U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Presents 2004 National Wetlands Group Conservation Award to the Machias River Corridor Coalition

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Presents 2004 National Wetlands
Group Conservation Award to the Machias River Corridor Coalition 


WASHINGTON, July 1  /PRNewswire/ -- The Machias River Corridor Coalition -- a
partnership between private industry, environmental groups, state and federal
agencies -- is being honored today with one of the nation's top environmental
conservation awards, in recognition of a landmark 2003 agreement which ensures
wetlands conservation in Maine.

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Steve Williams, the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, presented
the 2004 National Wetlands Group Conservation Award to the Machias River
Corridor Coalition today in a ceremony at the Smithsonian National Postal
Museum, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes
excellence in the development, restoration and enhancement of wetlands
nationwide. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the Federal Duck Stamp
unveiling.

"We're absolutely thrilled to receive such a prestigious award," said Dave
Lieser, Northern region manager-Forest Resources for International Paper, one
of the partners in the Machias River Corridor Coalition. "It is quite an honor,
and our IP team members consider it a privilege to be recognized with so many
outstanding organizations."

The Machias River Corridor Coalition represents a model partnership between
International Paper, The Nature Conservancy, the Maine Atlantic Salmon
Commission, and the Maine Department of Conservation. Additional support came
from many other organizations including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Machias River Watershed Council, the Downeast Rivers Land Trust, the Quoddy
Regional Land Trust and Trout Unlimited. Maine's Congressional delegation
worked hard to secure more than $4 million in federal funding for the project.
Together, these public and private organizations purchased and conserved nearly
25,000 acres and more than 210 miles of Machias River shoreline. The Machias
River project ensures critical habitat conservation, public access and
sustainable forestry in Maine.

"From its inception, the Machias River project has been a shared vision between
local residents, industry and government partners," said Maine Department of
Conservation Commissioner Patrick McGowan. "This collaborative effort has
successfully protected the ecological, recreational and economic value of an
outstanding river system -- one that truly defines the unique outdoor heritage
of our state."

The $7.8 million project, which runs from the outlet of Third Machias Lake east
to Whitneyville, enhances critical habitat for Atlantic salmon in Maine through
the protection of 4,283 acres of wetlands and hundreds of miles of rivers. The
National Wetlands Group Conservation Award recognizes this collaborative
effort, which helps to ensure the long-term protection of riparian wetlands and
endangered Atlantic salmon habitat in the Machias River System.

"This project is pretty incredible," said Stewart Fefer, project leader for the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Gulf of Maine Coastal Program. "It's a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect an entire river corridor."

Atlantic salmon, which were officially listed as an Endangered Species in 2000,
will be able to spawn and nurture juvenile fish in the Machias River habitat.
The agreement ensures that 86 percent of the endangered Atlantic salmon habitat
in the Machias River System will be protected for perpetuity. The Machias River
habitat is home to 20 percent of the remaining wild Atlantic salmon spawning
and nursery habitat in the United States.

Under the terms of the Machias River Corridor agreement, conservation easements
encompass wetlands, forests and rivers -- including 1,000 feet on each side of
the Machias River and six major tributaries. New construction and development
activities are prohibited within the easement areas.

"Because of this model, partnerships like this are becoming the standard mode
of operation in Maine where non-profits, business, and government are seeking
ways to work together rather than finding excuses not to," said Tom Rumpf
Acting State Director of the Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.

Public access for traditional backcountry recreational activities such as
hunting, fishing, canoeing, camping and hiking -- which are currently provided
by International Paper -- is guaranteed forever, according to the agreement.
Sustainable wood harvesting management, which is designed to enhance wildlife
habitat, will be managed under the guidelines pioneered by International Paper.
"The Machias River is considered to be one of the jewels in the state of
Maine," said Lieser. "International Paper is proud to be part of such a
significant project."

Funding for the project came from a variety of public and private sources
including a $2 million grant from the Federal Forest Legacy Program, a $2
million U.S. Fish and Wildlife Recovery Land Acquisition Grant, $2.8 million in
matching funds from the State of Maine's "Land for Maine's Future" Board and
$400,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The Nature Conservancy
raised more than $1 million in private funds to support the acquisition and
stewardship of the project.

"A lot of work was done by all the partners to finalize this deal," said Pat
Keliher, executive director of the Atlantic Salmon Commission. "To see all that
hard work recognized by a national award makes it all the more gratifying. We
are truly honored."

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL PAPER

International Paper ( http://www.internationalpaper.com/ ) businesses include
paper, packaging and forest products. As one of the largest private landowners
in the world, International Paper foresters and ecologists manage the woods
with great care in compliance with the rigorous standards of the Sustainable
Forestry Initiative program. The SFI program is an independent certification
system that ensures the perpetual planting, growing and harvesting of trees
while protecting wildlife, biodiversity, plants, soil, air and water quality.
In the U.S. alone, International Paper protects more than 1.5 million acres of
unique and environmentally important habitat on hits forestlands through
conservation easements and land sales to environmental groups. The company also
has a long-standing policy of using no wood from endangered forests.
Headquartered in the United States, International Paper has operations in more
than 40 countries and sells its products in more than 120 nations.

ABOUT THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

The Nature Conservancy is a private, nonprofit conservation organization
dedicated to the protection of the plants, animals and natural communities that
represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters
they need to survive. Since its founding in 1956 by Rachel Carson and others,
the Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy has protected nearly 675,000 acres
of Maine's finest wildlife habitat. With the help of more than 11,000
individual, corporate and foundation supporters and numerous volunteers, the
Chapter owns and manages Maine's largest system of privately- owned nature
preserves. Approximately 900,000 members support the Conservancy's work
internationally, and the organization has grown to be the nation's tenth
largest nonprofit. 

Atlantic Salmon Commission; Department of Conservation

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http://photoarchive.ap.org/

DATASOURCE: The Nature Conservancy; International Paper;



CONTACT:  Bruce Kidman, The Nature Conservancy, [phone],

; Pat Kelliher, Atlantic Salmon Commission, [phone];

Jim Crocker, Department of Conservation, [phone]; Rick Ouellette,

International Paper, [phone], 



Web site:  http://www.internationalpaper.com/ 

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