Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today joined with environmentalists, business leaders and government officials to announce the launch of a public-private partnership between the State of California and the Northern Sierra Partnership to fund environmental preservation while supporting economic growth. The Northern Sierra Partnership, which consists of two local land trusts, a regional business council and two large conservation organizations, was created to complement the goals of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, established when the Governor signed legislation in 2004 identifying needed actions across 25 million acres of land from the Oregon border to Kern County. To aid in these efforts, the Governor announced today that $25 million in private funds have been raised to date, including $10 million commitments each from the Morgan Family Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
View video and photos from the Public-Private Partnership announcement by Jim Branham, Sierra Nevada Conservancy and featuring Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Sierra Business Council, the Feather River Land Trust, Truckee-Donner Land Trust have joined with The Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Lands in this new partnership that will work with private landowners, government agencies, other collaborating organizations, and local communities to provide public benefits such as a high-quality water supply, world-class outdoor recreation, and carbon sequestration; safeguard habitats crucial for native species and species diversity; and maintain a critical mass of working ranches, forests, and tribal lands. The alliance will also help residents make the transition to sustainable economic activities that promote community well-being and help keep local communities viable in the future.
The partners will pool resources and coordinate projects to achieve the following 5- to 10-year goals:
For more information visit the Northern Sierra Partnership Web site.
Read Tom Knudson's take on the announcement.
