Nature Conservancy

TNC'S MISSION IS TO CONSERVE THE LANDS AND WATERS ON WHICH ALL LIFE DEPENDS.

PROTECT LAND AND WATER - THE NATURE CONSERVANCY (TNC) HAS HELPED PROTECT MORE THAN 120 MILLION ACRES OF BOTH LAND AND OCEANS, AS WELL AS 4,000 MILES OF RIVERS AND STREAMS. TNC AND THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND PURCHASED A 19,200-ACRE, $25.4 MILLION PROPERTY WITH SUPPORT FROM GREAT OUTDOORS COLORADO TO HELP THE COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE TRANSFORM IT INTO FISHERS PEAK STATE PARK. THE PARK IS HOME TO MORE THAN 900 SPECIESINCLUDING ELK, BOBCAT, AND PEREGRINE FALCONAND HELPS SECURE A WILDLIFE CORRIDOR FROM THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS TO THE GRASSLANDS OF THE HIGH PLAINS. TNC CREATED A NEW DURABLE RIVER PROTECTION FRAMEWORK, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN THE BALKANS AND KEEPS CLEAN AND HEALTHY WATERS FLOWING. THIS IS CRITICAL BECAUSE RIVERS HOLD MUCH OF THE WORLD'S BIODIVERSITY AND ARE THE LEAST PROTECTED OF THE EARTH'S NATURAL SYSTEMS. TNC, WITH THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS, CREATED A NEW MARKET FOR MORE THAN 100 STRUGGLING OYSTER FARMERS IN ME, NH, MA, NY, NJ, MD AND WA STATE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THESE SHELLFISH GROWERS SOLD THEIR HEALTHY SURPLUS OYSTERS TO THIS PROJECT, CALLED SUPPORTING OYSTER AQUACULTURE AND RESTORATION ("SOAR"), WHICH THEN TRANSPLANTS THEM TO NEARBY REEF-RESTORATION SITES. A SINGLE OYSTER CAN FILTER 50 GALLONS OF WATER IN ONE DAY, AND AN ENTIRE OYSTER REEF CAN BE CRITICAL TO THE HEALTH OF BAYS AND ESTUARIES. ENTERPRISING OYSTER FARMS PROVIDED THESE ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS AND THIS ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO RURAL ECONOMIES. FULFILLING SOAR'S MISSION OF BUYING 5 MILLION OYSTERS OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD MEANS PRODUCERS WILL BE ABLE TO STAY AFLOAT WHILE LONG-TERM EFFORTS TO RESTORE LOCAL REEFS GET A HELPFUL BOOST.

PROVIDE FOOD AND WATER SUSTAINABLY -TNC HAS HELPED MOVE MORE THAN 15 MILLION ACRES OF AGRICULTURAL LAND TO USING SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES. TNC ESTABLISHED OVER 30 WATER FUNDS IMPROVING WATER QUALITY FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, AND ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH 15 COUNTRIES ON SUSTAINABLE FISHING EFFORTS. RECENTLY, TNC PROVIDED SMARTER CROP CHOICES IN THE ARID WEST TO PROVIDE MORE WATER FOR BOTH PEOPLE AND NATURE IN ARIZONA'S VERDE RIVER VALLEY. THE 190-MILE-LONG RIVER IRRIGATES DRYLAND FARMS AND SUPPLIES COMMUNITIES WITH DRINKING WATER. RECENTLY, THE RIVER HAS BEEN SO OVER-TAPPED THAT SECTIONS HAVE RUN DRY DURING SUMMER, THREATENING THE VIABILITY OF SOME FARMLANDS AND THE SURVIVAL OF A RICH DIVERSITY OF WILDLIFE, INCLUDING TWO ENDANGERED FISH SPECIES. TNC WORKED WITH THE LARGEST FARM IN THE REGION TO SWITCH TO BARLEY, WHICH CONSUMES HALF THE WATER OF CROPS LIKE ALFALFA AND CORN. THE SHIFT TO HIGH-QUALITY HAS SAVED A MILLION GALLONS OF WATER AND KEPT THE VERDE RIVER FLOWING. TNC HELPED TO TEMPORARILY STOP A PROPOSED PEBBLE MINE THAT THREATENED THE SUSTAINABLE HARVEST OF WILD SALMON IN ALASKA'S BRISTOL BAY.

TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE -TNC WORKS ON ACHIEVING CLIMATE GOALS IN 50 STATES AND 30 COUNTRIES AND RECENTLY MADE PROGRESS IN ITS FIGHTS AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE WITH A FOCUS IN INDIA AND ON THE EMERALD EDGE OF COASTAL WASHINGTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA. TNC HAS INTRODUCED NEW REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE APPROACHES, INCLUDING NO-TILL PLANTING, WHICH ENDS THE NEED FOR BURNING, SAVES WATER, INCREASES FARMER INCOMES, BOOSTS SOIL HEALTH AND STORES CARBON. WHEN FARMERS BURN, CROP RESIDUE TO PREPARE THEIR FIELDS FOR NEW PLANTINGS, GENERATING CLIMATE EMISSIONS AND DEADLY AIR POLLUTION IN NEIGHBORING CITIES. TNC CONTINUES TO WORK TO PRESERVE COASTAL RAINFORESTS ON THE EMERALD EDGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FIRST NATIONS PEOPLES HONORS A VISION OF INDIGENOUS-LED STEWARDSHIP WHILE SECURING FORESTS AS STOREHOUSES OF CARBON. THE TEMPERATE RAINFORESTS OF THE EMERALD EDGE HOLD ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST STORES OF CARBON AND THESE FORESTS ARE AT RISK.

BUILD HEALTHY CITIES -WE HAVE HELPED INTEGRATE URBAN FORESTS, RAIN GARDENS, PARKS AND WETLANDS INTO SUSTAINABLE CITY PLANNING TO BRING NATURE'S BENEFITS TO URBAN RESIDENTS. WE HAVE HELPED PROMOTE GREEN CITY DESIGNS LIKE PERMEABLE SURFACES AND RAIN GARDENS THAT CAN MANAGE STORMWATER WHILE PROVIDING HEALTH BENEFITS AND REDUCING POLLUTION IN OUR RIVERS. WE HAVE WORKED WITH CITIES FROM NEW ORLEANS TO BEIJING TO USE NATURE AS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND BECAUSE PEOPLE IN CITIES ARE INCREASINGLY DISCONNECTED FROM GREEN SPACES, WE HAVE HELPED FACILITATE ACCESS TO AND ENGAGEMENT NATURE.