If you’re eating wild sockeye salmon, there’s roughly a 50% chance it was caught in Alaska’s Bristol Bay, the largest and most productive salmon fishery in the world. It’s here in the Bristol Bay watershed that many groups have been working tirelessly to steward traditional cultural resources and protect one of the most important fish and wildlife habitats in the world from the threat of a major mining project that could damage the integrity of the ecosystem.
Jodi O’Day’s wise counsel and personal dedication to the work of The Conservation Fund over the last 25 years have led to the protection of over 771,500 acres of land and an immeasurable impact on the lives of her colleagues at The Conservation Fund and the conservation community more broadly. We celebrate her retirement after a stellar career and know that our organization is stronger and better because of Jodi’s contributions. She has shown by example that excellence can be achieved every day.
Tom Macy has been with The Conservation Fund since the very beginning. In fact, Tom joined before the Fund was even an official organization, and he has witnessed it grow and evolve over the past 36 years. As he retires at the end of 2021, we look back with wonder and pride on Tom’s amazing four-decade-long conservation career. Thank you, Tom, for everything.
Beyond working tirelessly to conserve large parts of Alaska, Glenn Elison is best known for being resourceful, resilient, and genuinely fun to be around. As Glenn retires from The Conservation Fund at the end of 2021, we pause to reflect and thank him for his remarkable contributions.
Urgent issues like climate change and food access need fast, innovative solutions. From protecting large, intact forests that store carbon and remove CO2 from the atmosphere, to supporting local farmers and food hubs that improve our supply and accessibility—we’ve had an exciting year of change-making. See for yourself some of our top 2021 conservation wins you surely don’t want to miss.
It takes a special place to attract over 15 years of dedicated efforts from conservationists, biologists and the community to make sure it remains protected. Mispillion Harbor on the shores of the Delaware Bay did just that. But what makes this one-mile shoreline so meaningful for people and wildlife?
When a 1,700-acre ranch with towering oak trees, a 30-acre lake and incredible views of the Pacific Ocean went up for sale, The Conservation Fund moved quickly to protect this California property and a family’s ranching legacy before it was lost to development.
While there are many diverse reasons why people support The Conservation Fund, there is one common thread: our donors care deeply about nature. Why people donate can be personal and sometimes complex, but we make the process of how to donate simple by offering several ways to make your tax-deductible charitable gift. No matter why or how you give to The Conservation Fund, we want to thank you for your support. We simply could not do this without you.
Over a year and a half into the COVID-19 pandemic we are still seeing a significant lack of reliable and healthy food in rural communities. We’ve also seen the incredible results that happens when communities are given the necessary resources to implement their own solutions to food insecurity. Rapid relief funding programs have been an essential tool, but there are opportunities to do more. We must continue to invest in grassroots organizations—specifically those led by and serving people of color—for sustainable, long-term food security.
The recent protection of the last remaining farmland in downtown Boulder, Colorado—a unique farm within a city—is the result of the Long family’s steadfast commitment to see their land conserved instead of developed.
Bats play an important role in the ecosystem, environment and economy by devouring insects and pollinating plants while most of us sleep. We’re celebrating Bat Week 2021 with a look at three of our projects that have conserved habitat for these unique flying mammals.
Over the past 18 months, Volkswagen of America partnered with The Conservation Fund to identify and award five nonprofit organizations near their Chattanooga plant in Eastern Tennessee up to $50,000 each to enhance the community and address environmental priorities. Since then, as part of a larger $1.25 million donation, the Volkswagen Community Grant Program has provided environmental learning and leadership opportunities for local youth, protected forestland, supported clean rivers and waterways within the Cherokee National Forest, and given recreational access to outdoor lovers in the region. Here’s how the recipients have used the awards to help support nature in Tennessee:
Join us as we celebrate the unveiling of art projects at three urban parks that add beauty, support minority-owned businesses and enhance lives in these culturally significant conserved places.
Just a few miles north of Tucson, Arizona sits the town of Oro Valley, nestled between the Catalina and Tortolita mountain ranges within the Sonoran Desert. The sunny climate makes Oro Valley a great place to enjoy many outdoor activities, including biking, hiking, tennis and golf. With the help of many dedicated Oro Valley residents, The Conservation Fund is about to acquire and preserve 202 acres of open space to enhance the area’s natural, cultural and recreational resources.
We are so proud of Buck Vaughan, The Conservation Fund’s Director of Forestry, who was recently honored as North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s Forest Conservationist of the Year. Described as “a farmer by birth, a forester by training, and a conservation leader who stitches together a deep love for the land with a practical application of science,” we invite you to learn more about him and this prestigious award.
Northeastern Tennessee boasts beautiful, remote and ecologically important natural landscapes. It’s here we purchased over 14,700 acres of forests, gorges, cliffs, waterfalls and caves in 2017 and have been working with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) to protect it since. Called Skinner Mountain Forest, this area provides critical habitat for animals and plants and upwards of 100 forestry-related jobs. Very few people know this area better than lifelong Tennessee resident and TWRA Biodiversity Coordinator Chris Simpson, who shares more about why protecting this “biological hotspot” is a highpoint in his nearly 30-year career.
When you think about our country’s most important rivers, which come to mind? The Mississippi? Colorado? Rio Grande? Well, how about the Perdido River? This critical ecological resource, while lesser known, has an optimal environment for native species and direct connection to the greater Gulf of Mexico. Dividing Florida and Alabama, the Perdido River’s watershed supports water quality and flood prevention in both states AND has been designated worthy of special protections. This World Rivers Day, we want to recognize the Perdido River watershed and those who have worked strategically for decades to keep it protected.