Pennies for the Planet

TogetherGreen the environmental initiative created through an alliance between the National Audubon Society and Toyota, has selected Francis Beidler Forest as one of three entities nationwide to receive funds from its “Pennies for the Planet” program.



The program kicks off in the Fall of 2008 and continues through June of 2009. Thousands of classrooms will receive information about the program through Weekly Reader and Audubon Adventures (Audubon’s in school environmental education program in 5,000 classrooms). Additional promotion will be provided through educational networks including museums, zoos and aquariums; Toyota dealerships; and “Pennies for the Planet” online, part of the http://www.togethergreen.org/ website.

Educational materials will include educators’ guides with activity ideas and information about conservation, posters highlighting the importance of conservation, and online information and activities. Every penny raised through “Pennies for the Planet” will be equally divided among the three conservation projects selected by TogetherGreen:


1) Francis Beidler Forest as the “Habitat Conservation” selection;

2) Sagebrush Ecosystem Initiative as the research entity;

3) Project Puffin (Maine) for the bird focus.

The funds that will be given to Beidler Forest will ONLY be used toward the purchase of habitat for protection. By taking part, kids get a chance to tackle local challenges while raising funds to support national biodiversity conservation. And every participant will receive special recognition on the “Pennies for the Planet” website.

Pennies for the Planet is an excellent environmental project for classrooms, after-school clubs, Scout Troops and others to talk about the importance of our natural world and the need to protect it locally and globally. Pennies for the Planet educations kits will be available nationwide starting in the fall or picked up from any Audubon Center - including Beidler Forest! Teachers, home-schooling parents and anyone interested in helping young people learn more about species and wildlife, conservation action projects in their communities, and the protection of wild places and the creatures who live there, are invited to participate.

Additional information can be found at http://www.togethergreen.org/.


Images by Mark Musselman