PHOTO: stltoday.com
The Enterprise isn’t just a ship from Star Trek. It’s a company called Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and it’s donating $30 million to The Nature Conservancy’s efforts to preserve and protect watersheds and rivers in the U.S. and in the rest of the world.
Watersheds and rivers play a vital role in the world’s ecosystems. Surface water and stormwater runoff within watersheds eventually drain to other bodies of water, and so the health of watersheds will ultimately effect the health of the world’s water. They supply drinking water, water for agriculture, and important areas of recreation, as well as providing habitats for numerous plants and animals that would otherwise die out. As Watershed Watch says:
“Protection of the natural resources in our watershed is essential to maintain the health and well being of all living things, both now and in the future.”
Well, this Clayton-based car-rental giant is taking this seriously. They’re planning to affect over 150 million people with this donation, protecting crucial focus points including the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The donation will also go to helping restore watersheds and water quality in the Colorado river, as well as in major wetlands and rivers in Canada and Europe.
The donation is going to the nonprofit The Nature Conservancy, based in Arlington Va.. This nonprofit operates in 34 countries and all 50 U.S. states.
“This donation will make a significant impact on us and our mission,” Shelly Lakly, the Nature Conservancy’s managing director of Saving Rivers Strategy said. “We’re at a critical point in the development of the world with population increases and the need for people to work together. It’s truly a tipping point”.
Thanks to this donation, things are looking up for the watersheds of the world.
Watch Bill Nye explain watersheds and their importance below, or learn more about The Nature Conservancy and what you can do to help your local watershed on their website: nature.org.
