Student Environmental Leaders Return Home from Amazon Research Expedition

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Sixteen college juniors from universities around the country are returning home after a once-in-a-lifetime expedition to the Amazon and the Brazilian southeast working side-by-side with conservation scientists looking to protect the rainforest and the thousands of species living there.

WASHINGTON - Sixteen college juniors from universities around the country are returning home after a once-in-a-lifetime expedition to the Amazon and the Brazilian southeast working side-by-side with conservation scientists looking to protect the rainforest and the thousands of species living there.


The research expedition is part of a prestigious environmental leadership program developed by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Nissan North America (NNA). Now in its second year, the Nissan-WWF Environmental Leadership Program provides student leaders the opportunity to examine environmental issues and become effective advocates for conservation. The program is part of a $1 million partnership between NNA and WWF which will also help support WWF field conservation projects in the United States and Brazil.


While in the expedition, the students conducted field research alongside the Instituto de Pesquisas Ecologicas (IPE) concentrating their work on habitat conservation for endangered species like the black lion tamarin, agro-forestry issues and looking at ecosystem services. The students also interacted with the local communities, participating in cultural activities and hearing personal accounts from locals who have seen the destruction to the area and long-term effects first-hand.


"Bringing the students into the field to work with conservation scientists on the ground was an essential part of this program," said Shaun Martin, WWF director of conservation leadership programs. "It exposed them to the muddy- boots side of conservation and allowed them to see first-hand the natural environments we're working so hard to conserve."


The Amazon spans the borders of eight countries and is the source of one- fifth of the Earth's river water. It is the planet's largest rainforest and is home to millions of species, providing one of the world's last refuges for jaguars, harpy eagles, and pink dolphins among others. Despite its natural richness, the Amazon ecosystem is fragile and plagued by illegal logging, slash-and-burn agriculture and other human impacts, which are consuming the forest at the rate of over 9,000 square miles per year.


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As part of the partnership with WWF, NNA is donating $150,000 to WWF- Brazil to help establish new protected areas in the region, areas which are essential to preserving the Amazon and the surrounding areas.


"This program provides a rare opportunity to examine environmental issues from a variety of perspectives in different parts of the world. We hope the students will use what they have learned to serve as environmental ambassadors on their campuses, in their communities and in their future careers," said Dominique Thormann, NNA senior vice-president, finance & administration.


Each winner of the Nissan-WWF Environmental Leadership Award received a $5,000 cash prize. In addition to the research expedition in Brazil, the students participated in an Environmental Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. and Nashville, Tennessee, where they studied conservation and environmental policymaking and visited institutions like the Environmental Protection Agency and the World Bank. They also participated in personal development seminars and cross-cultural training activities to help prepare them for leadership roles in the global community. The award recipients represent a diverse range of backgrounds and were selected based on their demonstrated leadership, academic achievement, and commitment to the environment.


The program was officially carbon neutral as carbon emissions from all air travel was offset by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.


Nissan and WWF first launched the Environmental Leadership Program in 2006. Last year's student winners also received a $5,000 prize, attended a four-day Environmental Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., and traveled to South Africa for a two-week research expedition.


*Please see below for a listing of the selected students who are participating in the 2007 Nissan-WWF Environmental Leadership Program.


About Nissan North America, Inc.


In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan directly employs more than 24,000 people in the United States, Canada and Mexico and generates an additional 70,000 jobs at about 1,200 Nissan and Infiniti dealerships in the United States.


Nissan's global approach to environmental protection focuses on managing CO2 emissions; protecting the air, water and soil; and recycling of resources. Nissan places a high priority on effective environmental management, and that discipline is evident among Nissan's research, design, engineering, manufacturing and distribution operations around the world. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at http://www.nissanusa.com/ and http://www.infiniti.com/.


About World Wildlife Fund


For more than 45 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The largest multinational conservation organization in the world, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF's unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level, from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature. Go to worldwildlife.org to learn more.


* Kali Albright, Stanford University; Erin Allen, University of Michigan; Erin Byers, University of Tennessee; Robyn Chaplin, University of Tennessee; Chris Detjen, University of Michigan; Desirae Early, University of California - Berkley; Monique Fahie, Alcorn State University; Gregory Johnson, Tougaloo College; Gregory Lee, Stanford University; Nicole Leung, University of Texas - Austin; Andrew Maggetti, Wayne State University; Ngo Ky, University of California - Berkeley; Tremaine Larel Phillips, Michigan Sate University; Clinton Sands, Fisk University; Anne Mariah Tapp, University of Texas - Austin; Morgan Weldon, University of Mississippi.


Website: http://www.worldwildlife.org/nissanleaders


Website: http://www.infiniti.com/


Website: http://www.nissanusa.com/