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 includes 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.
Below are the list of events scheduled under the South Florida Audubon Society Year 2 TogetherGreen Grant followed by descriptions of Year 1 and Year 2 goals and expected outcomes.
SFAS Year 3 Recipient of a TogetherGreen Volunteer Days Grant
South Florida Audubon Society has received a 2010-2011 TogetherGreen grant to continue its collaborative activities in Broward County. The first 2010-2011 TogetherGreen Volunteer Days event will be in September. SFAS is partnering with Broward County Naturescape and Broward County Schools. Students at West Broward High School in Pembroke Pines will be planting trees on school property to increase the "urban canopy".
The event will be linked to National Public Lands Day which is observed on September 25, 2010. NPLD is the nation's largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy. In 2009, 150,000 volunteers built trails and bridges, removed trash and invasive plants, planted trees and restored our water resources. Join us for the next NPLD.
TogetherGreen Newsletter
Click here for the first issue of the TogetherGreen Newsletter which highlights activities of recipients of TogetherGreen grants nationally. Visit the TogetherGreen website at (www.togethergreen.org) for other updates and progress reports as well as information on how to apply for future grants -- fellowships, innovative projects, or volunteer days.
To view the National Audubon Society's "What You Can Do to Help" conserve habitat/land, water, and energy, click here.
TogetherGreen Fellowships
Forty conservationists in 37 cities and 20 different states will advance their environmental vision and leadrship skills as 2009 TogetherGreen fellows. Doug Young, President of South Florida Audubon Society is among this list. Read a news article about him by clicking here and see his profile with a Click here . Also learn about other individual projects at http://www.togethergreen.org. TogetherGreen 2008-2009 Year 1
SFAS Grant Recipient
The South Florida Audubon Society (SFAS) was one of 40 organizations to receive grants in the first year of the five year venture. The $7,000 award has enabled SFAS with community partners to launch three additional first time events that engage existing grassroots nongovernmental organizations, a minimum of 200 corporate employees and hundreds of children and adults from the community.
The Kids Ecology Corps has organized 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 SFAS 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 Third Annual Friends of the Everglades' Walk/Bike-a-thon in March 2009 at Shark Valley, Everglades National Park, SFAS led a bird walk to educate the public on declining bird populations (due to effects of climate change in the Everglades including water and habitat/land issues).
For many participants the activities and events are first time exposure to green advocacy and education.