It’s my honor to announce today that, with help from our guests, the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) is awarding $2 million to conservation projects around the globe—the highest amount we’ve ever contributed in a single year.

The National Audubon Society, the Jane Goodall Institute, the World Wildlife Fund and The Nature Conservancy are among the more than 70 nonprofit organizations to benefit from the largest DWCF annual grants distribution to date. These organizations are helping to preserve habitats, protect endangered species, foster children and family’s connections to nature, and ensure that future generations can enjoy wildlife and wild places.

I’d like to add my heartfelt appreciation to that of Dr. Beth Stevens, Senior Vice President, Disney Corporate Citizenship, Environment & Conservation, who said about this accomplishment, “We are grateful to the many scientists, educators and community conservationists who devote their lives to conservation and are very proud to work with our guests, fans, employees and cast members to help ensure a better future for our planet.”

DWCF is funded by Disney and contributions by Disney guests. Guests help to support the fund in a variety of ways from adding a dollar or more to their purchases of food and gifts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and select resorts, to participating in special animal experiences on Disney Cruise Line and at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot and Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii, to purchasing reusable shopping bags and other items and at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts.

Highlights of the nearly 100 projects supported in 2011 include:

National Audubon Society “Shorebird Conservation in The Bahamas”: Working with local communities in The Bahamas on environmental education about the importance of conserving one of the most critical sites for migratory shorebird nesting.

The Jane Goodall Institute “Release of Wild Born Mandrills”: Re-introducing mandrills into the wild in the Republic of Congo to study and track the species.

The Nature Conservancy “Establishment of the New RCW population”: Increasing population of the red-cockaded woodpecker in Florida.

World Wildlife Fund “Chimpanzee Conservation Goes to School”: Organizing education and outreach activities among local communities in West Africa to protect chimpanzees.

International Crane Foundation “Safeguarding Poyang Cranes and Wetlands”: Conducting research to support science-based conservation strategies for the Siberian crane, a critically endangered bird.

Since 1995, DWCF has awarded nearly $18 million to support conservation programs in 111 countries. For a complete list of grant recipients and to view The Walt Disney Company’s most recent Conservation Report, visit www.disney.com/conservation. Learn more about Disney’s citizenship efforts at www.disney.com/citizenship

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Filed: Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

Want to find out why scientists are creating “vulture restaurants” to combat the decline of these birds in Nepal? Or perhaps you want to explore the Atlantic forests of Brazil and the tapir —a fascinating pig-like creature that actually is related to the horse and rhino? Or would you rather go fishing to understand the approach to helping Nassau grouper make a comeback?

Now you’re one step closer to these fascinating conservation projects with the new Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund’s (DWCF) Google Earth site, which enables you to take a virtual tour of places around the globe where DWCF is helping to protect wildlife and wild places.

Visitors to the DWCF Facebook page can click on “Discover DWCF” and search by animal type, organization or year funded to “fly” over conservation efforts supported by the DWCF annual grant program www.disney.com/conservation.

On the map, click a project icon and you see a snapshot summary of the project, a photo, and links to videos, websites, and social media sites, if available. You even could be the first to “like” your favorite project, and the story will appear on your Facebook Newsfeed with a link back to the Google Earth site.

The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has contributed more than $15.6 million to non-profit organizations since its inception in 1995 to support everything from training for gorilla patrols in Africa, to satellite support to monitor sea turtles, to a bush camp for children in Zimbabwe to learn about their native African wildlife.

Disney guests support the fund in a variety of ways, from adding a dollar or more to their purchases of food and gifts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and select resorts, to participating in special animal experiences at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot, to purchasing reusable shopping bags and other items on Disney Cruise Line and at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts.

This past Sunday (June 5) was a day of global recognition for World Environment Day. What better time to take a tour around the world, visiting projects that are making a difference for people and nature? And while you’re exploring the DWCF Google Earth site, why not become a fan of the DWCF on Facebook so you can stay up to date on the people and projects the fund supports.

Tagged: Conservation, DAK, WDW

Filed: Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

Disney and the Jane Goodall Institute have worked together on a variety of conservation programs over the years, and we’ve been thrilled that Dr. Jane has been able to take time out of her extremely busy schedule to visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom from the park’s earliest days, including being an honored guest on opening day in 1998.

Here, Dr. Jane visits a carving of David Greybeard, a chimpanzee that holds a very special place in her heart, at The Tree of Life. In 2006, it was our pleasure to honor Dr. Jane with a Conservation Legacy Award from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.

As Disney’s Animal Kingdom celebrated its 10th anniversary, Dr. Jane and 100 young people from 28 countries participating in the 2008 Jane Goodall Global Youth Summit at the Walt Disney World Resort took time out to join the festivities. The young people were representatives from Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, a program that engages hundreds of thousands of children and teens in almost 120 countries to make positive change happen for communities, animals and the environment.

Next month, Dr. Jane will be hosting a Walt Disney World Safari VIP Weekend, a fund-raising event for the Jane Goodall Institute. She will be meeting with her Guests during this special trip. More details about joining Dr. Jane February 18-21 are available at http://www.janegoodall.org/travelwithjgi.

Tagged: Conservation, DAK, WDW

Filed: Celebrity Visits, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

It’s a very exciting week for the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF). We are proud to announce the 2010 recipients of the “Disney Conservation Heroes” awards at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) conference in Houston where more than 2,000 professionals from zoos and aquariums across North America are gathered. You might know already that Disney’s Animal Kingdom and The Seas with Nemo & Friends are accredited by AZA.

Our six honorees this year are men and women who have made great personal sacrifice. Some of them are self-taught conservationists — one is even a reformed poacher. All have gone to extraordinary lengths for wildlife. They’ve saved chimpanzees from wildfires, protected sea turtles from poachers and reintroduced a rare species into an area where it had disappeared. Our own Dr. Jackie Ogden, Vice President, Animal Programs and Environmental Initiatives, Disney Parks, who is being recognized herself this week for years of service supporting AZA’s commitment to conservation, called them “extraordinary individuals who are passionate about protecting animals and habitats.”

In fact we ALL have the power to make a difference for wildlife and wild places – through volunteerism — through gifts of time or money — and through personal or professional commitment. I encourage you to read our Conservation Heroes’ stories at www.disney.com/conservation. I couldn’t help but be inspired by their dedication and accomplishments. I know you will be too.

Tagged: Conservation, WDW

Filed: Walt Disney World Resort