Walmart, NFWF Renew Acres for America Conservation Effort

Key benefits of the project include improving local systems and protecting habitats for wildlife species.
Over 10 million acres have been conserved, including land acquisitions that connected national parks and state wildlife areas.

Walmart and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) have renewed the Acres for America program for another 10 years, with the former setting aside $34.5 million for wildlife protection.

The programme was introduced in 2005, and Walmart's commitment is now over $100 million, representing the largest donation to NFWF since its formation in 1984.

The company's first contribution was $34.5 million, aimed at conserving one acre of wildlife habitat for every acre of land developed by the company in the US. The programme has succeeded and exceeded its goals, conserving over 2 million acres of land.

The projects have taken place in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. They have helped preserve wildlife, build community resilience, and create public recreational spaces.

"Acres for America was a simple idea in the beginning, a way for Walmart to play a part in preserving key natural habitats across the U.S.," said Hunter Hart, senior vice president of Walmart Realty. "What we've achieved since then has gone far beyond what was first imagined, and we're excited to continue this commitment and working alongside NFWF."

“Walmart’s sustained commitment to conservation is as inspirational as it is significant,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “The company has helped make more than 125 projects a reality from Maine to California and everywhere in between. Thousands of species of our native wildlife are dependent on the habitats protected and connected by Acres for America projects. This focus on conserving the best places in America is something meaningful that will benefit our wildlife and local communities for generations to come.”

The new $34.5 million funding will help several projects across the US, such as saving barrier islands in North Carolina, preserving wildlife corridors in Rhode Island, and guarding wetlands in South Carolina, etc.