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JL
<br />COMMON GROUND VOL. 13 NO. 1 JANUARY -MARCH 2002
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<br />■ Chicago and Mexico City have joined
<br />American Electric Power, BP, Alliant En-
<br />ergy and dozens of other companies in the
<br />development of North America's first carbon
<br />emissions trading system. The Joyce Foun-
<br />dation (joycefdn.org, 312/782 -2464) has
<br />given $1.1 million to Northwestern Univer-
<br />sity and Environmental Financial Products
<br />to establish the Chicago Climate Exchange
<br />(312/554 -3350, chicagoclimatex.com). The
<br />exchange, to open later this year, will enable
<br />participants to get credit for voluntary emis-
<br />sion reductions and buy and sell credits to
<br />reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 57o be-
<br />low 1999 levels over 5 years. Credits will be
<br />given for emission offset projects, including
<br />methane destruction, solar and wind energy
<br />projects and reforestation.
<br />■ Johnson & Johnson recently awarded a
<br />$50,000 grant to The Conservation Fund to
<br />accelerate work in three community -led con-
<br />servation efforts: brownfield redevelopment,
<br />urban green infrastructure and conservation
<br />programs for disadvantaged youth.
<br />■ The Philip Morris Companies has
<br />awarded a $40,000 grant to The Conserva-
<br />tion Fund to help create the nation's first
<br />land trust that helps African - Americans re-
<br />tain land ownership, protect critical land and
<br />water resources, implement sustainable farm
<br />practices and spur economic development
<br />that showcases African - American heritage.
<br />The Sandhills Family Heritage Association
<br />(SFHA, 919/489 -2416, sandhillsfamily
<br />@yahoo.com), led by Ammie Jenkins, is
<br />serving African - American landowners in the
<br />six - county Sandhills region of eastern North
<br />Carolina, one of the country's most signifi-
<br />cant and endangered ecosystems. SFHA will
<br />provide programs that use conservation
<br />techniques to help black land owners retain
<br />their property, preserve the area's natural
<br />resources and celebrate local cultural and
<br />historical heritage. SFHA, the Land Loss
<br />Prevention Project and the Fund also are
<br />sponsoring workshops on land ownership
<br />laws. The partners are seeking funding to
<br />buy conservation easements to protect Afri-
<br />can- American land ownership in the area.
<br />Selzer Succeeds Turner as Fund's CEO
<br />■ Lawrence A. Selzer has been chosen as
<br />president and CEO of The Conservation Fund
<br />The Fund also has hired an Illinois state
<br />director and a Montana field representative.
<br />Selzer succeeds John Turner, who joined
<br />the Bush administration Nov. 13 as Assistant
<br />Secretary of State for Oceans and Interna-
<br />tional Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
<br />Selzer, who joined the Fund in 1990, most
<br />recently served as senior vice president of the
<br />Fund's sustainable programs. He was respon-
<br />sible for the Fund's American Greenways Pro-
<br />gram, the Freshwater Institute, the Conserva-
<br />tion Leadership Network, the Civil War Battle-
<br />field Campaign, Resourceful Communities
<br />Program, sustainable forestry and six state
<br />field offices. Selzer, 41, earned his undergradu-
<br />ate degree in environmental sciences from
<br />Wesleyan University and ran marine research
<br />programs out of Woods Hole, Mass., before re-
<br />ceiving a master's degree in business from the
<br />University of Virginia.
<br />"Larry brings a unique combination of
<br />skills and experience to meeting new chal-
<br />lenges," said Patrick Noonan, chairman of
<br />the Fund. "He is at the forefront of 'smart
<br />conservation,' which balances economic re-
<br />turn with environmental principles. Larry
<br />has shown that we can create productive, in-
<br />novative partnerships with the private sector
<br />and work with public agencies to achieve
<br />long range economic and environmental
<br />goals. We welcome his leadership," he said.
<br />Turner joined the Fund in 1993 after
<br />serving as director of the Fish and Wildlife
<br />Service during the first Bush administration.
<br />As president, Turner guided the Fund to
<br />help conserve more that 3 million acres of
<br />wildlife habitat, river corridors, historic sites
<br />and community open space. "I speak for all
<br />of us in expressing admiration for John's
<br />commitment to conservation and his contri-
<br />butions to public service," Noonan said.
<br />■ The Conservation welcomes staff mem-
<br />bers, William "Will" Humphrey and Gates
<br />Watson. Humphrey (whumphrey@conserva-
<br />tionfund.org, 312/332- 6292), the Fund's new
<br />Illinois state director, came from Jones Lang
<br />LaSalle, a real estate services, development
<br />and investment management firm. Watson
<br />(406/541-8555, gwatson @conservationfund.
<br />org), the new Montana field representative,
<br />most recently worked at the Pennsylvania
<br />Environmental Council near Pittsburgh.
<br />A grant from
<br />Philip Morris
<br />Companies will
<br />help establish
<br />the nations first
<br />land trust to help
<br />African- Americans
<br />protect their land
<br />and heritage.
<br />Selzer has shown
<br />that we can create
<br />productive,
<br />innovative
<br />partnerships with
<br />the private sector
<br />and work with
<br />public agencies to
<br />achieve long range
<br />economic and
<br />environmental
<br />goals.
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