Great news from Disneynature. They were able to make grants to 14 national parks with the funds generated during the opening week of “Bears.” A big thank you to everyone who made it out to support the film and our nation’s beautiful national parks. The full press release is below:
The National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, has awarded Disneynature Impact Grants to 14 national parks thanks to the significant support generated during opening week of Disneynature’s “Bears.” These grants provide critical financial support needed to transform innovative, yet underfunded, ideas into successful in-park programs and initiatives.
Disneynature pledged to make a contribution to the National Park Foundation through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund for each person who saw Disneynature’s “Bears” during opening week.
“Thanks to Disneynature’s support and commitment to preserving and protecting America’s national parks, we are able to fund much-needed conservation projects like studying and protecting endangered species, restoring more than 400,000 acres of national park land, and much more,” said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “We are thankful for our relationship with Disney and the profound impact we are making together in our national parks.”
Ranging in size and scope, each of the selected parks demonstrated a clear need in which funding would make a profound difference in the areas of habitat restoration, wildlife protection, and/or conservation research. Programs made possible through the 2014 Impact Grants include:
- Black Bear Research at Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
This project will examine black bear movement and habitat use in and surrounding Bryce Canyon National Park by radio-collaring black bears. The park will also develop educational outreach programs for real-time interpretation of black bear movement and conservation challenges as well as curricula for schools. - Habitat Restoration at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee
Wetlands are uncommon in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, yet provide critical habitat for diverse native plants and animals, some found nowhere else in the park. Bears, bobcats, foxes, birds, amphibians, and fish call wetlands home, but these habitats are severely impacted by invasive plant species. This project will allow for invasive plant removal, seed collection, propagation and planting of native species, and educational outreach.
- Frog Conservation at Yosemite National Park, California
The Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog (Rana sierrae) was once the most abundant vertebrate in the mountains of California, but steep population declines during the past century have pushed this species to the brink of extinction. The park will tag and radio-track frogs to identify critical habitats and movement corridors. These efforts will improve the effectiveness of conservation actions undertaken to recover this frog.
The entire list of the 2014 Impact Grants recipients, receiving funding thanks to Disneynature’s support, includes:
- Bryce Canyon National Park (UT)
- Capitol Reef National Park (UT)
- Congaree National Park (SC)
- Coronado National Memorial (AZ)
- Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (KY,TN,VA)
- Dinosaur National Monument (CO,UT)
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC,TN)
- Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park (HI)
- Little River Canyon National Preserve (AL)
- Mammoth Cave National Park (KY)
- National Park Service RTCA Florida Field Office (FL)
- Rocky Mountain National Park (CO)
- Wupatki National Monument (AZ)
- Yosemite National Park (CA)
I love that Disneynature does this for one of our nation’s truly great resources. Are any of the projects supported near you?