American Forests and Bacardi Team up to Plant Trees in Idaho

Washington, D.C., February 24, 2015 /3BL Media/ — American Forests is pleased to announce that in collaboration with Bacardi, the world’s largest privately held spirits company, it will launch forest restoration initiatives with two projects in Idaho as part of the industry-leading Bacardi environmental sustainability initiative “Good Spirited: Building a Sustainable Future.”

Bacardi will plant a tree for every bottle of BACARDÍ® Superior, BACARDÍ® Gold, or BACARDÍ® Select rum (750mL and 1.75L sizes only) sold in Idaho retail stores from today through March 31, 2015.  Donations to American Forests will be based upon on and off-premise sales in both the State Stores and Contract Stores in the State of Idaho. 

BACARDÍ rum is the world’s most awarded spirit, having garnered more than 550 awards, accolades and recognitions for quality, taste and innovation from around the world.

Idaho Panhandle National Forest: 139 acres in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest’s North Zone will be reforested with 55,600 white pine and western larch. These trees will help restore the area’s watershed and make it less susceptible to pest infestation, disease outbreak and wildfire. The project will occur in the Kalispell Creek (Priest Lake) and Skin Creek (Bonners Ferry) watersheds.

Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest: In 2012, the McGuire Fire burned across approximately 52,000 acres of Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest lands. What’s more, as much as 70 percent of the affected land — around 32,000 acres — is estimated to have burned at a higher severity than average, altering the area’s wildlife habitat. This project will restore 700 acres of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest with 210,000 lodgepole pine, western larch and Englemann spruce.

“It is important to Bacardi that we make a meaningful environmental impact in the areas where we do business. Our goal is to put back in to the environment as much we take away,” says Ed Knutel, Field Marketing Manager for Bacardi in the U.S. “We’re working with American Forests to show firsthand why forests are critical to providing clean water in the United States.”

“There is a direct connection between forests and fresh water,” says American Forests’ Lea Sloan, vice president of communications. “With more than 50 percent of the nation’s water originating in forests, one of the best things that we can do to ensure that future generations have enough clean water is to protect and enhance the forests that provide it.”

American Forests’ mission is to restore threatened forest ecosystems and inspire people to value and protect urban and wildland forests. Since 1990, American Forests has completed work on more than 1000 projects throughout the U.S. and in 45 countries.  As the oldest national conservation organization in the U.S., American Forests celebrates its 140^th anniversary this year and is on track to plant its 50 millionth tree. Learn more at www.americanforests.org.

To learn more about the Bacardi “Good Spirited” environmental initiative, visit www.bacardilimited.com/good-spirited.

ABOUT AMERICAN FORESTS

American Forests’ mission is to restore threatened forest ecosystems and inspire people to value and protect urban and wildland forests. Founded in 1875, the oldest national nonprofit conservation organization in the country has served as a catalyst for many key milestones in the conservation movement, including the founding of the U.S. Forest Service, the national forest and national park systems and literally thousands of forest ecosystem restoration projects and public education efforts. Since 1990, American Forests has planted nearly 50 million trees in forests throughout the U.S. and in 44 countries, resulting in cleaner air and drinking water, restored habitat for wildlife and fish, and the removal of millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Learn more at www.americanforests.org.

ABOUT BACARDI

Bacardi, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, GREY GOOSE® vodka, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, and CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila.

Founded 153 years ago in Santiago de Cuba on February 4, 1862, family-owned Bacardi manufactures its brands at 29 facilities and sells in more than 160 countries. Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. www.BacardiLimited.com

LIVE PASSIONATELY. DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

©2015. Bacardi U.S.A., Inc., Coral Gables, FL.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Christopher Horn | Director of Communications for American Forests| 202.370.4517| chorn@americanforests.org

Amy Federman | Bacardi Corporate Communications| 441.294.1110 | afederman@bacardi.com