[Vision2020] NFWF and Wal-Mart

[Mark Solomon]

Hi Chris,
A great example of "green-washing" -- in this instance the devil is 
in the details. "Landscape level" conservation and "acre-by-acre" 
footprint of Walmart stores don't quite match up. Money is money and 
I'm certainly not saying that WM contributions are not potentially 
valuable, but I can see the ads now: slow camera pan over a 
forest/desert/canyon/lake/etc. Voice over: For every acre of Walmart 
stores built, we save an acre of America's natural heritage for you.

Reality: Using a local example discussed on Vision 2020 recently, the 
cedar grove on Moscow Mountain, estimated value including stumpage is 
somewhere in the 1.3 million dollar range for just under 300 acres. 
Call it $4000/acre. By the requirements of the grant program, WM pays 
half or $2k/acre for $600k total. For the purposes of this argument, 
let's assume that $2k/acre is a good average for the "high 
conservation value" lands that are the focus of the program and it's 
$3.1 million annual budget. That would be 1,550 acres nationwide. 
Walmart plans on building 1500 stores this coming year according to 
news reports. Average footprint of stores and parking lots is @30 
acres or 45,000 acres of Walmart stores this year alone or a deficit 
of 43,450 acres unfunded in their program.

If WM is serious about offsetting their landscape level impacts, 
they'll need to kick in another $86,900,000.

Mark Solomon

At 8:58 AM -0900 2/27/06, Chris Storhok wrote:
>Just in case Moscow loses its battle to Super Wal-Mart:
>
>
>National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Wal-Mart
>              Invites Proposals for Acres for America Program
>
>  Deadline: April 1, 2006 (Pre-proposals)
>
>  A partnership between Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
>  ( <http://www.wal-mart.com/>http://www.wal-mart.com/ ) and the 
>National Fish and  Wildlife Foundation ( 
><http://www.nfwf.org/>http://www.nfwf.org/ ), the Acres  for America 
>program was established to provide funding  for projects that 
>conserve important habitat for fish,  wildlife, and plants through 
>acquisition of interest in  real property. The goal of the Acres for 
>America program  is to offset the footprint of Wal-Mart's domestic 
>facilities on at least an acre-by-acre basis through these 
>acquisitions.
>
>  Through the program, approximately $3.1 million will be  made 
>available annually, for ten years, for conservation  investments.
>
>  To be considered for funding through the Wal-Mart partner-  ship, 
>acquisitions of interest in real property should  have the 
>endorsement of appropriate federal, state, and  local government 
>agencies as an acquisition  with high  conservation value; 
>endorsements by nonprofit conservation  organizations are also a 
>primary consideration. Acquisi-  tions that contribute to "landscape 
>level" conservation  efforts that help reduce fragmentation are 
>preferred over  isolated acquisitions. In addition, important fish, 
>wild-  life, and/or plant resources such as endangered species or 
>areas of significant biological diversity, as identified  by 
>credible conservation agencies or organizations, should  be 
>conserved through the acquisition. The fee transfer or  perpetual 
>easement must qualify for "conservation purposes"
>  as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 170(h). Access  to the 
>land by the public is preferred but not required.
>
>  All grant awards require a minimum 1:1 match of cash or 
>contributed goods and services. Federal funds may be  considered as 
>match. Higher ratios of matching funds will  at times aid in making 
>applications more competitive.
>
>  Visit the NFWF Web site for complete program information  and 
>application procedures.
>
>  RFP Link:
> 
><http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/10001072/nfwf>http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/10001072/nfwf
>
>
>
>Chris Storhok
>North Pole, AK
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