Disney Worldwide Conservation Awards Grant to Ecology Project International’s Costa Rica Program
Leatherback Sea Turtles Get a Helping Hand from Disney
Missoula, MT, October 6, 2011 – The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) announced that Ecology Project International (EPI) has been awarded a one-time $25,000 grant to support its project: “Empowering Costa Rica’s Conservation Leaders.”
DWCF awarded $2 million to conservation projects around the globe in 2011, the highest amount ever contributed in a single year. EPI is one of nearly 100 grant recipients recognized for helping to preserve habitats, protect endangered species, foster kids’ connections to nature and ensure future generations can enjoy wildlife and wild places.
EPI’s Advancement Director and Co-founder, Julie Osborn says, “We are thrilled to have Disney’s support to empower the next generation of conservation leaders in Costa Rica. Their support will help us reach more students than ever during 2012.”
EPI’s Costa Rica program involves teens in the protection and research of critically endangered leatherback sea turtle. Youth patrol beaches to protect nests, gather vital data about the nesting leatherbacks, and move the nests when necessary to protect against human and environmental threats. Through their field experience, youth are inspired to educate others on how to integrate conservation into their daily lives.
“EPI’s conservation education model is an innovative approach to sustainable conservation. By involving local youth alongside professional researchers in the protection of leatherback turtles, EPI’s project is building capacity in local communities to protect their natural resources,” says Kim Sams, Director of Conservation Programs, Corporate Citizenship, for The Walt Disney Company.
Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund previously funded EPI’s Costa Rica program in 2008.
About the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund
Since 1995, DWCF has awarded nearly $18 million to support conservation programs in 111 countries. Projects selected for funding must address a critical conservation need, offer education and community engagement, an ability to influence decision makers and solid scientific investigation. For a complete list of grant recipients and to view The Walt Disney Company’s most recent Conservation Report, visit http://www.disney.com/conservation. Learn more about Disney’s citizenship efforts at http://www.disney.com/citizenship
About EPI
Launched in 2000, EPI is the only organization that involves young people from the US and Latin America in hands-on science and conservation projects that protect threatened wildlife and habitat in Costa Rica, Mexico, Galapagos Islands, and Montana, bridging the gap between science and cultures, and empowering the next generation of conservation leaders.
To learn more about EPI, visit http://www.ecologyproject.org, call (406) 721-8784, or email EPI at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).