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The UPS Foundation Awards The Nature Conservancy $30,000 to Advance Conservation Efforts Throughout Georgia

Funds to support volunteer land steward program that helps to safeguard vital habits around Georgia

Atlanta — May 1, 2007— The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS (NYSE: UPS), recently awarded The Nature Conservancy in Georgia a $30,000 grant to support its Conservation Volunteer Program. The funding will provide training, equipment and other resources to support a growing cadre of volunteer land stewards dedicated to restoring and protecting natural areas throughout Georgia.

 “The UPS Foundation has been a long-time supporter of The Nature Conservancy and, specifically, the Georgia Chapter,” said Tavia McCuean, vice president and state director of The Nature Conservancy in Georgia. “Their continued support of our Georgia program – amounting to more than $175,000 over 16 years – has helped to arm volunteers with the resources and training necessary to become successful stewards of Georgia’s lands and waters.”

From removing invasive species to helping conduct prescribed burns, volunteers contribute much needed manpower to The Nature Conservancy’s on-the-ground conservation efforts. The Conservation Volunteer Program enables Conservancy staff to more effectively focus its time and resources on protecting vital habitats around the state, resulting in much greater conservation success. Through their stewardship work, Conservancy volunteers are not only ensuring a healthy and sustainable future for Georgians, but they are also learning about the environment in which they live and gaining a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

“Giving back to the communities is an important part of UPS’s culture that’s embraced by our employees through volunteerism, making donations and sharing their intellectual capital,” said Lisa Hamilton, the president of The UPS Foundation. “Together with nonprofit partners such as The Nature Conservancy, we work to make a positive impact on the lives of people in need.”

Volunteerism in Action
Specifically, The UPS Foundation grant will support volunteers from the National Civilian Community Corp (NCCC) and College Alternative Spring Break program, who work side-by-side with Nature Conservancy staff at protected sites throughout Georgia. A recent group of NCCC volunteers helped The Nature Conservancy and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources with prescribed fire efforts on more than 3,000 acres of protected land around the state, including Broxton Rocks Preserve, Moody Forest Natural Area, Seminole State Park, and Big Duke’s Pond.

“As a team, working to conduct prescribed fires has really pulled us together,” said NCCC volunteer Caroline Walsh. “The first-hand experiences we are receiving as part of this program will be with us for the rest of our lives.”

Past funding from The UPS Foundation has been critical to The Nature Conservancy’s ability to train volunteers to effectively assist with conducting prescribed fire, an essential land management tool. In October 2006, about 50 volunteers participated in a week-long prescribed fire certification program at General Coffee State Park.

“Everyone is trained in accordance with standard federal requirements to ensure the highest level of safety,” said Matt Snider, manager of The Nature Conservancy’s prescribed fire program in Georgia and Alabama. “The support and effort of our volunteers has enabled The Nature Conservancy to accomplish more with our prescribed fire efforts than ever before. And with continued support from The UPS Foundation, we will be able to maintain our volunteer training program, resulting in the restoration and protection of even more critical habitats in Georgia.” 

Volunteer Opportunities
The UPS Foundation grant will also support weekend work parties at The Nature Conservancy’s Georgia preserves. Participants can choose from an array of opportunities, including monitoring gopher tortoises at Williams Bluffs and Charles Harrold preserves, removing invasive species at Reed Branch Wet Meadow Preserve, or helping to maintain hiking trails at Moody Forest Natural Area.

All who are interested in learning about Georgia’s environment while supporting on-going efforts to safeguard native lands and wildlife for future generations are invited to participate. For more information about the work parties and other volunteer opportunities, please call (404) 873-6946 or visit nature.org/georgia.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

About The UPS Foundation
Established in 1951 and based in Atlanta, The UPS Foundation identifies specific areas where its support clearly impacts social issues. In support of this strategic approach, The UPS Foundation has identified literacy, hunger, and volunteerism as its focus areas.  In 2006, The UPS Foundation distributed $45.9 million worldwide through grants that benefit organizations or programs such as The Nature Conservancy and provide support for building stronger communities.