To commemorate its 5^th anniversary, Syngenta, a leading global agribusiness, has teamed with The Conservation Fund to plant a tree for each of Syngenta America’s 4,171 employees. The native trees will help to create wildlife habitat, enhance public recreation areas and address climate change across the Lower Mississippi Alluvial River Valley, an area whose forests were recently damaged by Hurricane Katrina. 

The partners will mark the initiative with a ceremonial tree planting, scheduled for December 14, 2005.  Hosted by Syngenta at its St. Gabriel facility, located between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the event will bring together Syngenta employees and local community leaders. 

“It is our hope that these trees will thrive through the years, the same wish we have for our employees, company and the natural environment,” said Valdemar Fischer, Syngenta America Chairman.  “This also symbolizes our commitment to being good corporate citizens in the areas in which we work and live.”

The donation is being made in the context of Syngenta’s global initiative to plant a tree for every employee.  Some 20,000 trees in all will be planted in Africa, and programs in each country in which Syngenta operates will also plant a tree for every employee in support of specific environmental and social initiatives.  In total, as many as 40,000 trees could be planted worldwide through the anniversary recognition.

“America’s farms and forests are among our most important natural resources, benefiting both our economy and our environment. Therefore, it is more important than ever that we join together to restore these landscapes that serve as the backbone of our natural systems,” said Larry Selzer, president of The Conservation Fund. “We applaud Syngenta and its employees for their commitment to conservation and its support of this reforestation project that not only enhances wildlife habitat but also addresses one of our biggest environmental issues, climate change.”

Because The Conservation Fund plants only native trees, the project will help to restore the area's ecology and fight climate change. As these trees grow, they will absorb and sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In addition to trapping the dangerous gases that cause climate change, these new forests help to minimize soil erosion, protect water quality, restore wildlife habitat and enhance public recreation areas.

Next spring, The Conservation Fund will plant Syngenta’s trees in select parks and wildlife refuges across the Lower Mississippi River Valley. Once densely covered with trees, the region has lost more than 20 million acres of bottomland hardwood forest in the last century.

“This tree planting program adds to our record of contribution to and involvement in the local community,” said Robert Slaven, Plant Manager of the Syngenta St. Gabriel facility.  “After people in this area dealt with so much destruction, we are pleased to be contributing to a focus on growth and new life.”

Demonstrating its commitment to environmental stewardship and education, the trees planted on behalf of Syngenta employees will also help extend the Go Zero program by neutralizing part of their carbon dioxide footprint. 

The Go Zero initiative evolved from The Conservation Fund's effective Carbon Sequestration Program, which was established five years ago as a way for large companies to offset part of their carbon dioxide emissions by trapping the gas in newly planted forests. Through this program, The Conservation Fund has protected 20,000 acres and planted more than 5 million trees since 2000, which will ultimately capture nearly 10 million tons of carbon dioxide.

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2004 were approximately $7.3 billion.  Syngenta employs some 20,000 people in over 90 countries.  Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT).

The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit organization, acts to protect the nation's legacy of land and water resources in partnership with other organizations, public agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals. Seeking innovative conservation solutions for the 21st century, the Fund works to integrate economic and environmental goals. Since its founding in 1985, the Fund has helped its partners safeguard wildlife habitat, working landscapes, community "greenspace," and historic sites totaling more than 5 million acres throughout the nation.