[Pollinator] The W. Garfield Weston Foundation Supports Major Growth of Alternative Land Use

[Ladadams at aol.com]

press release  
March 20, 2012, 8:16 a.m. EDT  
The W. Garfield Weston Foundation Supports Major Growth of Alternative Land 
 Use Services (ALUS)
Additional Grant of $1.46 Million Moves Conservation Program Into High Gear 


 

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Mar 20, 2012 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Delta  
Waterfowl is pleased to announce a leading donation from The W. Garfield Weston  
Foundation in support of the Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) program. 
With  the Foundation's gift of $1.46 million, Delta Waterfowl will create two 
centres  of operations, or hubs, to support the national expansion of the 
ALUS program.  
This is the second major grant from the Foundation in the past year, 
bringing  it's total commitment to ALUS to more than $3 million.  
Developed more than ten years ago by Delta Waterfowl Foundation and  
Manitoba's Keystone Agricultural Producers, ALUS is a community-led,  
farmer-delivered initiative that promises to revolutionize conservation in this  
country. The goal is to create a healthy, working landscape that simultaneously  
sustains agriculture, wildlife and the protection of natural spaces.  
Through ALUS, farmers receive payments for delivering a variety of  
environmental services. Projects include enhanced and protected wetlands,  
increased native grass cover, wildlife-friendly fencing, pollinator strips and  
improved riparian areas. ALUS projects are currently established in Ontario,  
Alberta, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island.  
"The Foundation is proud to continue its support of this very important  
conservation initiative," said Eliza Mitchell, Director, The W. Garfield 
Weston  Foundation. "Farmers are playing a key role in preserving Canada's 
natural  legacy. They are having a great impact on local ecosystems by preserving 
habitat  for endangered species, improving water quality, and reducing soil 
erosion.  Their efforts are important to all Canadians."  
The Foundation has supported the ALUS program for more than a decade. This  
latest donation will support the expansion of ALUS to at least 8 new 
communities  in Ontario and western Canada. Challenge grants will act as a 
catalyst to  stimulate matching funds from other organizations.  
"This is a sea change in conservation for this country," says Rob Olson,  
president of Delta Waterfowl Foundation. "Communities all across the country 
are  lining up to be part of this initiative. There's unprecedented energy 
and  excitement."  
Olson says the latest Weston funding will help establish ALUS as a viable  
addition to conservation efforts across the country.  
"Our hope is that the momentum from adding these new communities will grow  
exponentially," says Olson. "This grant has the impact of allowing us to do 
10  years of work in one year. We're very thankful The W. Garfield Weston 
Foundation  is giving us this chance to do it."  
About The W. Garfield Weston Foundation  
The W. Garfield Weston Foundation is a private Canadian family foundation,  
established in the 1950's by Willard Garfield Weston and his wife Reta. In 
1924  Garfield inherited his father's company and during his life 
established bakeries  and other successful enterprises throughout Canada and in many 
parts of the  world. Today, these businesses include the George Weston 
Limited and Loblaw  Companies Limited, companies in food retailing, processing and 
distribution. The  founders believed that as the funds are generated 
through the hard work and  success of these Canadian companies, grants should be 
given in Canada for the  benefit of Canadians. For three generations, The W. 
Garfield Weston Foundation  has maintained a family tradition of supporting 
charitable organizations across  Canada. Today the Foundation directs the 
majority of its funds to projects in  the fields of land conservation, 
education, and science in Canada's North.  
The W. Garfield Weston Foundation logo is available at  
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=12108  
About The Delta Waterfowl Foundation  
The Delta Waterfowl Foundation is one of North America's oldest 
conservation  organizations, tracing its' origins to the birth of the wildlife 
conservation  movement in 1911. The Foundation supports research, provides 
leadership and  offers science-based solutions to efficiently conserve waterfowl and 
secure the  future of waterfowl hunting. Delta Waterfowl currently operates 
out of offices  in Winnipeg, MB and Bismarck, ND. 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sonic.net/pipermail/pollinator/attachments/20120320/2350618e/attachment-0001.html>