Deal inked for private land save.International Paper (IP) has joined with two conservation groups to protect 218,000 acres of forest across 10 states. IP calls it the largest private land conservation sale in the history of the South and one of the largest nationwide. Under the agreement, The 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. (TNC (hardware) TNC - A threaded version of a BNC. ) will acquire more than 173,000 acres in North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. , Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The Conservation Fund will acquire more than 5,000 acres in Florida and 500 in North Carolina. Together they will purchase an additional 39,000 acres in 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. . The land includes some of IP's most ecologically important lands, and most will remain working forests. International Paper will receive about $300 million for the land. Timber will be sustainably harvested from some of the land and a set amount supplied to IP for local production. The majority of the lands are located along rivers and estuaries such as the Perdido River The Perdido River is a river in the U.S. states of Alabama and Florida, approximately 60 miles (100 km) long. The river forms part of the boundary between the two states along nearly its entire length and drains into the Gulf of Mexico. on the border of Florida and Alabama, IP said. Bald eagles, black bears, and endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers live on the lands. Several tracts also link existing public and private conservation areas. Steve McCormick, TNC president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , said in the release, "It is only through partnerships among state and federal agencies, companies like International Paper, private landowners and nonprofit organizations that we can hope to conserve the South's natural heritage and quality of life." "Thanks to the support and commitment of our partners," Conservation Fund president Larry Selzer said, "these important lands will protect wildlife habitat, enhance air and water quality, support local economies and provide exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities for future generations." America's forest acreage is declining at an alarming pace (see "Timberlands in Turmoil," Winter 2006), which threatens wildlife habitat, biodiversity biodiversity: see biological diversity. biodiversity Quantity of plant and animal species found in a given environment. Sometimes habitat diversity (the variety of places where organisms live) and genetic diversity (the variety of traits expressed , and clean air and water. IP said it would continue to explore opportunities with private and nonprofit groups interested in its land holdings. |
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