Young Professionals in New York City to Help Preserve Sensitive Land in the Adirondacks

Benefit to protect one of New York’s Last Great Places

New York, NY—February 6, 2006—The Nature Conservancy’s Young Professionals Group will contribute 100 percent of the proceeds raised in its first benefit event to help protect a highly sensitive property in the Adirondacks. The benefit will take place on February 8 at the famous Hirschl & Adler Galleries in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Organizers hope to raise enough funds from ticket sales, open bar, silent auction and other contributions for the purchase of the 4.2 acre property. More than 150 young professionals are expected to attend the event, which is being sponsored by Blue Mountain Capital Management, Hirschl & Adler Galleries, and Patagonia, among many others.

The Nature Conservancy in the Adirondacks is working to raise funds towards the purchase of the "Weiss" property. This tract is located along John's Brook, a popular hiking area in the High Peaks Wilderness Area in the Adirondack Park. Although small in size, the property is extremely important because the conservation of this relatively small piece of land will connect existing Forest Preserve lands and thus help maintain the unbroken forest cover of New York’s largest remaining wilderness.

The Young Professionals Group brings together a cross-section of the city’s brightest working men and women who share a love of nature, a concern for the environment and a belief that hope and action are indispensable to make a difference. The group is comprised of architects, attorneys, musicians, bankers, painters, ad execs, writers, hedge fund managers, web designers, reporters and many others, all working to ensure that our peers and the next generation of New Yorkers learn and participate in conservation activities at a local, regional and global level.

The Young Professionals Council is a core group of Young Professionals who help to plan events and direct the efforts of the Young Professionals Group. Entry is by invitation only, but is based upon several factors, including attendance at YPC-sponsored events and maintaining membership at $100. Admission to the Council is considered on an ongoing basis.

To find out more about the Young Professionals Council and The Nature Conservancy’s work across New York State, you can log on to nature.org/newyork or contact Evelyn Chen at echen@tnc.org or (212) 997-1880.