Causes: Environment, Natural Resources Conservation & Protection

Mission: The foundations two-fold mission is to protect and nurture the environment, particularly threatened species of pine trees, while teaching disadvantaged younger adults how to create jobs and become agribusiness entrepreneurs, caring for the environment in a sustainable way.

Programs: Agribusiness entrepreneurship training. During this year the foundation hired a fulltime director of training programs, which has enabled the foundation to greatly expand its training programs and to help an older age bracket, particularly among minorities. New training successes include work with boy scout troops, vietnamese refugees, farmer and timber groups throughout north carolina with plans to expand offerings to neighboring states next year. Also, we are beginning to offer education and coaching to teach potential new agribusiness entrepreneurs how to diversity to several services and product lines which can create more jobs among minority, younger, and disadvantaged people in both rural and urban areas.

tree preservation efforts. We have emphasized helping mostly hispanics while working with land owners in several states to preserve long leaf pine trees. Our initial efforts have included both educational efforts with some landowners plus leasing land to prevent development which would harm or destroy pine forests. However, we are supplementing these efforts with discussions about conservation easements to provide more permanent preservation of pristine pine forest land.

social responsibility projects. The foundation has been exploring opportunities to work with a wider range of organizations to jointly bring self-employment opportunities and appreciation for preserving the environment to an ever-broader number of people.