Critical forest habitats conserved across Canada

First four Canadian conservation projects under TD Forests program announced by Nature Conservancy of Canada

TORONTO, Oct. 3, 2012 /CNW/ - The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) today announced the conservation of more than 1,100 acres (445 hectares) of exceptional forest habitat across Canada. Hardwood, deciduous, montane, and coniferous forests have been conserved thanks in part to generous funding from TD Bank Group (TD) through the TD Forests program.

The year one projects completed by NCC with the help of TD Forests include:

• Two projects totaling 73 acres (30 hectares) with mature Carolinian forest in southern Ontario,
• 764 acres (309 hectares) of unfragmented forest along the Vermont-Quebec border in the Green Mountains of Quebec,
• 262 acres (106 hectares) of a critical, forested wildlife corridor in the Crowsnest Pass area of Alberta's southern Rockies.

The TD Forests program will increase the amount of forested lands protected and cared for by the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Over five years, the program will conserve an average of two football fields a day. TD and NCC are also engaging more Canadians in the mission to conserve our forests, which will safeguard not just the trees, but all the living things that rely on forested habitats.

NCC is working to enlarge areas of protected forest habitat; especially in southern Canada, where forests are most threatened by development. This is where the majority of Canadians live, competing for space with more than 80 percent of our terrestrial and freshwater species at risk.

For more information on each of the projects, please visit: www.natureconservancy.ca/celebrateforests.

TD's five-year contribution is the largest corporate commitment to the Nature Conservancy of Canada in the conservation organization's 50-year history.

QUOTES:

"We are thankful for the generous support of TD Bank Group which is making an incredible commitment to conservation across Canada," remarked John Lounds, President & CEO of the Nature Conservancy of Canada. "Together, TD Bank Group and the Nature Conservancy of Canada are ensuring that Canada's incredible forests will be here for our children and grandchildren to cherish in years to come."

"Ninety percent of Canadians have said forests are important to them, and for good reason," says Karen Clarke-Whistler, TD's Chief Environment Officer. "Forests form the backdrop of our lives. They are where we work, live and play.  Forests play an essential role in cleaning the air and moderating temperatures, and are home to more than one-third of the plant and animal species in North America.  As our world becomes more urbanized it is essential to protect forests and the valuable habitats they represent. That's why we made growing the area of protected forest habitat a key pillar of the TD Forests program."

FACTS:

• The Nature Conservancy of Canada works in many forest ecosystems from coast to coast: from the Fog Forest of Newfoundland and Labrador, to the beautiful deciduous forest of the Carolinian Life Zone in southwestern Ontario; from aspen parkland in the prairie provinces, to lush rainforests on the west coast.
• Canada is home to 10 percent of the world's forests, covering one third of our country.
• Forests represent so much more than just trees. Each forest type supports a rich diversity of plant and animal life that relies on a healthy ecosystem to thrive.
• TD is a long-time supporter of NCC, especially through the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, which has supported many NCC community-based projects across the country.
• TD Bank Group announced The TD Forests Program in 2011. To learn more about this program visit: http://www.td.com/forests.

About NCC and TD Forests: 

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the nation's leading land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962 NCC and its partners have helped to protect more than 2.6 million acres (more than 1 million hectares), coast to coast. To learn more visit: www.natureconservancy.ca.

Launched in 2012, TD Forests is a major conservation initiative built around two pillars - reduce (paper use) and grow (forested areas).  The reduce pillar focuses on providing an increased selection of e-banking options for customers and on reducing paper usage in TD's business operations. The grow component of the initiative brings together TD's environment, community and employee programs related to forests and trees. These include TD Tree Days, TD Green Streets and local community initiatives, along with a major new conservation program conducted through the Nature Conservancy of Canada and The Nature Conservancy in the United States. This program focuses on increasing the area of protected forest habitat in North America.  For more information, visit TD Forests.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS AND MAPS AVAILABLE AT
ftp://ftp.natureconservancy.ca/Guest%20Media/TD%20Forests%20Project%20Materials/
(User name: nccguest / Password: nccguest)
INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.

Video with caption: "Video for Lusicich and Backus Woods addition properties". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20121003_C3597_VIDEO_EN_18774.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20121003_C3597_PHOTO_EN_18774.jpg&clientName=Nature%20Conservancy%20of%20Canada&caption=Video%20for%20Lusicich%20and%20Backus%20Woods%20addition%20properties&title=NATURE%20CONSERVANCY%20OF%20CANADA%20%2D%20Critical%20forest%20habitats%20conserved%20across%20Canada&headline=Critical%20forest%20habitats%20conserved%20across%20Canada

Image with caption: "Lush forest on the Lusicich property in Alberta's Crowsnest Pass (photo by NCC) (CNW Group/Nature Conservancy of Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121003_C3597_PHOTO_EN_18766.jpg

Image with caption: "Mature Carolinian forest at Backus Woods (photo by NCC) (CNW Group/Nature Conservancy of Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121003_C3597_PHOTO_EN_18768.jpg

Image with caption: "The forested wildlife corridor at Mount Burnt, Northern Green Mountains (photo by NCC) (CNW Group/Nature Conservancy of Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121003_C3597_PHOTO_EN_18770.jpg

Image with caption: "John Lounds, president and CEO of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and Karen Clarke-Whistler, Chief Environment Officer for TD Bank Group, unveil a sign at the TD Forests announcement in Backus Woods (photo by Simon Wilson) (CNW Group/Nature Conservancy of Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121003_C3597_PHOTO_EN_18855.jpg

Image with caption: "(L to R) John Lounds, president and CEO of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), Karen Clarke-Whistler, Chief Environment Officer for TD Bank Group, and Paul Smith, former owner of the Backus Woods addition property, enjoy the sights and sounds on a trail of the property conserved by NCC as part of the TD Forests program (photo by Simon Wilson) (CNW Group/Nature Conservancy of Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121003_C3597_PHOTO_EN_18856.jpg

SOURCE: Nature Conservancy of Canada