WhatistheMillionAcrePledge?
• Aresults-basedcommitmentbyindividuals,businessesandfoundationstofinancethe
conservationorrestorationoflargeareasofforestandotherecosystems
• Pledgesstartat¼,½and1millionacres,andfurtherincrementsofmillionsofacres
CurrentPledgers
TrammellS.Crow,Kris&DougTompkinsandseveralothers
Whysaveorrestoreforestandotherlandscapes?
Forestscontainthemajorityoftheworld’ssurfacewildlifeandsequesteredcarbon.Benefitsofforest
conservationinclude:preservingforestecosystemsandbiodiversity,savingendangeredplantsand
animals,protectingindigenouspeopleslivingwithintheforest,preventingmassivecarbondioxide
emissionsfromcontinuedforestdestruction,andallowingdegradedforeststorecoverandabsorbhuge
quantitiesofcarbondioxide.Conservationofecosystemsotherthanforestofferthesamebenefits,even
ifsometimesreducedperacreasaresultoflowerbio-density.
WhytaketheMillionAcrePledge?
• Highlycosteffectivemeanstohaveahugeimpactintheearth’sbiodiversity&CO2sequestration
• Inspirationandcatalystforsimilaractionbyothers,enablingpledgerstomultiplytheirimpact
HowdoesonefulfilltheMillionAcrePledge?
Severalinternationallyknownconservationcharitieshaveprojectstoprotectorrestoreforestandother
landscapes,andtax-deductiblecharitabledonationscanbemadetofundtheseprojectsinpartorin
whole.Othermethodsincludedirectlyprotectingorrestoringforestandotherecosystemsandinvesting
infor-profitconservationfundsthatearnsaleableconservationcreditsfortheiractions.
Ispledgefulfillmentprogressindependentlyverified?
Atleastannually,theMillionAcrePledgerequirespledgerstoprovideindependentverificationof
financialsupport,theextentandnatureofprojectssupported,andthesuccessofsupportedprojects.
HowmuchdoesitcosttofulfilltheMillionAcrePledge?
Severalcharitiesofferconservationprojectsforaslittleas$1peracre.Taxdeductionbenefitcould
reducethenetcosttoanindividualorbusinesstoaslittleas50centsperacre.Conservationinvolving
landpurchase,ratherthancollaborationwithcurrentlandowners(oftengovernmentsorindigenous
peoples),cancostagreatdealmoreperacre.Overtime,thecostperacreislikelytorise,asthemost
cost-effectiveprojectsareoftenundertakenfirst.
Howmuchcarbonissequesteredperacre?
Anacreofintacttropicalrainforest,forexample,holdsthecarbonequivalenttoabout200tonsofC02,
ignoringanyunderlyingpeat.Thus,¼millionacresofintacttropicalrainforestsafelysequestersthe
equivalentof50milliontonsofCO2,orabouttheannualemissionsof10milliongas-poweredcars.
www.millionacrepledge.org
[email protected]