Alcoa Foundation Awards Grant to SC Nature Conservancy to Fund Restoration of Oyster Reefs.CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Alcoa (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :AA) announced today that the Alcoa Foundation has awarded a $200,000 grant to the South Carolina South Carolina, state of the SE United States. It is bordered by North Carolina (N), the Atlantic Ocean (SE), and Georgia (SW). Facts and Figures Area, 31,055 sq mi (80,432 sq km). Pop. (2000) 4,012,012, a 15. Nature Conservancy Nature Conservancy, nonprofit organization established in 1951 to preserve or aid in the preservation of natural environments. It protects wilderness areas in the United States and Canada and is affiliated with similar groups in Latin America and the Caribbean. to initiate a multi-year oyster restoration program. The program is part of The Nature Conservancy's global mission to protect the Temperate Western Atlantic Coast, which extends from the Gulf of Maine The Gulf of Maine is a large gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the northeastern coast of North America. It is delineated by Cape Cod at the eastern tip of Massachusetts in the southwest and Cape Sable at the southern tip of Nova Scotia in the northeast. to the Cape Canaveral Cape Canaveral (kənăv`ərəl), low, sandy promontory extending E into the Atlantic Ocean from a barrier island, E Fla., separated from Merritt Island by the Banana River, a lagoon; named (1963) Cape Kennedy in memory of President John , FL. The coast is critical habitat for migratory shorebirds such as Red Knots, raptors, waterfowl waterfowl, common term for members of the order Anseriformes, wild, aquatic, typically freshwater birds including ducks, geese, and screamers. In Great Britain the term is also used to designate species kept for ornamental purposes on private lakes or ponds, while in , and neotropical songbirds. However, significant areas of the coastline are threatened by development, habitat conversion and global climate change. Conserving ocean and coastal ecosystems Coastal ecosystems are considered to be one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. They can be referred to as “the intertidal and subtidal areas above continental shelf (to a depth of 200m) and adjacent land area up to 100 km inland from the coast” (PAGE, 2001). will improve water quality, protect diverse marine habitat and benefit economies and livelihoods of coastal communities for generations to come. "We are extremely grateful to Alcoa Foundation for its generosity," said Mark Robertson, from the SC Nature Conservancy. "Oysters have a unique role in tidal habitats, because they create living reefs that support not just themselves but some 130 other species. With this grant we can increase the number of oysters in South Carolina waters, builds oyster reefs to decrease erosion along salt marsh, and boosts recycling of oyster shells cast off by restaurants, seafood suppliers and the public." With the Alcoa Foundation grant, the SC Nature Conservancy will start a new restoration program that benefits commercial and recreational fisherman, coastal citizens, and the tourism industry by building and protecting oyster reefs through science, market-based strategies, restoration and resilient habitat protection. It has been estimated that only seven percent of South Carolina's oyster shells are recycled through existing programs. Finding ways to put cast-off cast·off n. 1. One that has been discarded. 2. Printing A calculation of the amount of space a manuscript will occupy when set into type. adj. also cast-off Discarded; rejected. shells back into reefs is one part of the program. Other plans include prioritizing restoration sites through analysis of current and historic oyster locations, habitat parameters and ownership/leasing status. "We're pleased that Alcoa Foundation is able to help kickstart an oyster reef restoration program here in South Carolina, said Mark Dunlay, Location Manager for Alcoa's Mt. Holly operation in Berkeley County. "The success of this program will help ensure a healthy coast well into the future." About Alcoa Foundation Alcoa Foundation is a separately constituted nonprofit U.S. corporate foundation with assets of approximately $534 million. Its mission is to actively invest in the quality of life in Alcoa (NYSE:AA) communities worldwide. Throughout its history, the Foundation has been a source of positive community change and enhancement, with nearly $437 million invested since 1952. To learn more about Alcoa Foundation, visit www.alcoa.com under Community. About The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. that preserves plants, animals and natural communities representing the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit us on the Web at nature.org |
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