TNC, BP and State establish 71,000 acre White Lake Preserve

Baton Rouge, LA—July 18, 2002—Governor Mike Foster today announced a plan to protect and preserve one of the largest undeveloped freshwater marshes in the United States. The 71,000-thousand acre property, known as The White Lake Preserve, is located about 100 miles southwest of Baton Rouge, in Vermilion Parish. Not only does this area support globally significant numbers of wintering waterfowl, it also supports some of the last remaining areas of coastal prairie in our state.

White Lake represents one of the largest conservation projects ever undertaken in the history of Louisiana. It is nearly twice the size of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, the river delta outside Mobile, Alabama, that Governor Foster visited in April as part of the initiative on conservation that he is promoting as chairman of the Southern Governor’s Association. Foster said the preservation of White Lake is the kind of public-private partnership that he has championed throughout his career and which is the primary focus of his initiative, called “From Wetlands to Wildlife: The Value of Conservation in the South.”

“The joining of public and private partners is a great way to utilize the resources of all for the protection ecologically-important areas,” Foster said. “I am pleased that I can share with my colleagues in the SGA another significant conservation accomplishment in Louisiana. But I even more gratified that the White Lake property will be shared with the people of Louisiana for generations to come.”

The White Lake preserve, one of the last remaining fresh water marshes on the Gulf Coast, has a value estimated at $40 million. It is being donated to the state by BP America Production Company and will be administered by White Lake Preservation Inc., a 501(c)(3) non profit corporation.

“The true value of this environmental treasure cannot be measured in dollars. It represents a priceless legacy for our children and for future generations,” said Foster.

The 71,130 acres includes 52,085 acres of fresh marshlands and 18,880 acres of agricultural lands. BP has agreed to contribute $1.25 million over a 5-year period to establish a fund for the maintenance and upkeep of the facilities. Ownership of the White Lake property and its buildings and improvements will be transferred to the state. The facility will be operated by the non-profit entity, White Lake Preservation Inc.

The State of Louisiana, BP and The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana jointly established White Lake Preservation, Inc., and focused the non-profit body on three core objectives: (1) preservation of one of the last remaining freshwater marshes on the Gulf Coast, (2) development of a center dedicated to environmental research that can be accessed by researchers and students from colleges and universities across the region, and (3) development of an environmental education program for Louisiana citizens– so that they can learn about biodiversity and environmental preservation. BP is donating $500,000 worth of moveable property to the non-profit corporation, along with $250,000 in cash. Gov. Foster, BP and The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana officials believe that the establishment of a non-profit corporation is the best way to assure that White Lake Preserve is managed in keeping with these objectives.

Jimmy Jenkins, Secretary for the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said, “The donation of this property to the state supports the Department’s efforts to acquire and preserve critical wildlife habitat in Louisiana. This donation will complement properties like the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge and the Marsh Island Wildlife Refuge in southwest Louisiana that were donated to the state in the early 1900s. This donation along with the 63,000 acres of cypress swamp donated to the state in 2001 moves the state closer to accomplishing the goal Gov. Foster set for acquiring state-owned lands for natural resource management in Louisiana: Vision 2020.”

“The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana is proud to help facilitate this project to conserve one of the true, natural treasures of our state and the entire country,” said Keith Ouchley, Executive Director of the Nature Conservancy of Louisiana. “Governor Foster has shown great leadership and vision in helping create this unique public-private partnership that will be a lasting legacy for the state of Louisiana and its people for generations to come.”

BP and the Governor’s Office developed the donation plan and the BP funding agreement with guidance from The Nature Conservancy. The land is the first stopping point for millions of songbirds migrating from Central and South America. Some 500,000 migratory birds feed and roost there during the winter months and hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles and plants already inhabit the property. This property is one of the most important resting areas for mallard ducks in Louisiana.

Gov. Foster said the State of Louisiana is very fortunate to acquire this particular property, and he praised BP’s commitment to assuring its preservation.

“The State of Louisiana has long recognized the ecological value of the White Lake property, and we are very happy to have BP donate this treasure to the state,” said Governor Foster. “BP’s actions speak volumes about their commitment to helping us conserve important natural resources.”

The governance structure for White Lake and the operating philosophy that governs the donation and management of the property were developed by BP and the State of Louisiana with the assistance of The Nature Conservancy to ensure the best long-term management of the site.