CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE Land conservation plays an important role in addressing the global climate crisis. The Trust for Public Land seeks to reduce or moderate the effects of climate change through:
Mitigation
Christopher L. Christie
The endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher is among the species that will benefit from the new wildlife refuge.
Once the land is conserved, plans call for an educational
center where families and school groups can learn about the river and wildlife and get outdoors. “This place will change people’s lives—it will change children’s lives,” says local resi- dent Angela West, who attended the September announce- ment. “Ultimately the success of this project will be measured in human as well as ecological terms.” To view videos from the September event or for more
information about Price’s Dairy and other Trust for Public Land projects in New Mexico, go to tpl.org/newmexico.
Give your EarthShare
An EarthShare payroll deduction is one simple way to donate to TPL or more than 400 other environmental and conservation charities. Many corporate and government employers support EarthShare payroll giving. If yours doesn’t, ask them to start. If it does, simply decide on a single deduction or a recurring small one from every paycheck. Then designate The Trust for Public Land, member number 11440, as one of your conservation charities.
Pursuing projects that prevent deforestation, a major source of atmospheric CO2
Encouraging forest absorption of CO2 through TPL projects, including the sale of carbon credits for reforested land
Using working-forest conservation easements to prevent forest development and promote long-term sustainable forestry
Adaptation
Protecting land that will become essential to wildlife as global warming impels animals to seek out new habitat
Protecting coastal lands as a buffer against rising sea levels and extreme weather caused by global climate disruption Protecting watersheds to safeguard supplies of clean water as patterns of precipitation change over time
Climate-Smart Cities
Conserving land for trails and greenways that support nonmotorized transportation, reducing the release of CO2 from motor vehicles Creating close-to-home parks, so people don’t need to drive to experience nature or find outdoor recreation
Building parks that reduce sprawl by encouraging denser, greener communities
For more information on TPL’s Climate Conservation program, go to the “What We Do” page at tpl.org.