Our History: 2000

Fall colors at Pike Creek on the east face of Steens Mountain. Photo © Greg Burke

In the final year of the Clinton administration, conservationists pressed hard to solidify their gains. Years of hard work by the Soda Mountain Wilderness Council in Oregon were rewarded with the creation of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. In southeastern Oregon, a cooperative effort between the Oregon Natural Desert Association and state and federal officials resulted in protection of the Steens Mountain Area.

Culminating five years of policy discussions and advocacy, the Clinton administration approved the Roadless Areas Protection Rule, protecting 50 million acres of unroaded federal land from development. These areas represent some of the best remaining wildlife and fisheries habitat in Southeast Alaska and the lower 48 states.

Grantmaking Highlights

One of the most powerful voices in the struggle to maintain protection of Alaska's Arctic Refuge are the Gwich'in, a native community that relies upon the Porcupine Caribou herd for their culture and subsistence. To help amplify their voice, the foundation awarded them with a grant in 2000, underscoring the important connection between irreplaceable ecological resources and human communities which depend on their integrity.

A very different kind of voice is that of the next generation of environmental leaders, often overlooked in the high-profile campaigns that make the headlines. The foundation's first grant to Green Corps was seen as an opportunity to begin making a serious investment in the future of the environmental movement. This organization recruits and trains an amazing cadre of talented young people to serve as the ground troops for environmental campaigns around the country.

Bringing the voice of the consumer to the defense of Canada's ancient forests, in 2000 we made our first investment in Greenpeace's Canadian Markets Initiative, an innovative strategy that uses market pressure to influence logging practices in Canada. Over the years, this savvy campaign has had a significant impact on the practices of the British Columbia forestry industry and stands as a model for other similar efforts.

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