Go Zero Growing for the Gold in Louisiana

Gold Level Validation of Philanthropic Forest Carbon Project is Good News for Large-Scale Restoration Efforts at Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge

MOREHOUSE PARISH, La., Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), TerraCarbon, LLC, and The Conservation Fund's Go Zero® program announced today that a 2,600-acre forest carbon project at Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was awarded gold level validation under the Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) Standards. The carbon project at Upper Ouachita NWR is Go Zero's fifth and largest project to receive gold level status under the CCB Standards—no other group in the nation has as many.    

Go Zero works with thousands of individuals and companies to help reduce and then offset the carbon footprint of everyday activities, such as the CO2 emissions resulting from an in-town or cross country move with U-Haul, a flight with World Class Charters, a vacation booked with Travelocity, a package shipped from Gaiam or the electricity it takes to power a Dell notebook for three years. Companies from C&S Wholesale Grocers to The North Face use Go Zero to offset portions of their energy use and staff travel. New Jersey Natural Gas matches all customer donations to help address home energy use. Already the Fund and the USFWS have planted more than one million trees thanks to Go Zero donors.  

"Restoring this 2,600-acre piece of land is an important part of the work we are doing in the Lower Mississippi Valley with The Conservation Fund and other partners," said the Service's Southeast regional director, Cindy Dohner. "Together, we are helping to prevent downstream flooding, providing outdoor recreational opportunities and assisting in the recovery of forest breeding birds, the Louisiana black bear, and other native species."

Conservation efforts at Upper Ouachita NWR are focused around a 16,000-acre field along the Ouachita River known as Mollicy Farms.  Decades ago, the farm fields were densely covered with hardwood forests.  In the 1960s the forests were bulldozed, dried and planted with soy beans. Recently, The Conservation Fund acquired 3,900-acres as an addition to the refuge, and its Go Zero program is restoring 2,600 acres.  

"While those who live upstream may not notice that the water is a little clearer, or that the River doesn't rise as high next year, those of us downstream will take note, and we are grateful for all of the partners and donors who have helped make this project a reality," said Harris Brown, president of the Tensas Basin Levee District in Monroe.

The gold level validation was certified by Scientific Certification Systems.  Planting and carbon monitoring services were provided by TerraCarbon, LLC.

You can help. Make a donation to help the Fund's Go Zero program restore 2,600 acres of forestland in Louisiana's Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge.  Donate now.  

Heroes of Go Zero include: Hundreds of thousands of dedicated individuals, Accenture Supply Chain Academy, Biolage, Boss, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Cadbury Adams USA, Carfax,Inc., Cbox, Conde Nast Publications, CSX Corporation, Dell Computer Corporation, e-Blue Horizons,  Emkay, Ernest Maier, Gaiam, Greif, Indianapolis Colts, International Association of Assembly Managers, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Krypton Products LLC,  Kumon University, Land Rover Portland, Lee County Board of County Commissioners, L'Oreal USA, McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, Michigan International Speedway, Molinaro Koger, Momentum Group, New Jersey Natural Gas, Organic, Inc., Philadelphia Eagles, Premiere TV, Reverb, San Diego State University, SEAT Planners Incorporated, Susquehanna Business Development, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, The North Face, Training Resources Group, Travelocity, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U-Haul International, University of Delaware, Vans, Vulcan, Way Basics, William McDonough & Partners, World Class Charters, Inc.

About The Conservation Fund: At The Conservation Fund, we combine a passion for conservation with an entrepreneurial spirit to protect your favorite places before they become just a memory. A hallmark of our work is our deep, unwavering understanding that for conservation solutions to last, they need to make economic sense. Top-ranked, we have protected nearly 7 million acres across America. www.conservationfund.org

SOURCE The Conservation Fund