OREANDA-NEWS. Toyota Motor Corporation began accepting applications today for this year's Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program, which is designed to support environmental revitalization and conservation activities aimed at sustainable development.

The Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program was established in commemoration of Toyota's receipt of the Global 500 Award in 1999 from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and has been carried out every year since 2000 as part of Toyota's environmental social contribution activities, with this year marking the program's 17th year. The program aims to contribute to the resolution of environmental concerns and cultivate a new generation of leaders who will drive change on both a local and global basis.

Grants will be provided to NPOs and other private, non-profit organizations and groups (excluding schools) that are promoting practical projects. These activities will become a part of initiatives aimed at meeting the goals set out in the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, which was announced last year.

2015 Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program Recipients
Grant
category		 Theme Project Description Organization Country
Outside
Japan		 Biodiversity
Conservation		 Sustainable use of forest biomass energy and related educational activities in Mozambique Kyushu Biomass Forum Mozambique
Biodiversity conservation on cocoa farms in San Martín and Huánuco regions Rainforest Alliance Inc. Peru
Training "ecological rangers" to carry out environmentally-friendly urban planning SOMNEED Nepal
Reforestation by local communities in the Mau Forest Complex (East Africa's largest indigenous forest) Community Road Empowerment Kenya
Planting 4 km of trees to connect the Bossou forest and Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (a UNESCO World Heritage site and chimpanzee habitat) Green Corridor Guinea
Program to encourage biodiversity, create seedbeds and promote environmental education OISCA-Japan Sri Lanka
Citizens acting locally for the global environment Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds Portugal
Woodland conservation project to establish a palm sugar production system in the western area of Java Japan Environmental Education Forum Indonesia
Program to promote sustainable use of forest resources on Flores Island BirdLife International Tokyo
Conservation of the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros in Borneo WWF Japan
Japan Global
Warming		 Program to utilize forest energy and educate the next generation Greenwood Outdoor Experience Educational Center Japan
Constant greenhouse gas monitoring at Mt. Fuji weather station (research into mitigating damage from lightning strikes) Valid Utilization of Mount Fuji Weather Station
Purification of Lake Suwa Wagen
Biodiversity
Conservation		 Awareness building activities for basic research and countermeasures for invasive raccoon species that threaten biodiversity Kansai Wildlife Research Association
Creation of a sustainable lifecycle for mulberry resources (and deployment in nearby regions) Mulberry Club Chubu
Forestation of water reservoirs and aid for the Tohoku area Donguri Mongori
Building an organic agriculture model for biodiversity conservation in the Echigawa Area, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture (and related educational activities) Nippon International Cooperation for Community Development
Creating habitats for cranes in Aso City, Kumamoto prefecture, and Seiyo City, Ehime prefecture Wild Bird Society of Japan
Fostering communities that coexist with nature Maruyama Project
Vegetation recovery project (including endangered species) on Kurosawa moor Forestry Research Club Umaji
Monitoring of mountains, rivers, and coastal areas around Toyokawa river basin Association to Save Shallow Water and Tidal Flat in Asia
Preservation of indigenous species and removal of invasive species in the Katsushika ward waterfront area Mizumoto Nature Project
Environmental program in Akita aiming to achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi Biodiversity Targets by 2020 Conference of Earth Environment from Akita
Multi-partner survey of marine health indicator species Northwest Pacific Region Environmental Cooperation Center
Protect the treasure-trove of dragonflies! Izunuma and Uchinuma wetlands dragonfly conservation project The Miyagi Prefectural Izunuma-Uchinuma Environmental Foundation
Conservation of endangered butterflies (Luehdorfia japonica and Coenonympha oedippus arothius) Kakogawa's satoyama and Gifu butterfly network