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FOR ENVIRONMENT EDITOR
INTERNATIONAL PAPER AND THE CONSERVATION FUND ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AWARDS STAMFORD, Conn., April 6, 2004 --/World-Wire/-- International Paper (NYSE:IP) and The Conservation Fund will provide national recognition and $10,000 cash grants to two conservation/environmental education leaders at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., this summer. IP, the world's largest paper and forest products company and tree seedling grower, partners each year with The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit organization seeking sustainable conservation solutions for the 21st century, to sponsor the International Paper Conservation Partnership Award and the International Paper Environmental Education Award. The $10,000 awards are unrestricted grants from the International Paper Company Foundation. "International Paper is deeply committed to well-managed forests and environmental protection. As a steward of more than 19 million acres of forests worldwide, we put our commitment to sustainable forestry into action daily," said Dr. Sharon G. Haines, IP's director, sustainable forestry and forest policy. "The stewardship awards provide a great opportunity to recognize others who make a significant contribution to the environment." Award nominations are being accepted through April 23, 2004. A panel of independent judges will select the winners, who will be recognized in an awards ceremony on June 23, 2004, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Nomination forms are available on IP's Web site at www.internationalpaper.com and on The Conservation Fund's Web site at www.conservationfund.org. Current or former employees of IP, its subsidiaries or acquired companies, or The Conservation Fund are not eligible for consideration. The International Paper Conservation Partnership Award is presented annually to an individual who has achieved significant results in protecting habitat through a cooperative relationship with a business or company. By demonstrating that a healthy environment and a healthy economy are not mutually exclusive, this person leads in a conservation effort benefiting the environment and encourages others to form similarly productive alliances. Nominees must have achieved significant results in protecting U.S. terrestrial or wetland habitats and demonstrated the value of cooperative partnerships between the corporate and conservation communities. Last year's Conservation Partnership Award went to Stephen Blackmer, president and founder of the Northern Forest Center. Over the past two decades, Blackmer has helped to foster national understanding of the environmental, economic and cultural importance of the 30 million acres of northern forests that stretch through Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and into New York's Adirondacks and Tug Hill plateau. His vision, leadership and commitment have been a catalyst to conserve more than 2.5 million acres of working forests, remote lakes and rivers, wildlife habitat, wetlands and heavily forested mountains. Blackmer has created partnerships with businesses, land owners, community leaders, land trusts, public agencies, elected officials and foundations to work together to achieve an ecologically and economically healthy northern forest. The International Paper Environmental Education Award is presented annually to an educator who has developed an innovative approach to environmental education that significantly improves student comprehension of environmental issues, fosters an understanding of the link between environmental protection and economic growth, demonstrates leadership and inspires achievement. Potential candidates are elementary or secondary school educators or university faculty or staff members. Last year's Environmental Education Award went to Gene Eidson, Ph.D, founder and president of the community-based nonprofit Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy in Augusta, Ga. Eidson established a 1,150-acre Phinizy Swamp Nature Park on reclaimed historic swamplands along the Savannah River. The Academy completed construction of its Phinizy Swamp campus with facilities for environmental education and research as well as a new visitors center. The Academy's kindergarten through 12th-grade environmental education efforts involve 200 teachers and 10,000 students participating in more than 30 programs conducted in the classroom and at the Nature Park. In addition to acting as an outdoor classroom, the Nature Park includes a 650-acre constructed wetland complex that helps treat Augusta's wastewater before it reaches the river. Phinizy Swamp, which had been drained in the last century for agricultural and waste disposal uses, has become a regional destination and is toured by 35,000 visitors annually. The Conservation Fund forges partnerships to conserve America's legacy of land and water resources. Through land acquisition, community initiatives and leadership training, the Fund and its partners demonstrate sustainable conservation solutions emphasizing the integration of economic and environmental goals. The Conservation Fund is actively involved in training nonprofit and corporate leaders through the Conservation Leadership Network. International Paper (http://www.internationalpaper.com/) businesses include paper, packaging and forest products. As one of the largest private landowners in the world, IP foresters and ecologists manage the woods with great care in compliance with the rigorous standards of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative(R) program. The SFI(R) program is an independent certification system that ensures the perpetual planting, growing and harvesting of trees while protecting biodiversity, wildlife, plants, soil, water and air quality. In the U.S. alone, IP protects more than a half million acres of unique and environmentally important habitat on its forestlands through conservation easements and land sales to environmental groups. And, the company has a long-standing policy of using no wood from endangered forests. Headquartered in the United States, IP has operations in over 40 countries and sells its products in more than 120 nations. CONTACT: Media - Rick Ouellette, International Paper, +1-912-238-6399, or Jack Lynn, The Conservation Fund, +1-703-683-2996 |
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