TOGETHERGREEN
On March 26, 2008 Toyota and the National Audubon Society launched a joint venture: TogetherGreen. Toyota donated 20 million dollars and employee time to the venture and National Audubon Society committed its national resources and 103 years of environmental experience. During the next five years this joint venture will implement a series of national conservation initiatives to build future leaders in conservation, increase volunteer action, and achieve lasting conservation results.
TogetherGreen will include three program components: - Innovation Grants to fund dozens of on-the-ground projects each year that employ creative approaches and engage diverse communities to help achieve measurable land, water and/or energy conservation results. Grant requirements will broaden project participation and promote innovation by uniting Audubon's national network with environmental and community partners.
- Conservation Fellowships to train and foster up to 200 promising environmental leaders who can serve as role models, expert guides and organizers for engaging new and diverse audiences in effective conservation action.
- Volunteer Days to be offered at Audubon Centers and other locations nationwide, providing hands-on opportunities to address environmental problems and take part in restoration activities.
The Broward County Audubon Society (BCAS) is one of 40 organizations to receive grants in the first year of this five year venture. The $7,000 award will enable BCAS with community partners to launch three additional first time events that engage existing grassroots non-governmental organizations, a minimum of 200 corporate employees and hundreds of children and adults from the community. The Kids Ecology Corps will organize two community eco-action projects between Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 with an educational component for 200-300 corporate employees working in Broward County. The events spearheaded by BCAS may include: planting sea oats or mangroves, removing invasive exotic plants in local parks, clearing nature trails, cleaning beaches, and/or planting native trees and plants. For the 3rd Annual ‘Friends of the Everglades’ Walk/Bike-a-thon in March 2009 at Shark Valley, Everglades National Park, BCAS will lead the bird walk to educate the public on declining bird populations (due to effects of climate change in the Everglades which include water and habitat/land issues). For many of the corporate employees, general public and grassroots volunteers, the activities and events will be first time ‘green advocacy and education’ exposure which will be disseminated and led by BCAS and the partnering organizations. The TogetherGreen website features stories of heroes in the conservation efforts, illustrations of innovative practices, and ideas for engaging diverse communities in fulfilling goals of TogetherGreen. Please visit the site and nominate a hero or deserving project to be featured. Send a link to your local Chapters, your friends in the conservation community and beyond and suggest that they do the same. Check out the website also for details about how to apply for a fellowship, innovative project grant, or volunteer days grant. The website provides application forms and proposal writing instructions and tips. To view a detailed description of the joint venture,click here. To view the National Audubon Society’s What You Can Do to help conserve habitat/land, water, and energy, click here.
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