NFWF and IP Announce $2.16 Million in Funding to Further Restore and Improve Southern Forestland

Grants Support Restoration of Southern Forests, Protection of Important Habitats, Enhancement of Local Economies in Fourth Year of Landmark Public-Private Partnership

Memphis, TN (September 14, 2016) —The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and International Paper (NYSE: IP) today announced $2.16 million in grants to support forestland restoration and working forests in three priority regions in the Southeast: The Carolina Low Country Forests; Cumberland Plateau of Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee; and the Piney Woods of Texas and Louisiana. Twelve projects have been selected to receive grants through the Forestland Stewards Initiative, a partnership between NFWF and International Paper. These grants will leverage nearly $4.4 million in additional funds and in-kind support from agency and project partners and will ultimately establish more than 5,500 new acres and enhance approximately 36,200 existing acres of longleaf and shortleaf pine and riparian forest habitat.

Established in March 2013, the Forestland Stewards Initiative is a pioneering partnership created to conserve and restore southern forestlands representing some of America’s most iconic landscapes. These forests provide critical habitats for endangered wildlife and economic opportunities for local communities. Through the initiative, International Paper has committed $7.5 million over five years to restore native forests, strengthen important fish and wildlife populations, and protect watersheds — while at the same time promoting and supporting working forests in eight states across the southeastern United States.

"By creating a stakeholder network of diverse organizations, partnerships like the Forestland Stewards Initiative enable International Paper to deliver on our commitment to use natural resources responsibly, thus strengthening the communities where we live and operate," said Tom Cleves, vice president of global citizenship. "Through a combination of co-ops, land trusts and conservation groups, these grants put the necessary resources in place to really make a difference."

"Conservation efforts are most effective when all stakeholders work together on a landscape scale vision and focus their efforts on measurable results," said Jay Jensen, director of NFWF’s Southern Regional Office. "The grants announced today support collaborative projects that are the building blocks of a healthier forest, which will benefit wildlife, provide cleaner air and water, and strengthen the natural infrastructure that protects our communities."

Since 2013, NFWF and International Paper have invested more than $7.6 million in projects through the Forestland Stewards Initiative, and these investments have been used to leverage more than $15.9 million in additional funds from grant partners, for a total investment of more than $23.5 million for forestland conservation. These projects will restore more than 21,800 acres and improve more than 157,000 additional acres of native forest and wildlife habitat. NFWF and International Paper anticipate that through this initiative, more than 200,000 acres of forestlands will be restored and improved, and more than 3,000 private landowners will be engaged through outreach and technical assistance to implement forest stewardship practices.

Learn more about Forestland Stewards here.