Pee Dee Land Trust receives $25,000 grant from Wells Fargo-NFWF to Support Black Creek Bio-Blitz
Pee Dee Land Trust received a $25,000 grant Monday, June 15 from the Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program, funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation and administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), to support the Black Creek Bio-Blitz.
Established in 2012, the Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities five-year grant program has awarded $12 million to 207 grantees and funded 247 projects to date that promote conservation and environmental sustainability.
“Pee Dee Land Trust is thrilled to have this opportunity to launch the Black Creek Bio-Blitz, a year-long program to engage local school children and scout groups in helping us to identify the native plants and animals that inhabit our nature preserves along Black Creek in Darlington and Florence Counties. We want the kids to hone their skills as naturalists as part of a successful citizen science project. Healthy, diverse forests and waterways are our greatest natural assets. The more we can inspire our younger generations with a passion for conservation, the better off our communities will be in the future,” said David Harper, Executive Director of the Pee Dee Land Trust.
Pictured from Left to Right: Jack Marchette-Wells Fargo Pee Dee Market Business Banking VP, Kristie Deas- Wells Fargo Greater Pee Dee District Manager VP, Susan Bankson- Wells Fargo VP Community Affairs Officer, David Harper-Pee Dee Land Trust Executive Director
“This year’s Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grantees will work on projects from Maine to Alaska, from Los Angeles to Birmingham,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “The dedication and commitment to conservation and helping local communities shown by Wells Fargo is inspirational and deeply appreciated by all who participate in these exciting projects. Without Wells Fargo’s support, none of this good work would be possible.”
“This environmental grant today is an investment in our local community and will provide much-needed funding aimed at protecting the environment for our local residents,” said Wells Fargo South Carolina Community Affairs Officer Susan Bankson. “We’re proud to collaborate with Pee Dee Land Trust to use our financial resources, as well as the expertise of our team members, to protect and preserve a more sustainable environment for communities we serve.”
As part of Wells Fargo’s $100 million philanthropy commitment to nonprofits and universities by 2020, a $15 million, five-year relationship with NFWF was created and launched in 2012 to promote environmental stewardship across the country. The goal of the Wells Fargo-NFWF grant partnership and program is to provide grants for highly impactful projects that link economic development and community well-being to the stewardship and health of the environment. The program will fund proposals in select cities/regions (see website for full list) in the following areas:
• sustainable agriculture and forestry
• conservation of land and water resources
• restoration of urban ecosystems
• clean energy infrastructure
Pee Dee Land Trust was selected from among more than 450 requests submitted by local team members and nonprofits Wells Fargo identified as being in need of extra help with green revitalization projects. In April 2012, Wells Fargo released a set of environmental commitments to be achieved by 2020; including reducing the company’s environmental impact, financing the transition to a greener economy and encouraging stronger and more sustainable communities. Part of this goal includes a $100 million environmental grants commitment by 2020 to create a “greener” future for the communities they serve.
Details of the Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program and a link to the 2016 application (available in September 2015) can be found at the NFWF application website: www.nfwf.org/environmentalsolutions. Projects benefiting underserved communities and encouraging volunteerism are given priority consideration. The Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program is funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation to promote environmental stewardship across the country.
About Pee Dee Land Trust
Pee Dee Land Trust’s mission is to conserve, and to promote an appreciation of, the significant natural, agricultural, and historical resources of the Pee Dee Region of South Carolina. PDLT is a 501c3 organization and was formed in 1999 to serve five counties in the upper Pee Dee Region. Since then, we’ve expanded our reach to include nine counties from the SC state line to the Atlantic Ocean. Our board includes representatives from: Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Marion, Marlboro, and Williamsburg. In addition to these counties,
PDLT considers land protection projects within the entire Pee Dee watershed in South Carolina.
PDLT now protects just over 21,800 acres in the Pee Dee region. While most remain in private ownership, the lands pro¬tected by PDLT are along the rivers and streams we swim in, farms and forests we manage, hunting and fishing areas we recreate on, and make a lasting contribution to our community. Visit PDLT website to learn more: www.peedeelandtrust.org
About Wells Fargo & Company
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.7 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,700 locations, 12,500 ATMs, and the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 266,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 30 on Fortune’s 2015 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at Wells Fargo Blogs and Wells Fargo Stories.
