Contact:

FRED FEINER, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
PHONE: 908-234-1225, EXT. 104
FRED@NJCONSERVATION.ORG

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

National Geographic Photographer Joel Sartore & Open Space Funding Highlight Annual Land Conservation Rally

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ, April 2, 2007 – National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore will be the keynote speaker at the 11th Annual Land Conservation Rally to be held April 28 at the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick. Terrence Nolan, Chairman of the Coalition for Conservation, a statewide coalition urging the renewal of New Jersey’s open space funding program, will also be a featured speaker. Governor Jon Corzine has been invited to address New Jersey’s largest annual gathering of the conservation community.

The Annual Land Conservation Rally, sponsored by the New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF) and New Jersey’s land conservation community, is a daylong event offering nearly 30 workshops, plenary sessions and networking opportunities. Over 300 conservationists attend each year.

Sartore’s keynote address, “On The Land,” will offer a perspective of how we both enjoy and mistreat the natural world. Sartore’s passion for conservation is evident in his work which has appeared in more than 20 National Geographic stories as well as Audubon, Life, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated and Time.

“At it’s heart, ‘On the Land’ is a show that deals with our relationship with the Earth, for better or worse,” said Sartore. “Can we make a living from a place without destroying it? Is there hope for sustainable land use, or is money all that matters, no matter the environmental consequences? Does our society value wilderness beyond the resources we can extract from it? These are all questions that the show examines in detail, using four different areas in various stages of development.”

Pre-registration for the rally is required. Registration fees are $90 per person; $40 for students. For more information, please contact Jennifer Hayden at Jennifer@njconservation.org or 1-888-LAND-SAVE (1-888-526-3728) or visit our website at www.njconservation.org/rally.

As Chairman of the Coalition for Conservation, Terrence Nolan represents a group of over 85 organizations and supporters that have united to form the “New Jersey – Keep It Green Campaign.” The coalition is advocating for the renewal and strengthening of the Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT) in 2007. GSPT, which is New Jersey’s main mechanism for preserving open space, farmland, parks, natural areas and historic sites, will officially run out of money this year. As a result, there will be no further state funding to local governments and nonprofits for new parks and other open space projects unless temporary funding is established. The campaign supports four current state bills, which may eventually be merged, that would enhance and renew open space funding.

Workshop sessions will focus on land stewardship; public policy and planning; environmental law; conservation in developed communities; nonprofit management; and fundraising and communications. Several field trips to preserved lands throughout New Jersey will be held the day before the event – Friday April 27. Complete details on the rally speakers, workshops and field trips can be found on the NJCF website at www.njconservation.org/rally.

The Annual Land Conservation Rally is co-sponsored by NJCF, the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, Conservation Resources, Inc., D&R Greenway Land Trust, Monmouth Conservation Foundation, New Jersey Audubon Society, NJDEP Green Acres Program, NJDEP Land Use Regulation Program, State Agricultural Development Committee, Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, The Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land and Upper Raritan Watershed Association. The Rally is made possible through the generous support of the Victoria Foundation.