November 13, 2022 - TRA Newswire  - 

Union Pacific Railroad will be donating $3 million to three The Nature Conservancy projects in the next three years, including one for watershed health in North Texas.

UP is adding Environmental Sustainability as a fourth pillar for its Community Ties Giving Program, extending the company’s commitment to reducing the impacts of climate change and building a more sustainable economy to its community investments. The Nature Conservancy (TNC), a nonprofit dedicated to conserving the lands and water on which life depends, has been selected to help further the mission of the new pillar for the next three years.

In North Texas, UP will help underwrite Reconnecting Critical Landscapes for Watershed Health in North Texas (Dallas, TX). The project will improve watershed health, climate resilience and expand grasslands restoration in the Upper Basin of the Trinity River, the watershed of the fastest growing metroplex in the United States. Bringing together multiple conservation strategies and partners, this work will advance community resilience, protect biodiversity, secure water supplies, and build a more resilient future for people and nature across North Texas.

“Adding Environmental Sustainability as a priority area for Union Pacific’s Community Ties Giving Program ties into our overall strategy,” said Beth Whited, executive vice president – Sustainability and Strategy and Chief Human Resource Officer. “We are deeply committed to reducing our impact on the environment through several internal and external initiatives outlined in our Climate Action Plan. Extending this commitment to our community investments will allow us to make an even bigger impact in communities across our 23-state footprint.”

TNC was selected because its work aligns closely with the railroad’s goals and objectives, which are to: preserve and restore nature; protect and enhance water or air quality; reduce waste; develop environmental stewards; and advance a green economy.

Other TNC projects funded by Union Pacific will be grassland protection within the upper Elkhorn River watershed in Nebraska and rewilding former agricultural lands in Tulare County, CA. 

• “The Nature Conservancy is deeply grateful for Union Pacific’s support in addressing the impacts of climate change,” said Suzanne Scott, Texas state director of The Nature Conservancy. “From improving water quality and protecting key places to creating more resilient communities, this collaboration will help make a difference in Nebraska, California, and Texas. We’re excited to work with Union Pacific and demonstrate just how powerful nature can be as a climate solution.”
  

The other three pillars in Union Pacific’s Community Ties Giving Program are Safety, Workforce Development and Community Spaces. Like these pillars, the company will offer local and regional grants under the Environmental Sustainability pillar. More information is available at UP.com/CommunityTies.

Photo credit: Union Pacific