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NICHES Receives Cargill Cares Community Fund Grant

 

NICHES Land Trust is excited to announce it is a recipient of a Cargill Cares Community Fund Grant!

 Earlier this year, NICHES Land Trust was awarded $30,000 from Cargill to support land stewardship projects. NICHES is currently utilizing the funds for conservation activities across 4,720-acres in multiple counties. Stewardship activities include our prescribed fire program, invasive species control work, woodland management, habitat restoration work, and maintenance of our trails and water access points.

"NICHES is grateful for Cargill's support. We are glad to see a major corporation invest in the environment for our region. With these funds, we will protect natural areas for the benefit of the plants and wildlife who live there and for our community members. Active stewardship of natural areas is paramount for the health of habitats, including maintaining and increasing biodiversity, and protecting ecosystems that are sustainable into the future," says NICHES Land Trust's Executive Director Shannon Stanis. "At its heart, our work aims to meet the need for accessible and lasting locations where community members can enjoy, appreciate, and learn from the natural environment around them."

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, NICHES trails and properties have seen record high visitation, as there became an overwhelming recognition of the important of natural area recreation for personal and community wellbeing. This increased visitation emphasized the importance of the organization's work and increases needs for trail and property maintenance.

With Cargill's support, NICHES is working to clean, restore, and protect lands that would otherwise be overrun by invasive species and educating community members about the importance of caring for the native habitats. NICHES staff, board, and volunteers understand the importance of educating of local community members regarding how everyone can preserve and enrich the land, even in their own backyard. Through this funding, NICHES properties will also continue to serve the community with clean and well-kept parks and recreation areas where the local governments cannot.

Cargill's website affirms their commitment to supporting organizations like NICHES:
"We are committed to feeding the world in a safe and responsible way; reducing our environmental impact; and improving the communities where we live and work. We are passionate about our purpose to be the global leader in nourishing people and operating responsibly across the agricultural, food, industrial and financial markets we serve." Through more than 350 Cargill Cares Councils, the company's employees contribute millions of dollars and lend more than 100,000 hours of their time and talent to volunteer activities that have a local impact.