New York, NY, October 5, 2010?Reviving public gardens and edible landscapes in New Orleans Lower Ninth Ward. Introducing coalfield communities to biofuels. Increasing access for low-income communities to energy efficiency programs. Transforming abandoned lots into vibrant ecosystems. These are just a few ways in which 40 promising conservation leaders will advance their environmental vision and leadership skills as recipients of the 2010 TogetherGreen Fellowships.

 

The TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership Program invests in high-potential individuals from all backgrounds, providing them with the tools, resources, visibility, and a peer network to help them lead conservation actions that will help shape a healthier environmental future. Audubon and Toyota launched the five-year TogetherGreen initiative in 2008 to fund innovative community projects, build a growing cadre of trained conservation leaders, and offer volunteer opportunities across the country to benefit the environment.

 

?We are thrilled to welcome another extremely talented and diverse group of TogetherGreen Fellows who have the passion and skills to inspire and lead others,? said Audubon President David Yarnold. ?Thanks to the generosity of Toyota, the TogetherGreen fellowship program allows Audubon to find and foster individuals who have innovative ideas and approaches for engaging people and achieving conservation results. They are poised to change the world?one community at a time.?

 

Every year, 40 Fellows are chosen for their leadership potential, skills, and commitment to engaging diverse communities in conserving wildlife, land, water and energy. This year?s Fellows class includes 15 individuals from within the Audubon network and 25 individuals from other organizations across the country. Fellows receive a $10,000 grant; assistance launching a conservation action project, specialized training, and the opportunity to become part of an exciting alumni network of conservation professionals.

 

TogetherGreen Fellows participate in a weeklong professional development course at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife?s National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia focused on enhancing conservation skills and sharing the latest thinking on achieving sustainable conservation success. Near the completion of their 18-month fellowship, Fellows attend a multi-day retreat focused on sharing best practices, fundraising, diversity, evaluation, and strategies to sustain their conservation action projects over the long term.

 

The 2010 class was selected from a competitive pool of highly qualified individuals by a national advisory board of conservation and education leaders. Fellows must have at least six years experience in conservation, a passion for conservation, the desire to learn and grow, and demonstrate a proven ability in reaching new audiences. In all, the 2010 Fellows will help engage thousands of people to protect habitat, wildlife and water and save energy in 34 cities in 22 different states.

 

“TogetherGreen gives me optimism,? said Diane Wood, President, National Environmental Education Foundation, and TogetherGreen Advisory Board Member. “TogetherGreen Fellows are smart, passionate, and representative of diverse communities. They bring vital new voices and perspectives into environmental conversations and are clearly ready to take on today’s and tomorrow’s ever more challenging conservation issues.”

 

?The results from the first two years of the Fellows program brought to life everything that TogetherGreen sought to accomplish,” added Patricia Salas Pineda, Group Vice President, Toyota Motor North America. ?I?m confident that the next group of Fellows will continue that success and make a difference for years to come.?

 

Since the TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership program launched in November 2008, Fellows have recruited nearly 24,000 participants and 650 partner organizations for their conservation projects and contributed nearly 98,000 hours of time.

 

If you or someone you know has a creative environmental project and would like to apply for a 2011 TogetherGreen Fellowship, applications will be available online beginning in early 2011 at http://www.togethergreen.org/fellows.

 

A complete list of the 2010 TogetherGreen Fellows and details about their conservation projects can be found at http://www.togethergreen.org/fellows.

 

The 2010 conservation projects that will be funded include (sorted by state):

 

First Name	Last Name	City	ST	Organization	Fellowship Project
Jesus	Garcia	Tucson	AZ	Arizona Sonora Desert Museum	Teaching about native desert plants in border lands schools for increased appreciation and improved desert habitat
Mary	Adelzadeh	Sacramento	CA	Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council	Developing Native American youth conservation leaders and establishing a network of environmental youth service providers
Rory	Cox	San Francisco	CA	Pacific Environment	Developing local clean energy projects for the San Francisco Bay Area, and publishing a how-to guide that Bay Area counties can use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Mindy	Hiatt	Tiburon	CA	Richardson Bay Audubon Center	Implementing Audubon Youth Corps, an outdoor education and restoration project with Title I partner schools
Shani	Kleinhaus	Palo Alto	CA	Santa Clara Audubon Society	Improving habitat for burrowing owls through engagement of CA immigrant communities
John	Laws	San Francisco	CA	Central Sierra Audubon Society	Creating outreach and naturalist-skills school programs using a field guide for Sierra Nevada that he illustrated and produced
Nina	Suzuki	Davis	CA	Center for Land-Based Learning	Engaging diverse youth and adults in monitoring nest boxes and developing protocols to protect key species at the Farm on Putah Creek
Marcos	Trinidad	Los Angeles	CA	South Bay Audubon Society	Improving Madrona Marsh habitat by working with Korean, Hispanic, and at-risk youth
Stacey	Vigallon	Los Angeles	CA	Los Angeles Audubon Society	Engaging urban youth through scientific illustration and protection of threatened? coastal sage scrub
Christina	Nesset	Durango	CO	Southwest Conservation Corps	Piloting a river conservation program for Durango youth
Greg	Butcher	Washington	DC	National Audubon Society	Implementing an education and research project for Wood Thrush conservation
Sara	Espinoza	Washington	DC	National Environmental Education Foundation	Bringing the “Earth Gauge” program (broadcast meteorologists communicating environmental and climate info to viewers) to underserved & Spanish-speaking audiences in the U.S. through the Telemundo network
Fernando	Bretos	Miami	FL	Miami Science Museum	Installing mangrove seedling eco-art in Miami schools to increase appreciation for and improve Biscayne Bay mangrove habitat
Lisa	Botero	Miami Beach	FL	City of Miami Beach	Implementing a sustainability plan for the City of Miami Beach, and implementing a public campaign to engage south FL residents in water conservation and habitat restoration activities
Sara	Peel	Warsaw	IN	Wabash River Enhancement Corporation	Developing a web-based tool for residents to calculate storm water impact and their carbon footprint
Daniel	Dermitzel	Kansas City	KS	Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture	Designing and planting demonstration an urban forest garden in Kansas City. Promoting energy and ecological benefits through education and outreach.
Kenya	Stump	Lexington	KY	Kentucky Division of Compliance Assistance	Designing a high school education program focused on biofuels and biodiesel, incorporating chemistry and agriculture
Jenga	Mwendo	New Orleans	LA	Backyard Gardeners Network	Engaging Lower 9th Ward residents in a community garden project to reintroduce local agriculture and improve habitat
Hilairie	Schackai	New Orleans	LA	Longue Vue House and Gardens	Improving post-Katrina neighborhood planning & storm water catchment strategies
Will	Bullock	Boston	MA	Trustee of Reservations	Organizing a youth-run community supported agriculture market and designing urban agriculture curriculum to connect youth to land, ecology, and natural resources
Rose	Gonzalez	Lawrence	MA	Groundwork Lawrence	Working with urban youth to transform a vacant lot into green space for an outdoor classroom and for improved wildlife habitat
Justin	Schott	Ann Arbor	MI	Voices for Earth Justice	Implementing a youth engagement project with Detroit Youth Energy Squad that promotes youth leadership and helps households improve energy efficiency
Greg	Swick	Ozark	MO	Greater Ozarks Audubon Society	Designing a handbook for the Green Leadership Academy for Diverse Ecosystems
Heather	Ristow	Billings	MT	Montana Audubon	Implementing a land stewardship and college-elementary mentorship program, working with at-risk youth
Andy	Wood	Hampstead	NC	Audubon North Carolina	Implementing a “Share the Beach” social marketing campaign to protect nesting birds through production of videos that highlight how people can help neo-tropical migratory songbirds
Thomas	Perrigo	Las Vegas	NV	City of Las Vegas	Designing and implementing homeowner workshops and promoting retrofitting for energy efficiency
Sean	Mahar	Troy	NY	Audubon New York	Creating a coalition and steering committee to help secure long-term conservation funding for NY
Jennifer	Prediger	Brooklyn	NY	Grist.org	Producing a new media/feature film to help reduce threats to habitats, improve water quality, reduce greenhouse gases; building on videos produced for Sprig and Grist/Ask Umbra
John	Rowden	New York	NY	New York City Audubon Society	Managing a citizen science shorebird program in Long Island’s Great South Bay
Robin	Seeley	Ithaca	NY	Shoals Marine Lab, Cornell University	Designing an education program to protect  intertidal habitat
Nicole	Conrad	Huber Heights	OH	Aullwood Audubon Center	Expanding an Avian Art Contest to include habitat restoration and work with economically disadvantaged elementary students
Beth	Krisko	Xenia	OH	Antioch College Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center	Installing solar panels at an education center and designing an energy curriculum for diverse audiences
Mary	Coolidge	Portland	OR	Audubon Society of Portland	Piloting first “lights out” program volunteer protocol & monitoring for the city of Portland
Nuin-Tara	Key	Portland	OR	Metro	Improving access for low-income and minority communities to take part in energy efficiency programs in Portland
Diane	Husic	Kunkletown	PA	Lehigh Gap Nature Center	Designing and implementing a phenology-based school curriculum and citizen science monitoring program
Chris	Sheffield	Austin	TX	American Youth Works Charter School	Engaging youth in leadership and environmental career training and habitat restoration
Samir	Doshi	Burlington	VT	University of Vermont	Working with coalfield communities in Appalachia to improve reclaimed landscapes
Bill	Finnegan	Montpelier	VT	Tamarack Media	Creating an Phone app and Facebook interface that lets users see live, historic, and future weather and climate information
Christi	Norman	Seattle	WA	Audubon Washington	Using the State Birding Trail program to create a partnership with Olympic Tribal Tourism Association and restore habitat with Native Tribes
Janelle	Shafer	Seattle	WA	Seattle Audubon Society	Implementing an elementary school program using schoolyard habitat and scientific inquiry

 

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About TogetherGreen
Audubon and Toyota launched the five-year TogetherGreen initiative in 2008 to build the promise of a greener, healthier future through innovation, leadership and volunteerism. To date, 120 environmental leaders?both from within Audubon and from outside organizations?have received TogetherGreen Fellowships to protect land, water, and energy resources nationwide. For more information, visit www.togethergreen.org.

 

About Audubon
Now in its second century, Audubon connects people with birds, nature and the environment that supports us all. Our national network of community-based nature centers, chapters, scientific, education, and advocacy programs engages millions of people from all walks of life in conservation action to protect and restore the natural world. Visit Audubon online at www.audubon.org.   

 

About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants, including one under construction.  Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.

 

Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $500 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S. 

 

For more information on Toyota’s commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/community.

 

Contacts:  
Brenda Timm (Audubon)
212-979-3198/ [email protected]

 

Javier Moreno (Toyota)
212-715-7469/[email protected]