For years, Disney has captivated Americans with the animals of the forests and jungles in beloved feature films like Bambi and The Lion King. Now, the company is showing some real love to wildlife with a $7 million donation to forest projects in the Amazon, the Congo, and U.S. safeguarded ecosystems.
The Disney investment, the largest corporate donation ever made to conservatory efforts, is made in partnership with leading non-governmental organizations Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy and The Conservation Fund.
Robert Iger, president and CEO of Disney, says the company believes "it’s essential to take swift action to preserve our most vulnerable natural environments for future generations."
The project could also prove beneficial for members of the current generation as the burning of tropical forests is said to account for 20 percent of greenhouse gas pollution. Moreover, healthy forests are the source of food, shelter, and income for millions of people worldwide today – millions who find their livelihood diminishing.
Each year, an estimated 50,000 square miles of forest disappear. Lawrence Selzer, president and CEO of The Conservation Fund says "the decline is so incremental, it masks a crisis."
The Disney-funded projects will both decrease carbon emissions and economically assist area communities working with Conservation International to design and implement the projects at the local level. The projects will also directly provide relief for endangered species, such as the gorilla of the Congo.
Leaders of the related conservatory organizations think Disney’s involvement could build confidence and start a positive trend in wildlife preservation efforts.
Peter Seligmann, CEO and chairman of Conservation International, hopes the project will demonstrate "the key role tropical forest conservation must play in emerging climate change policies."
Mark Tercek, president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy agrees. "This innovative project will give private landowners the support they need to join the global fight against climate change and restore local habitats for the betterment of both people and nature." 