First-of-its-kind Website Connects Architects & Designers with Nonprofits in Need: Corresponding Publication Advocates Pro Bono Design

Public Architecture, the San Francisco-based nonprofit that advocates pro bono design, has launched Version 2.0 of its nationally-recognized program, "The 1%" (www.theonepercent.org). The two new apparatus of the affairs cover a "match-making" website and a book advertisement advocating pro bono design.

San Francisco, CA -- Public Architecture, the San Francisco-based nonprofit that advocates pro bono design, has launched Version 2.0 of its nationally-recognized program, "The 1%" (www.theonepercent.org). The centerpiece of the affairs is a first-of-its-kind "match-making" website that connects nonprofit organizations in charge of architecture abetment with architectonics and architecture firms accommodating to accord of their time on a pro bono basis.

"This next appearance of The 1% builds on the drive we've garnered in the program's aboriginal two years, and begins to abode the added and appropriately important ancillary of any pro bono relationship: the client," says John Cary, Executive Director of Public Architecture (www.publicarchitecture.org), which coordinates The 1% program. "Public Architecture--like abounding firms, schools, and AIA chapters--fields dozens if not hundreds of inquiries anniversary year from humans and groups gluttonous pro bono architecture assistance. Until now, there hasn't been a area of any affectionate to catalog, abundant beneath abode those needs."

This next appearance of The 1% builds on the drive we've garnered in the program's aboriginal two years, and begins to abode the added and appropriately important ancillary of any pro bono relationship: the client Public Architecture--like abounding firms, schools, and AIA chapters--fields dozens if not hundreds of inquiries anniversary year from humans and groups gluttonous pro bono architecture assistance. Until now, there hasn't been a area of any affectionate to catalog, abundant beneath abode those needs. The all-inclusive majority of the nonprofits we plan with are saddled with accessories and appointment spaces that don't reflect the accent of their mission We're talking about groups and the humans they serve who would not contrarily accept acceptance to able design. The 1% affairs has the befalling to antidote this situation. This is an awfully affective and able publication It is absolutely the affectionate of ability that can affect added pro bono architecture collaborations above the country. This next bearing of The 1% affairs website enables both nonprofits and firms to annals and analyze the kinds of casework they either charge or are accommodating to action on a pro bono basis. The seven casework currently answer on the website ambit from the assembly of basic attack abstracts to complete ability renovations.

"The all-inclusive majority of the nonprofits we plan with are saddled with accessories and appointment spaces that don't reflect the accent of their mission," says Aaron Hurst, architect and admiral of the Taproot Foundation. "We're talking about groups and the humans they serve who would not contrarily accept acceptance to able design. The 1% affairs has the befalling to antidote this situation."

In an accomplishment to acquaint the abstraction and attempt of pro bono architecture to both nonprofits as able-bodied as architectonics and architecture firms, Public Architecture is accompanying absolution a book advertisement to accord with the new website. Made accessible by a above admission from the "Ideas that Matter" affairs of Sappi Limited, the advertisement includes brief, project-specific interviews with acclaimed architectonics and nonprofit leaders, which detail how cooperation amid architects and nonprofits can actualize both alarming spaces as able-bodied as alarming stories. The book aswell includes a absolute 'how-to' section, anecdotic allowances and strategies for firms and nonprofits alike.

"This is an awfully affective and able publication," addendum RK Stewart, 2007 President of the American Institute of Architects. "It is absolutely the affectionate of ability that can affect added pro bono architecture collaborations above the country."

Launched in 2005, The 1% affairs was fabricated accessible by a admission from the National Endowment for the Arts. Version 2.0 of "The 1%" affairs website was fabricated accessible acknowledgment to the connected abutment of NEA as able-bodied as a contempo admission from The American Institute of Architects and the advancing abutment of several arch architectonics firms and foundations. To date, over 200 firms of all sizes accept active on, alignment from sole practitioners to some of the better firms in the country, including HKS and Perkins + Will.

Note to editors:

The afterward Public Architecture assembly are accessible for interviews:

John Cary, Executive Director of Public Architecture and Director of The 1% program

John Peterson, Founder & Chair of Public Architecture

Aaron Hurst, Founder & President of the Taproot Foundation

Contact Barbara Franzoia at barbara@publicarchitecture.org or by buzz at 415/291-0243.

Public Architecture
www.publicarchitecture.org

Established in 2002 by artisan John Peterson, Public Architecture is a civic nonprofit alignment based in San Francisco. Public Architecture acts as a agitator for accessible address through education, advocacy, and the architecture of accessible spaces and amenities.

The 1% Program of Public Architecture
www.theonepercent.org

"The 1%" is a civic affairs launched by Public Architecture in 2005 that challenges architectonics and architecture firms to agreement 1% of their billable hours to pro bono work. Over 200 firms accept active on to date. If every architectonics able in the U.S. committed just 20 hours annually, it would add up to 5,000,000 hours anniversary year--the agnate of 2,500-person close alive fulltime for the accessible good. The 1% affairs was launched by Public Architecture in 2005 with the abutment of a admission from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and is anon accurate by a ambit of groups, including the NEA, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Boston Society of Architects (BSA), accumulated and clandestine foundations, as able-bodied as arch firms such as Elness Swenson Graham Architects (ESG), Hammel, Green & Abrahamson (HGA), Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum (HOK), HKS, McCall Design Group, Peckham & Wright Architects (PWA), and Perkins + Will.

White House Hosts Oklahoma Centennial Delegation

The White House hosted an official Oklahoma Centennial appointment which included aldermanic assembly and admiral from the Oklahoma Centennial Commission. A announcement active by President Bush was apprehend at the event.

Washington, D.C. -- Today, an Oklahoma Delegation was hosted by The White House in anniversary of Oklahoma's Centennial. A announcement active by President George W. Bush in account of Oklahoma's Centennial was presented on his behalf.

Oklahoma Centennial White House Celebration

Oklahoma is the State of Excellence for the 21st Century. Our accompaniment is traveling to abide to accomplish a all-around appulse throughout the years ahead. It is abundant to be a allotment of this accident and to be an Oklahoman! Blake Wade, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Centennial Commission, served as adept of ceremonies and Mark A. Stansberry served as accident chairman.

Congressman Tom Cole, Frank Lucas, and Congresswoman Mary Fallin fabricated remarks. Staff associates were present from all of Oklahoma's Congressional Delegation.

"Oklahoma is the State of Excellence for the 21st Century. Our accompaniment is traveling to abide to accomplish a all-around appulse throughout the years ahead. It is abundant to be a allotment of this accident and to be an Oklahoman!" declared Stansberry, accident chair.

The Proclamation from the President reads as follows:

"I forward greetings to those adulatory the Centennial of Oklahoma's Statehood.

The State of Oklahoma took appearance as abounding in our Nation looked to the borderland of the American West for new opportunities. These adventuresome antecedents helped ascertain the spirit of Oklahoma and the abundant appearance of our country: athletic and honest, and as hopeful as the breach of day. People of all backgrounds accept been appreciative to alarm Oklahoma their home, and they accept contributed to its affluent heritage. The harder work, innovation, and backbone of these accomplished Americans has helped to ensure that their State continues to be a abode of befalling and progress.

For generations, Oklahomans accept approved the actual best of our Nation and accept helped body a brighter approaching for all Americans. This anniversary is a appropriate time to bless the history of Oklahoma and the arresting achievements of its citizens. November 16, 1907, is a appreciative moment for the humans of Oklahoma and for our Nation.

Laura and I forward our best wishes on this celebrated occasion. May God absolve the humans of the abundant State of Oklahoma, may God absolve America."

The ceremony, abounding by about 100, bankrupt with the singing of "Oklahoma!" and the acid of a block which apprehend "Happy Birthday Oklahoma!"

Mayor Bloomberg and Jerry I. Speyer Announce First-Ever “Green” Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

New solar activity panels in Rockefeller Roof will advice ability energy-saving LED Lights on iconic timberline visited by 500,000 New Yorkers and tourists every day. Comprehensive greening of Rockefeller Center aswell includes blooming roof for Radio City and Ice Chiller Plant.

New York, NY -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Tishman Speyer Chairman and CEO Jerry I. Speyer and Tishman Speyer Managing Director Tom Madden today appear a amount of activity attention initiatives for Rockefeller Center, including the first-ever “green” Christmas timberline and a new solar activity roof.

The solar activity roof, which will be the better abreast endemic solar activity bearing base in Manhattan, will conserve activity during aiguille acceptance times year-round and advice ability the acclaimed Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree’s new energy-efficient LED lights. The Mayor and Tishman Speyer aswell appear the accession of a new blooming roof aloft Radio City Music Hall that will abbreviate wastewater and air-conditioned the area, and an ice alarming bulb to air-conditioned the absolute circuitous and abate activity consumption. Both will be completed in 2008.

The timberline at Rockefeller Center is one of New York City’s a lot of admired and iconic landmarks, and with the ecology accomplish that Tishman Speyer has implemented this year, the 500,000 New Yorkers and tourists that appointment the timberline anniversary day can dream of a ‘green’ Christmas When we developed PlaNYC, we hoped that accessible administration would affect private-sector adroitness and investment in a greener, greater New York, and I ambition to acclaim Jerry and Rob Speyer for dispatch up and affair that challenge. The blooming initiatives we are putting in abode accomplish Rockefeller Center a baton for ecology innovation “The timberline at Rockefeller Center is one of New York City’s a lot of admired and iconic landmarks, and with the ecology accomplish that Tishman Speyer has implemented this year, the 500,000 New Yorkers and tourists that appointment the timberline anniversary day can dream of a ‘green’ Christmas,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “When we developed PlaNYC, we hoped that accessible administration would affect private-sector adroitness and investment in a greener, greater New York, and I ambition to acclaim Jerry and Rob Speyer for dispatch up and affair that challenge.”

“The blooming initiatives we are putting in abode accomplish Rockefeller Center a baton for ecology innovation,” said Jerry I. Speyer. “We accept actuality the better clandestine solar roof in Manhattan, which will advice conserve energy, annihilate carbon dioxide, and ability the 30,000 LED lights on our iconic Christmas tree. These ecology investments reflect our faculty of albatross as protectors of our bounded landscape, as accumulated citizens of our abundant city, and as ally in a all-around community. Mayor Bloomberg has fabricated ecology albatross a cornerstone of his administering and we are appreciative to accept him with us today.”

Tishman Speyer has installed 363 General Electric solar panels on the roof of 45 Rockefeller Plaza to advice abate the building’s electricity consumption. The panels, advised by the aggregation AltPower, will actualize a 70 kilowatt DC bearing base that is angry to the Rockefeller Center grid. The solar-powered activity will advice abate aiguille electrical demand, abnormally during sun-intensive summer months if electricity use increases, which will in about-face allay burden on New York City’s electrical grid. The solar roof will accumulate 67,392 lbs of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere anniversary year and added than 2,000,000 lbs over its 30-year lifespan.

The lights on this year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will represent the latest in energy-efficient LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology. The tree’s 30,000 LEDs, on 5 afar of wire, will draw a atom of the ability that is commonly appropriate by the tree, abbreviation activity burning from 3,510 kilowatt hours to 1,297 kilowatt hours per day, extenuative as abundant activity as a individual ancestors would use in a ages in a 2,000 aboveboard bottom home. The new solar activity roof will accomplish added electricity in its aboriginal year than the timberline lights will absorb over the 42 canicule they will be illuminated.

For the aboriginal time this year, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was cut with a handheld saw this year to abate activity use. Tishman Speyer is replanting/re-greening the acreage area the timberline came from and recycling all adapted abstracts acclimated during the acid event. Upon achievement of the anniversary season, the timberline will be formed and advised and fabricated into barge to be acclimated by Habitat for Humanity.

The Mayor and Tishman Speyer aswell appear the accession of a “green roof” aloft Radio City Music Hall and an ice alarming bulb to advice air-conditioned the absolute circuitous and abate activity consumption. The 18,000 aboveboard bottom roof will be adapted application arid plantings that crave little baptize in summer and go abeyant in winter. The roof will, in one year, save about 566,000 gallons of baptize from the accumulated wastewater/stormwater arrangement in New York City, abbreviation the overflow of wastewater into our rivers on backing days. The blooming roof will aswell accept a cooling aftereffect in midtown Manhattan -– again, allowance to abate all-embracing activity appeal in the hot summer months.

Also, the active plants on the roof will blemish carbon dioxide as allotment of photosynthesis, so oxygen is emitted and greenhouse gases are reduced. In addition, the roof can accommodate a abode for assertive brief species.

A new ice authoritative and accumulator bulb consisting of 47 baptize tanks, anniversary 11 anxiety tall, is accepting installed at Rockefeller Center, alpha this month, to advice air-conditioned the circuitous and abate activity consumption. Under this system, ice will be created brief if activity appeal in the city-limits is lower. During business hours, baptize acclimated in air conditioning for the appointment spaces will be redirected through the ice and cooled to accommodate abundance cooling for the tenants.

This is an abnormally able arrangement that will abate activity use at Rockefeller Center, thereby abbreviation appeal on the City’s all-embracing electricity filigree during hot weather. In addition, Tishman Speyer will ability the ice accumulator algidity bulb with activity purchased through wind generated facilities. The ice-chiller plant’s activity attention represents the agnate of demography over 300 cars off American’s anchorage anniversary year or burying 450 acreage of trees.

Contact:
Rubenstein Communications, Inc.
Iva Benson       
(212) 843-8271
cell: (917) 497-3907
ibenson @ Rubenstein.com

Anna Dinces      
(212) 843-9253
cell: (917) 573-5562
adinces @ Rubenstein.com

Texas Military Family Foundation Announces Three Recent Grants

Organization acquiescently recognizes three contempo grants from AT&T, The Triad Funds and The Art for Soldiers Foundation. The money will advice the Foundation accommodated their mission of accouterment aid and abundance to men and women deployed and confined their country. We acknowledge these organizations for administration their resources, so we can serve our adventurous angry men and women As continued as our adolescent men and women are alleged aloft to rid our apple of the terrorists that abuse us and so abounding others, it is our assignment as Americans to angle up, and abide up to accepting the greatest nation in the world

-- Texas Military Families Foundation (www.tmff.us) is captivated to accede three contempo grants from a assorted cantankerous area of companies. The alignment provides programs and casework to men and women in the military, confined the US with adventuresomeness and honor.

The Dallas Foundation from the Triad Funds gave $25,000 appropriate to accommodated soldier's needs in the State of Texas. The Dallas Foundation is Texas' oldest association foundation and acts as a agitator for alms in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Texas Resources for Iraq Afghanistan Deployment (TRIAD) exists to abutment accepted and above aggressive cadre confined in both theatre and their families.

AT&T aloft $4,500 and donated a customized 12' bivouac to TMFF. The money was aloft as allotment of the additional anniversary AT&T Pioneer Texas Bike Run in September. The bivouac will advice TMFF biking about the accompaniment and adapt accumulation drives.

The Art for Soldiers Foundation gave money which will advice TMFF acquirement a large, collapsed awning TV for their media room. The TV is acclimated by soldiers who ambition to angle up their video bold systems.

"We acknowledge these organizations for administration their resources, so we can serve our adventurous angry men and women," said Julie Curtis-Win, controlling administrator of TMFF.

About Texas Military Families Foundation
Housed on-site at Fort Hood, TMFF's authorization is to accommodate a abating abode and advantageous casework to aggressive personnel, bravely confined Uncle Sam. Their 24 hr. ability provides soldiers with use of computers, printers, big awning TV's and a kitchen. They aswell accommodate a bite and alcohol at the soldier address processing sites, area soldiers absorb continued hours briefing, authoritative wills, and accepting medical and dental approval to go advanced and action the Global War on Terrorism.

"As continued as our adolescent men and women are alleged aloft to rid our apple of the terrorists that abuse us and so abounding others, it is our assignment as Americans to angle up, and abide up to accepting the greatest nation in the world," Curtis-Win said,

TMFF relies alone on donations from companies and organizations who ambition to advice the foundation abide their mission of confined the men and women who serve the United States. From all colors on the political spectrum, humans can appear calm and angle with the atonement adolescent men and women who, alone with abundant claimed sacrifice, abide the acrid realities that appear with aggressive service, yet serve with backbone and distinction. www.tmff.us

Currently, TMFF is analytic for allotment or in-kind donations for 1,000 turkeys to accommodate anniversary commons to troops and their families. Some may not accept the befalling to bless the holidays after TMFF's generosity.

The Nature Conservancy Pledges $5 Million to Tackle Emissions from Deforestation

World Bank-led Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) will Demonstrate New Incentives for Reducing Deforestation and Forest Degradation

Bali, Indonesia (Vocus/PRWEB ) December 11, 2007 -- The Nature Conservancy has apprenticed $5 actor appear the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), an avant-garde new action launched today by the World Bank to abode the better disregarded contributor to altitude change -- the abolition of forests.

Logo

We’ll never break the altitude claiming unless we abode the accident of close forests, which puts out as abundant carbon dioxide as all the planes, trains and cars worldwide Now, through this partnership, we will appearance how banking incentives for attention and sustainably managing forests can be a win-win-win -- acceptable for the climate, acceptable for biodiversity and acceptable for bounded communities. We anticipate this broad-based affiliation will activate abutment for developing countries as they plan to action deforestation and altitude change This action is a applied pilot to aggrandize the accoutrement for Climate Change negotiations The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility signals that the apple cares about the all-around amount of forests and is accessible to pay for it. This can change the bread-and-butter options for abounding humans who depend on the forests for their livelihoods. There is now a amount to conserving, not just agriculture the forest. The advertisement was fabricated at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia.

"We’ll never break the altitude claiming unless we abode the accident of close forests, which puts out as abundant carbon dioxide as all the planes, trains and cars worldwide,” said Stephanie Meeks, acting CEO and President of The Nature Conservancy, at today’s account conference. “Now, through this partnership, we will appearance how banking incentives for attention and sustainably managing forests can be a win-win-win -- acceptable for the climate, acceptable for biodiversity and acceptable for bounded communities.”

“We anticipate this broad-based affiliation will activate abutment for developing countries as they plan to action deforestation and altitude change,” connected Meeks.

The Nature Conservancy is the alone non-governmental alignment to advance in this effort. By participating, the Conservancy can accord credible, candid and environmentally-sound approaches for including aegis and acceptable administration of close forests as allotment of the global band-aid to altitude change.

ABOUT THE FCPF:
The FCPF will be the aboriginal all-embracing all-embracing accomplishment to appearance – through accurate demonstrations and pilot programs – a astute aisle for abbreviation emissions from deforestation and the abasement of backwoods ecosystems (REDD). With REDD acceptable a axial allotment of the negotiations underway in Bali and the next all-around altitude deal, the FCPF provides an befalling to innovate, agreement and apprentice applied solutions while those negotiations are underway.

“This action is a applied pilot to aggrandize the accoutrement for Climate Change negotiations,” said World Bank President Zoellick. “The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility signals that the apple cares about the all-around amount of forests and is accessible to pay for it. This can change the bread-and-butter options for abounding humans who depend on the forests for their livelihoods. There is now a amount to conserving, not just agriculture the forest.”

The FCPF will plan in two capital ways. First, through the $100 actor Readiness Fund, developing countries in the tropics can accept abstruse and banking abetment to admeasurement the carbon currently stored in forests, appraise the drivers that advance to backwoods accident and actualize civic strategies that bigger abate deforestation, a allotment of added activities. In addition, the FCPF will advance accurate methodologies and standards to admeasurement and verify reductions in emissions consistent from efforts to absolute deforestation. The affairs will advance the assurance of all backwoods stakeholders -- from aboriginal groups to industry -- in the development and accomplishing of these strategies.

Second, through the $200 actor Carbon Fund, the FCPF will agreement with banking mechanisms that advance to measurable, absolute reductions in deforestation emissions. For example, a country accommodating in this pilot affairs may accept banking incentives for affair specific achievement targets, such as abbreviation their civic amount of backwoods accident and degradation. These pilot approaches will accommodate acquaint about how to calmly and deservedly deliver these revenues.

The Conservancy will accompany added investors in the Facility, including the governments of Germany, Japan, Australia, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark and Finland, a allotment of others. The Partnership is accepted to allure added clandestine investors in the advancing year.

THE ROLE OF THE NATURE CONSERVANCY:
The Conservancy will play a key role in the success of the FCPF, accouterment technical, accurate and structural ability acquired through decades of on-the-ground acquaintance alive with bounded peoples, communities and governments about the world. For over 10 years, Conservancy scientists accept been developing strategies in places such as Bolivia, Brazil and Indonesia for community-based backwoods management, backwoods acceptance and carbon accounting.

WHY FORESTS MATTER:
Deforestation and backwoods abasement anniversary for 20 percent of carbon emissions globally, authoritative it the additional better contributor to altitude change. Many internationally-respected experts accept the alone astute way to stop deforestation is to actualize banking incentives for developing countries to assure and sustainably administer their forests.

THE OUTCOME:
Leaders achievement that through these efforts, the FCPF will accommodate real-world, applied acquaintance that will acquaint the all-embracing altitude negotiations about Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD). These negotiations could advance to new avant-garde banking mechanisms with the abeyant to approach billions of dollars annually to backwoods attention and management, accidental to emissions reductions, bulb and wildlife attention and bounded livelihoods.

For added than a decade, The Nature Conservancy has been a baton in the across of backwoods carbon, putting into convenance -- in six countries, on over 1.5 actor acreage -- strategies for abbreviation emissions from deforestation, including one of the a lot of rigorous, all-embracing backwoods carbon projects anytime done, the Noel Kempff Mercado Climate Action Project in Bolivia.

For added advice on the Conservancy’s altitude change efforts, appointment http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/.

The Nature Conservancy is a arch attention alignment alive about the apple to assure ecologically important acreage and amnion for attributes and people. To date, the Conservancy and its added than one actor associates accept been amenable for the aegis of added than 15 actor acreage in the United States and accept helped bottle added than 102 actor acreage in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

Contact:
In Bali:
Steve Ertel, 081 338 965184, sertel@tnc.org
Bridget Lowell, 081 338 965183, blowell@tnc.org

In US:
Cristina Mestre, +1 (703) 841-8779, cmestre@tnc.org

Lieberman-Warner Bill: The Nature Conservancy Statement on Cap-and-Trade

The afterward account was issued today by The Nature Conservancy.

Arlington, VA (Vocus/PRWEB ) December 6, 2007 -- The afterward account was issued today by The Nature Conservancy:

Logo

It is a watershed moment – the aboriginal time a absolute altitude cap-and-trade bill has been beatific to the Senate attic with the endorsement of a committee. The legislation would represent the a lot of cogent investment in American attention in our generation.

With bills afore the United States Senate and House that abode carbon emissions reductions through ammunition abridgement standards, carbon markets, and nature-based strategies, and apple delegations in Bali watching the United States carefully as they accommodate post-Kyoto opportunities, the American political altitude is changing.

The Lieberman-Warner bill, appear out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee endure night, is a battleground accident – a abiding adumbration that allusive and absolute altitude change legislation that is acceptable for the ambiance and acceptable for American business is possible.

Lieberman-Warner offers a able starting point for action on abbreviation U.S. carbon emissions. The bill’s absolute access recognizes the accent of acclamation all above sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and the role that backwoods attention and apology can play in active altitude change. The bill aswell acutely recognizes the affecting appulse altitude change will accept on plants, wildlife and accustomed areas and the continued appellation accent of conserving, attention and managing accustomed systems, such as bank wetlands, that can absorber and abate the accoutrement of altitude change.

With a mission to bottle and assure the acreage and amnion that plants, animals and humans charge to survive, The Nature Conservancy is abnormally heartened by the able charge to attention and wildlife and abode aegis reflected in the bill, in accurate its charge to armamentarium the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the arch antecedent of acreage accretion allotment for civic parks, civic forests, civic wildlife refuges and added accessible lands.

The cap-and-trade access alleged for in Lieberman-Warner provides the greatest affirmation that emissions will be bargain and is acceptable to be the a lot of cost-effective way to abode altitude change. Its admittance of backwoods carbon is addition important way to accumulate the costs down and accredit emissions targets to be met. Assuring carbon bazaar acceptance for all-embracing activities to abate deforestation will be important and we attending advanced to alive with the Senate to accomplish this objective.

For added advice on the Conservancy’s altitude change efforts, appointment http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/.

The Nature Conservancy is a arch attention alignment alive about the apple to assure ecologically important acreage and amnion for attributes and people. To date, the Conservancy and its added than one actor associates accept been amenable for the aegis of added than 15 actor acreage in the United States and accept helped bottle added than 102 actor acreage in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

Contact
Cristina Mestre
703.841.8779
cmestre(at)tnc.org   

The Nature Conservancy in Kansas Provides Release Site for First Black-Footed Ferrets in the State in 50 Years

Last absolute analysis of black-footed ascertain in Kansas was in December, 1957.

Logan Country, KS (Vocus/PRWEB ) December 20, 2007 -- On Tuesday, at The Nature Conservancy's 17,000-acre Smoky Valley Ranch bottle in Logan County, Kansas, 10 endangered atramentous footed-ferrets were appear into the agrarian by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). This reintroduction marks the aboriginal time that abide ferrets, already believed extinct, accept been accurate on Kansas clay in 50 years.

Black-Footed Ferret

The black-footed ascertain is the rarest mammal in North America, and the alone ascertain breed built-in to this country But today's celebrated accident represents cogent attention progress, and shows that we are one footfall afterpiece to removing these absurd animals from the federal Endangered Species list. Today's reintroduction of these ferrets to the agrarian is important, not just for the species' recovery, but aswell for the humans of Logan County and beyond The humans of Kansas haven't apparent these arresting animals in 50 years, and black-footed ferrets accept the abeyant to accompany new visitors to the arena and advice advance the chat about abode conservation. Anytime we can move afterpiece to removing an abominable from the Endangered Species list, the accomplished nation benefits. Efforts to change the species' cachet from endangered to threatened absorb establishing 10 free-ranging populations of ferrets, advance over ample areas in the Western U.S. "The black-footed ascertain is the rarest mammal in North America, and the alone ascertain breed built-in to this country," said Alan Pollom, accompaniment administrator for The Nature Conservancy in Kansas. "But today's celebrated accident represents cogent attention progress, and shows that we are one footfall afterpiece to removing these absurd animals from the federal Endangered Species list."

The nocturnal black-footed ferret, which weighs no added than three pounds and measures beneath than two feet, has been at the border of afterlife in contempo decades due to disease, accident of built-in grasslands from acreage about-face and development, and a abrupt abatement in the amount of prairie dogs, their capital aliment source. According to the U.S. FWS, populations of black-footed accept decreased by about 95 to 98 percent over the endure century.

Kansas has a affluent accustomed ancestry -- 28 of the 82 black-footed ascertain specimens housed in the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History originated from the accompaniment -- but it's estimated that 80 percent of the state's shortgrass prairie has been adapted to crop production, affecting not alone ferrets but aswell breed such as the Ferruginous Hawk, abrupt fox, and burrowing owls, which all depend on prairie dogs for above apparatus of their aliment and abode needs. In 1999, the Conservancy acquired Smoky Valley Ranch in adjustment to conserve a affecting archetype of Kansas' ecological, geological, archaeological, historical, and cultural history. Since then, the Conservancy has been alive with bounded ally and government agencies to assure the area's different accustomed systems.

Prairie dogs, the ferret's antecedent of food, are blackballed by abounding ranchers because of apropos that prairie dogs may attempt for livestock forage. As a result, prairie dogs accept for years been the targets of all-encompassing abolishment campaigns. At the aforementioned time, prairie dogs are advised by scientists to be antecedent breed in short- and mixed-grass landscapes. This alteration in perspectives has created abiding tensions amid some ranchers who are anxious over bread-and-butter losses and those who are alive to balance important breed like the black-footed ferret.

The Nature Conservancy in Kansas and in the Great Plains states is alive to conserve both prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets as allotment of absolutely activity ecosystems. In allocation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, bounded landowners and added partners, The Conservancy is alive to authorize shortgrass prairie landscapes that will accommodate abode for the ascertain while attention the interests of landowners and association leaders, and is alive at sites all over the country to balance populations of prairie dogs, black-footed ferrets, and added key species.

"Today's reintroduction of these ferrets to the agrarian is important, not just for the species' recovery, but aswell for the humans of Logan County and beyond," added Pollom. "The humans of Kansas haven't apparent these arresting animals in 50 years, and black-footed ferrets accept the abeyant to accompany new visitors to the arena and advice advance the chat about abode conservation. Anytime we can move afterpiece to removing an abominable from the Endangered Species list, the accomplished nation benefits."

The black-footed ferrets appear on Tuesday were produced in a federal bound appearance program, and anniversary ascertain will be tagged with an cyberbanking analysis device. While a top bloodshed amount for anew appear ferrets in the agrarian is common, approaching infusions of both bound reared and agrarian captured ferrets are advancing for the website and goals for ascertain accretion are aggressive.

"Efforts to change the species' cachet from endangered to threatened absorb establishing 10 free-ranging populations of ferrets, advance over ample areas in the Western U.S.," said Dan Mulhern of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Our ambition is to accept 1,500 ancestry developed ferrets accustomed in the agrarian by 2010."

Shortly afterwards Tuesday's absolution on the Conservancy's preserve, the FWS connected its accretion efforts by absolution an added 14 ferrets in allocation with added adjacent landowners.

If you would like images or b-roll of Tuesday's release, amuse acquaintance Cristina Mestre at 703.841.8779.

The Nature Conservancy's Kansas Chapter was accustomed in 1989, and has added than 7,000 members. The Kansas Chapter has helped assure added than 75,000 acreage and actively manages 5 preserves absolute over 38,886 acreage above the state. Learn added at www.nature.org/kansas.

The Nature Conservancy is a arch attention alignment alive about the apple to assure ecologically important acreage and amnion for attributes and people. To date, the Conservancy and its added than one actor associates accept been amenable for the aegis of added than 15 actor acreage in the United States and accept helped bottle added than 102 actor acreage in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

The Nature Conservancy Offers One-of-a-Kind Holiday Gift Options

No Hidden Shipping Charges: Just Green Gifts to Help Save Our Natural World

Arlington, VA (Vocus/PRWEB ) December 12, 2007 -- This anniversary season, The Nature Conservancy’s online anniversary allowance abundance makes green-giving easier than ever. The 2007 Green Gift Guide ensures that your ability of attributes -- ability that will accumulate giving for years to appear -- are just a mouse-click away.

Logo

This year, we’ve fabricated additions to our online Green Gift Guide, which cover ability for him, her and the kids, all at amount levels that will fit anyone’s budget These different anniversary ability will advice to assure and bottle attributes for approaching generations. Your accompany and admired ones will acknowledge these blooming ability all year long. “This year, we’ve fabricated additions to our online Green Gift Guide, which cover ability for him, her and the kids, all at amount levels that will fit anyone’s budget,” said Sue Citro, Senior Digital Membership Manager at The Nature Conservancy.

“These different anniversary ability will advice to assure and bottle attributes for approaching generations. Your accompany and admired ones will acknowledge these blooming ability all year long.”

The Nature Conservancy’s blooming allowance offerings cover opportunities to accept an acre of rainforest and protect apricot reefs about the apple -- even a adventitious sponsor an campaign of discovery to a arena never afore explored by humans. Along with the achievement of accidental to the attention of Earth’s a lot of adored places, allowance recipients will accept a certificate, a bright fact-filled brochure, a one-year cable to Nature Conservancy magazine, and a alone e-card.

As an added bonus, there’s no burden to adjustment by the absolute date for centralized delivery. Last-minute shoppers accept the advantage of sending a photo e-card that will advertise your allowance on any day you choose.

For added advice or to abode an order, amuse appointment nature.org/greengifts.

The Nature Conservancy is a arch attention alignment alive about the apple to assure ecologically important acreage and amnion for attributes and people. To date, the Conservancy and its added than one actor associates accept been amenable for the aegis of added than 15 actor acreage in the United States and accept helped bottle added than 102 actor acreage in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at nature.org.

Contact
Nicole Levins
(703) 841-5839

New 'EZ WaterSaver Kit' Saves 50% on Your Water Bill

EZWaterSaverKit.com announces an bargain baptize attention kit that cuts baptize acceptance and account bills by 50%. The EPA letters that the boilerplate ancestors uses 400 gallons of baptize a day, mostly from three sources -- showers, toilet flushing, and faucets. The EZ WaterSaver Kit replaces three simple locations in the bath that install calmly in account and accomplish so able-bodied you can't acquaint the difference. "Water, not oil, is our a lot of adored resource, and we're active out of it. The EPA predicts that 36 states will face baptize shortages aural 5 years. Our ambition is to accomplish it simple for humans to cut their baptize burning in bisected and save hundreds of dollars a year after sacrificing comfort," says Wayne Josephson, president. Water, not oil, is our a lot of adored resource, and we're active out of it. The EPA predicts that 36 states will face baptize shortages aural 5 years. Our ambition is to accomplish it simple for humans to cut their baptize burning in bisected and save hundreds of dollars a year after sacrificing comfort Water, not oil, is our a lot of adored resource. Only 1% of the earth's baptize is accessible and we're active out of it. The EPA predicts that 36 states will face baptize shortages aural 5 years. Our ambition is to accomplish it simple for humans to cut their baptize burning in bisected and save hundreds of dollars a year after sacrificing comfort We activated array of water-saving articles for the home and begin the accomplished quality, best performing, a lot of economical articles available. Three simple backup locations in the bath -- the Earth Massage showerhead, WaterSaver toilet flapper, and WaterSaver faucet aerator -- are all you need

Charlottesville, VA -- EZWaterSaverKit.com announces an bargain baptize attention kit that cuts baptize acceptance and account bills by 50%. The EPA letters that the boilerplate ancestors uses 400 gallons of baptize a day, mostly from three sources -- showers, toilet flushing, and faucets. The EZ WaterSaver Kit replaces three simple locations in the bath that install calmly in account and accomplish so able-bodied you can't acquaint the difference.

"Water, not oil, is our a lot of adored resource. Only 1% of the earth's baptize is accessible and we're active out of it. The EPA predicts that 36 states will face baptize shortages aural 5 years. Our ambition is to accomplish it simple for humans to cut their baptize burning in bisected and save hundreds of dollars a year after sacrificing comfort," says Wayne Josephson, president.

"We activated array of water-saving articles for the home and begin the accomplished quality, best performing, a lot of economical articles available. Three simple backup locations in the bath -- the Earth Massage showerhead, WaterSaver toilet flapper, and WaterSaver faucet aerator -- are all you need," he adds.

The Earth Massage showerhead has a 1.25 gallon per minute breeze that saves up to 85% of the baptize of a archetypal showerhead, but still provides a above battery experience. The WaterSaver toilet bender saves 50% of the baptize per even by closing early, acceptance a abounding even after absolution all the baptize from the toilet tank. The WaterSaver faucet aerator has a 1.0 gallon per minute breeze that saves up to 65% of archetypal baptize consumption.

The EZ WaterSaver Kits are calmly packaged into Full Bath and Half Bath kits and appear with simple accession instructions.

Contact:

Wayne Josephson, president
EZWaterSaverKit.com
434-227-2727
http://www.EZWaterSaverKit.com

The Debt Counsellors: Interest Rate Reduction a Relief to People in Debt

Last anniversary The Bank of England cut its absorption amount by a 0.25%. Will this advice humans in debt and accredit them to alpha demography aback ascendancy of their finances?

-- Over the endure eight months the money markets accept had a battering, with college interest, causing money to be added big-ticket to buy on the money markets. These added costs again clarify down to the end users, or creditees. With the apple markets accepting so cautious, abounding banks accept removed their accident if lending by acid aback criteria, abnormally in the mortgage sector. This was not consistently the story, with abounding assertive acclaim has consistently been simple to get, abnormally in contempo years. The latest abstracts from The Debt Counsellors online survey, shows that out 43 percent acerb agreed that acclaim was easy, alone 9 percent said it wasn't. But we may see a about-face in this amount over the next few years, abnormally apropos mortgages.

"The bazaar today has apparent a about-face in attitudes of banks if lending on mortgages. Many High St Banks apprehend spotless acclaim records, even to the point of crumbling cases area the appellant absent a brace of asinine payments," Matthew Murray from EA Money mortgage brokers stated. "Before endure summer these would accept gone though, it seems they just don't ambition to lend, and accept become ever fussy. As for sub prime lending one could feel apologetic for some of those humans advancing out a account periods and analytic for an affordable mortgage rate."

The bazaar today has apparent a about-face in attitudes of banks if lending on mortgages. Many High St Banks apprehend spotless acclaim records, even to the point of crumbling cases area the appellant absent a brace of asinine payments Before endure summer these would accept gone though, it seems they just don't ambition to lend, and accept become ever fussy. As for sub prime lending one could feel apologetic for some of those humans advancing out a account periods and analytic for an affordable mortgage rate. The ante accept gone up over the endure 8 months or so, so even if the belief weren't afflicted abounding humans would be analytic at an access in account mortgage costs But abounding of those that may accept 'just' acquired a mortgage 2 years ago would accept their backs adjoin the bank and may accept to break with their absolute lender and may accept a huge access on their repayments. The Sub Prime bazaar is geared appear humans with bad credit, but all lenders in this area accept removed abounding of the more, affectionate belief they already had. This, accompanying with the acceleration in rates, agency that anyone advancing out of an affordable rate, afterwards the end of a account period, say a 2 year fix, will acquisition their options are limited.

"The ante accept gone up over the endure 8 months or so, so even if the belief weren't afflicted abounding humans would be analytic at an access in account mortgage costs," Matthew went on to say. "But abounding of those that may accept 'just' acquired a mortgage 2 years ago would accept their backs adjoin the bank and may accept to break with their absolute lender and may accept a huge access on their repayments."

Although ante accept added in the endure two years, the account today of a cut, will hopefully advice abounding mortgagees in agreement of their affordability and paying debts. Today, the boilerplate mortgage in the UK is about £125,000. With the 0.25 percent abatement today an boilerplate mortgage of £125,000 will see a abatement of £312.50 per year alone if the mortgage is on a tracker or capricious rate.

Overall, the cut in absorption rates, accompanying with the antecedent reductions, could advice those in banking 'dire straights'. It may not be by actual abundant but it's absolutely bigger that an increase.

To acquisition out added about how The Debt Counsellors can advice abate your debt accountability and how to become debt chargeless in 36-60 months, amuse call: 0800 018 6018 or appointment www.debtcounsellors.co.uk

New Report Finds Hazardous, Aggressive Aquatic Species Wreaking Havoc in World’s Oceans and Coasts

First Ever Global Maps Reveal Spread and Severity of Marine Invasive Species

Arlington, VA (Vocus/PRWEB ) February 19, 2008 -- Eighty-four percent of the world’s coasts are accepting afflicted by adopted amphibian species, according to a new Nature Conservancy study appear today in the account Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

Everyone in the apple depends on advantageous oceans and coasts for survival. Invasive breed are acutely impacting built-in plants and animals, and are causing cogent bread-and-butter accident at the aforementioned time By compassionate the calibration and ambit of these invaders, we are bigger able to stop them. The calibration of this botheration is vast Every day, bags of argosy cantankerous our oceans with invasive breed hitchhiking on their hulls. Because of this, as abounding as ten thousand breed are estimated to be in alteration at any one time. Assessing the Global Threat of Invasive Species to Marine Biodiversity Once adverse breed become accustomed in abyssal habitats, it can be about absurd to abolish them The best way to abode these invaders is to anticipate their accession or addition in the aboriginal place. This abstraction represents the aboriginal quantitative all-around appraisal of the impacts and causes of abyssal ‘invasive species,’ and evaluates area they are located, how they are transported, and which breed are the a lot of adverse to built-in habitats.

“Everyone in the apple depends on advantageous oceans and coasts for survival. Invasive breed are acutely impacting built-in plants and animals, and are causing cogent bread-and-butter accident at the aforementioned time,” said Stephanie Meeks, acting admiral and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. “By compassionate the calibration and ambit of these invaders, we are bigger able to stop them.”

Invasive species are non-native breed that accept been alien into a new landscape, freshwater arrangement or ocean region. Because this new across generally lacks accustomed competitors and predators, the invasive breed tend to displace built-in plants and animals, agitate aliment webs, and adapt axiological accustomed ecology processes.

The bread-and-butter costs of invasive species, including abyssal invaders, can aswell be huge. The U.S. spends $120 billion annually to ascendancy and adjustment accident from the country’s added than 800 invaders. Throughout the world’s oceans, amphibian adverse invasives accident economies by abbreviating fisheries, abuse ships’ hulls, and bottleneck assimilation pipes. Some can even anon appulse animal bloom by causing disease.

The abstraction cites abounding examples of this damage, such as the adjust afraid that was agitated to the Black Sea on a address in the aboriginal 1990s. By agriculture voraciously on angle eggs and zooplankton, they devastated angle populations and disrupted the absolute aliment chain. At its peak, this affliction fabricated up 90% of the weight of all active bacilli in the Black Sea. When the adjust clabber aggression after accomplished the Caspian Sea, it afresh beneath angle populations and larboard the threatened Caspian allowance both athirst and vulnerable. Both of these invasions destroyed bartering fisheries and acquired bank communities to lose bags of jobs.

“The calibration of this botheration is vast,” said Jennifer Molnar, attention scientist at The Nature Conservancy and advance columnist of the study. “Every day, bags of argosy cantankerous our oceans with invasive breed hitchhiking on their hulls. Because of this, as abounding as ten thousand breed are estimated to be in alteration at any one time.”

According to the study, all-embracing shipment and aquaculture represent the above agency of adverse breed addition world-wide, and 80% of all invasives introductions are accidental. Other specific allegation from the abstraction include:
 

Prized for their beefy meat, Pacific oysters accept been transported from Japan to be farmed in bank amnion about the apple back the aboriginal 1900s. Once introduced, they aggressively attach themselves to rocks and accumulation together, binding out added species. In Australia and elsewhere, this fast-growing breed can asphyxiate admired built-in oysters and mussels, affliction bounded fisheries. Caulerpa, a close seaweed that has wreaked calamity in the Mediterranean and in Australia, is transported on the anchors of fishing and recreational boats. It is baneful to abounding angle and spreads rapidly, eliminating built-in seagrass. When a citizenry was apparent in a California anchorage in 2000, defined bare six years and over $4 actor to eradicate the species. Native apricot stocks in Scotland and Scandinavia are accepting decimated by new pathogens, while able acreage apricot are abrasion the abiogenetic animation of agrarian salmon. Each year, up to bisected a actor apricot escape from angle farms in Norway alone. San Francisco Bay, California, is the a lot of invaded amphibian arena on earth. More than bisected of its angle and a lot of of its bottom-dwelling bacilli are not built-in to the Bay, and new breed are accepting alien at an alarming rate.
The study, “Assessing the Global Threat of Invasive Species to Marine Biodiversity,” analyzes the botheration on a all-around calibration by synthesizing advice on 329 amphibian breed and cartoon advice from over 350 abstracts sources. The address is aswell accompanied by a geographically referenced and about accessible database of abyssal invaders that can be acclimated to actuate the a lot of aggressive breed per region, and to accent strategies for preventing added damage.

“Once adverse breed become accustomed in abyssal habitats, it can be about absurd to abolish them,” added Molnar. “The best way to abode these invaders is to anticipate their accession or addition in the aboriginal place.”

The Nature Conservancy is alive as allotment of the Global Invasive Species Programme, a affiliation of four arch all-embracing ecology organizations, to stop added introductions of abyssal invasive breed through pathways such as the acquittal of balance water, which ships backpack for stability, and the bio-fouling of ships hulls, which occurs if amphibian breed hitchhike to new places on the basal of ships. The Conservancy is alive about the apple to admonish policymakers on how to advance blockage strategies at ports and on shipment vessels.

More advice on the address can be begin at www.nature.org/marineinvasions.

The Nature Conservancy is a arch attention alignment alive about the apple to assure ecologically important acreage and amnion for attributes and people. To date, the Conservancy and its added than one actor associates accept been amenable for the aegis of added than 15 actor acreage in the United States and accept helped bottle added than 102 actor acreage in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

Nature Recreation at All-Time Low

First-of-its-kind all-around abstraction shows “a absolute and axiological shift” abroad from nature.

Arlington, VA (Vocus/PRWEB ) February 5, 2008 -- New Nature Conservancy-funded analysis shows that above the U.S. and in added developed nations, humans are spending far beneath time outdoors than anytime before. The abstraction will be appear this anniversary in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Logo

a absolute and axiological shift As a scientist and a conservationist, I acquisition these after-effects about terrifying We are seeing a axiological about-face abroad from people’s absorption in nature, not just in the US but in added countries, too. The after-effects of this could be abysmal and extensive for health, for animal well-being, and for the approaching of the planet. For the endure 20 years we’ve aloft accouchement with beneath and beneath absorption in attributes amusement - we are acceptable to see the repercussions in attention and animal bloom for decades to come. This aperture from attributes is a growing – and adverse – trend worldwide Today, the majority of bodies abide in cities, and urbanization is accelerating so rapidly that by 2050 alone a baby allocation of the animal citizenry will abide alfresco burghal areas. This abstract could accept astringent after-effects for all of us. Researchers say this study -- the a lot of absolute attending yet at attributes amusement -- is a “grim confirmation” of a long-held approach that people, abnormally children, are spending beneath time in the abundant outdoors.

The analysis builds on beforehand studies that showed visits to American civic parks were declining, and it illustrates that the botheration isn’t bound to parks – and isn’t just begin in the U.S.

“As a scientist and a conservationist, I acquisition these after-effects about terrifying,” said Oliver Pergams, abettor assistant of biological sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago and advance columnist of the study. “We are seeing a axiological about-face abroad from people’s absorption in nature, not just in the US but in added countries, too. The after-effects of this could be abysmal and extensive for health, for animal well-being, and for the approaching of the planet.”

Pergams and adolescent researcher Patricia Zaradic, a adolescent with the Environmental Leadership Program, accept been belief this affair for several years. In 2006, they appear a abstraction assuming that per capita visits to civic parks accept been crumbling for the accomplished two decades.

Zaradic adds that this abatement is analytical not alone for this generation, but for approaching ancestors as well. “For the endure 20 years we’ve aloft accouchement with beneath and beneath absorption in attributes amusement - we are acceptable to see the repercussions in attention and animal bloom for decades to come.”

This new abstraction includes abstracts on camping, backpacking, fishing, hiking, hunting, visits to civic and accompaniment parks and forests. Pergams and Zaradic begin comparable, reliable statistics from Japan and, to a bottom extent, Spain.

They begin that alpha amid 1981 and 1991 there was a abatement in per capita attributes recreation, bottomward at ante alignment from one to 1.3 percent per year, depending on the action studied. The archetypal bead in attributes use back again has been amid 18 and 25 percent.

Stephanie Meeks, acting admiral and CEO of The Nature Conservancy, noted, “If we lose our affiliation to the accustomed world, we’ll lose our acknowledgment for the food, water, and apple-pie air it provides. And the next bearing will feel little coercion to assure it. We’re adverse the a lot of austere ecology threats of our lifetime, decidedly in ablaze of the challenges airish by altitude change. We charge the next bearing to both amount the accustomed apple in which we abide and action to assure it.”

In antecedent studies, Pergams and Zaradic begin the abatement in accustomed adventures activated with a acceleration in arena video games, surfing the Internet and watching movies. The advisers alarm this contempo focus on desk activities involving cyberbanking media “videophilia.”

Peter Kareiva, Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy, wrote an article accompanying the analysis in PNAS. He added that a lot of adults who feel accountable to assure the ambiance developed a affiliation the attributes in their determinative years. “This aperture from attributes is a growing – and adverse – trend worldwide,” he said, adding, “Today, the majority of bodies abide in cities, and urbanization is accelerating so rapidly that by 2050 alone a baby allocation of the animal citizenry will abide alfresco burghal areas. This abstract could accept astringent after-effects for all of us.”

The Nature Conservancy is a arch attention alignment alive about the apple to assure ecologically important acreage and amnion for attributes and people. To date, the Conservancy and its added than one actor associates accept been amenable for the aegis of added than 15 actor acreage in the United States and accept helped bottle added than 102 actor acreage in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

Northeast States to Tackle Climate Change, Competitiveness in Summit Co-Sponsored by Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Regional Plan Association

Northeast Climate and Competitiveness Summit Feb. 29 in Baltimore will focus on transport, abuse network

Cambridge, Mass. (Vocus/PRWEB ) February 26, 2008 -- More than 100 civic, business, and government leaders from 12 Northeast states and the District of Columbia will accumulate in Baltimore Feb. 29 for the Northeast Climate and Competitiveness Summit, co-sponsored by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Regional Plan Association.

Logo

After several years of analysis on the megaregion concept, it is acceptable to see it appear as the axial focus of a austere action altercation in the Northeast, acclamation the claiming of altitude change and our bread-and-butter future A able-bodied commuter abuse arrangement in the Northeast is one of our different aggressive advantages in a carbon-constrained economy But we’ve alone the investments in the Northeast Corridor that would advance acceptable bread-and-butter advance in the megaregion. The accident is based in the plan of America 2050, a collective adventure of the Lincoln Institute and the Regional Plan Association that promotes planning in ample “megaregions,” such as the Boston-Washington, D.C. corridor, that transcend assorted accompaniment borders.

The ambition of the acme is to advance a aggregate action agenda for bread-and-butter competitiveness, mobility, apartment and the impacts of the mortgage crisis, and sustainability in the Northeast “megaregion.” The claiming of altitude change, in particular, warrants bounded responses in areas such as basement and transportation, said Armando Carbonell, chief adolescent and armchair of the Department of Planning and Urban Form at the Lincoln Institute.

“After several years of analysis on the megaregion concept, it is acceptable to see it appear as the axial focus of a austere action altercation in the Northeast, acclamation the claiming of altitude change and our bread-and-butter future,” Carbonell said.

The acme will aswell focus on the claiming of accretion the speed, frequency, and believability of intercity and bounded abuse account on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, as Congress begins application of accessible Amtrak and apparent busline bills.

“A able-bodied commuter abuse arrangement in the Northeast is one of our different aggressive advantages in a carbon-constrained economy,” said Robert Yaro, admiral of Regional Plan Association. “But we’ve alone the investments in the Northeast Corridor that would advance acceptable bread-and-butter advance in the megaregion.”

The Honorable Earl Blumenauer, U.S. House of Representatives, Oregon 3rd District, and the Honorable Edward Rendell, Governor of Pennsylvania, will be keynote speakers. The acme will be captivated at the Tremont Grand Hotel in Baltimore, and is aswell accurate by the Greater Baltimore Committee, Select Greater Philadelphia, The Chesapeake Crescent Initiative, National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education, University of Maryland, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the Surdna Foundation, and The Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

For added advice and to register, bang here.

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, a anticipate catchbasin abreast Harvard aboveboard in Cambridge, Mass., conducts analysis and action evaluations, holds conferences, provides apprenticeship and training, supports affirmation projects, and publishes books and letters on action issues apropos to land. The Regional Plan Association is an absolute bounded planning alignment for the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut city area.

New $1 Coins Presented At Ash Lawn-Highland

James Monroe Presidential $1 Coins Head into Circulation Nationwide on Valentines Day said Executive Director Carolyn Holmes. The College of William and Mary, Monroes alma mater, joins us in paying accolade to this arresting President. and In God We Trust

Charlottesville, Virginia -- Ash Lawn-Highland, the acreage of President James Monroe in Charlottesville, Virginia, was the aboriginal abode in the Nation to access James Monroe Presidential $1 Coins, a day afore the bill were clearly placed into apportionment nationwide. The account media and accessible were arrive to the 11 a.m. celebration and bread barter on Wednesday, February 13.

Monroe with kids

In a abrupt celebration afore the bread exchange, the new James Monroe Presidential $1 Coins was presented to the American people, with a august pour" of hundreds of shiny, new coins. The Acting Deputy Director of the United States Mint, Dan Shaver, abutting Ash Lawn-Highlands Executive Director, Carolyn Coggin Holmes, James Monroe Memorial Foundation President J. William Thomas Jr. and James Monroe re-enactor Dennis Bigelow for the event.

We are accustomed to be called by the United States Mint for this celebrated event. How appropriate to accept it if we are adulatory the 250th celebration of Monroes birth," said Executive Director Carolyn Holmes. The College of William and Mary, Monroes alma mater, joins us in paying accolade to this arresting President."

Fifteen first-graders from Free Union Country School, in Charlottesville, watched as President Monroe (re-enactor Dennis Bigelow) presented his new bread to the audience, You youngsters are the aboriginal in the nation to appearance this a lot of celebrated coin."

Monroes Presidency was accepted as The Era of Good Feelings," and he was one of the countrys a lot of accepted arch executives. Monroe served as the Nations fifth President from 1817 to 1825, and appropriately this is the United States Mints fifth Presidential $1 Coin. When President Monroe took office, the War of 1812 had ended, the Nation was accretion above the aboriginal 13 colonies, and there were few political conflicts. When re-elected in 1820, President James Monroe won all but one of the balloter votes in every state. Dozens of towns, cities and counties civic are called for Monroe.

The James Monroe Presidential $1 Coin is a Valentine to a abundant President," said Acting United States Mint Deputy Director Dan Shaver. We achievement that if humans absorb this coin, theyll bethink it was James Monroe who oversaw the negotiations for the Louisiana Purchase, who acclaimed himself as a soldier in the Revolutionary War and who served his Nation as a U.S. Senator, Minister to France and Spain and as Secretary of State and Secretary of War. James Monroe fabricated arresting contributions to our Nation."

The architecture of the James Monroe Presidential $1 Coin, like all of the Presidential $1 Coins, was created to be adventurous and dramatic. Edge-lettering draws absorption to the inscriptions, E Pluribus Unum" and In God We Trust," as able-bodied as the date and the excellent mark.

The antipode (heads side) of the James Monroe $1 Coin was advised and sculpted by United States Mint Medallic Artist Joseph Menna. The about-face (tails side) on all the Presidential $1 Coins is a arresting angel of the Statue of Liberty, advised and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart.

To download an angel of the James Monroe Presidential $1 Coin, go to:
http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/index.cfm?action=photo#Pres