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Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Bill Wertz, Wal-Mart: 303-832-0467
John Butler, NFWF: 202-715-0710

WAL-MART STORES, INC. PROVIDES $1 MILLION GRANT TO PROTECT 8,500 ADDITIONAL ACRES IN THE PRARIE POTHOLE REGION

Through the Acres for America Program, in just three years, Wal-Mart has surpassed its goal by conserving three times the amount of acreage originally planned.

“At Wal-Mart, we are committed to giving back to the local communities we serve,” said Bill Wertz, community and media relations director of Wal-Mart’s Central Division. “We are excited that our partnership with Acres for America will allow us to work with PF and DU to accelerate the conservation of these vital habitats.”

The grant, which included $700,000 from Wal-Mart and $300,000 in federal funds from NFWF, will help conserve land in the Prairie Pothole Region of both states. The Prairie Pothole Region plays a vital role as a home and breeding ground for nearly 200 species of songbirds, waterfowl, raptors and game birds. In fact, between 50 and 80 percent of North America’s waterfowl population is hatched in this region.

“This project means a great deal to me, because I grew up in South Dakota and I know just how important these prairies are to waterfowl and other birds,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director of National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. “By purchasing easements on these private lands, we are also helping farmers and ranchers hold on to their families’ land and operations.”

In 2005, NFWF and Wal-Mart launched the Acres for America program with the goal to permanently protect one acre of important wildlife habitat in the United States for every acre of land developed by Wal-Mart. The program was designed to completely offset the company’s corporate land footprint. Pledging $35 million over 10 years to the project, Wal-Mart committed to protecting enough land to account for its stores’ current land-use and development through 2015. In just three years, the program has already surpassed Wal-Mart’s goal by conserving three times the amount of acreage originally planned.  Wal-Mart is the first major retail store to offset its land development footprint with permanently protected conservation lands.

“These dollars from Wal-Mart will help us permanently protect grasslands and wetlands in the Missouri Coteau, the continent’s best of the remaining waterfowl habitat, which is part of the Prarie Pothole region.” said Jeff Nelson, director of DU’s Great Plains Regional Office. “We’re grateful to Wal-Mart and NFWF for helping us keep intact this 10,000-year-old native prairie that is so important to ducks, pheasants and other wildlife.”

South Dakota rancher Wendi Rinehart sees first-hand what the country is losing in the escalating destruction of one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems.

“I’m glad to know that one of America’s largest corporations is working to protect the prairie,” Rinehart said. “I hope their efforts will get others to take a look at what we’re throwing away.”

Through the Acres for America program, Wal-Mart has helped permanently conserve land in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, North Dakota, Oregon, and South Dakota.

"The greatest threat facing the critical habitat in the Prairie Pothole Region is the conversion of the native grasslands and wetlands to croplands," said Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever, Inc.'s national president and CEO. "Wal-Mart and the NFWF must be commended for their roles in continuing to make the Prairie Pothole Region a point of conservation interest."

NFWF manages a semi-annual, competitive process for selecting projects to be funded through the Acres for America program. To learn more about Acres for America, visit, www.nfwf.orgor www.walmartfacts.com.

About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Every week, millions of customers visit Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam’s Club locations across America or log on to its online store at www.walmart.com.  The company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of giving back locally.  Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $270 million to local communities in the United States.  To learn more, visit www.walmartfacts.com, www.walmartstores.com, or www.walmartfoundation.org.

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)

A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation sustains, restores and enhances the Nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats.  Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, NFWF is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes.  Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded nearly 9,500 grants to over 3,000 organizations in the United States and abroad and leveraged – with its partners – more than $400 million in federal funds into more than $1.3 billion for on-the-ground conservation.  For more information, visit www.nfwf.org.

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