees were planted by Environmental Synergy Inc., which will monitor the restored forest for carbon accrual over time, with the results to be verified by the Environmental Resources Trust.
"The World Bank estimates that 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions is caused by deforestation," said Go Zero director Jena Thompson. "Thanks to the extraordinary leadership of our partners, the expertise of ESI, and the commitment of the FWS, we are raising much needed capital to address the most pressing environmental challenges of our time — climate change and habitat loss — by restoring these critical forestlands."
For a list of project partners, visit the Conservation Fund Web site.
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