One of the biggest grocery chains in the Southeast is putting its money behind a major conservation effort in South Carolina.
Florida-based Publix donated $1 million to The Nature Conservancy, a global conservation nonprofit, the company said in a news release. The funding will support the nonprofit’s conservation efforts in South Carolina and Florida, two of the eight states in which Publix operates.
In South Carolina, TNC will use Publix’s funding to restore 4,000 acres of the state’s longleaf pine forests, one of the world’s biologically-richest ecosystems and home to several rare and endangered plant and animal species, the news release said.
“Our sustainability efforts are guided by our mission statement, which calls for us to be responsible citizens in our communities,” Paul Osley, director of environmental and sustainability programs at Publix, said in the news release. “Teaming up with The Nature Conservancy allows us to invest in science-based solutions that help restore the natural resources our communities depend on.”
Longleaf pine forests once covered roughly 97 million acres of the southeast, according to the news release, but only 4 percent of their original footprint remain due to deforestation, natural disasters and other factors. They also play a critical role in water systems, helping return water to nearby streams, wetlands and aquifers.
The Publix and TNC restoration process will occur through prescribed or controlled burns, the news release said, which will “help reduce competing vegetation that consume large amounts of water.” Consequently, more rainfall will reach groundwater resources, improving the health of the forests and wildlife habitat.
Nearly 500 miles south, in the Sunshine State, Publix’s million-dollar donation will also fund the conservancy’s efforts to revitalize Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, which is home to more than 4,300 animal species, the news release stated.
The lagoon faces ecological threats from excess nutrients in stormwater runoff, contributing to the formation of harmful algae blooms that block sunlight and lead to significant losses in seagrass — a key source of food and shelter for the aforementioned animal species.
“The Nature Conservancy brings global expertise to challenges facing rivers, wetlands, lakes and coastal ecosystems,” said Temperince Morgan, Southern division director at TNC. “We know that lasting results come from strong local action. We are grateful for Publix’s support to advance clean water and thriving forests for future generations.”
Publix was founded in 1930 in Winter Haven, Fla., during The Great Depression. The brand has since expanded into seven other southeastern states, with about 74 stores in South Carolina.
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