DS Smith, a global provider of sustainable, fibre-based corrugated packaging, has announced a $1 million donation to global environment NGO The Nature Conservancy (TNC) from the DS Smith Charitable Foundation to fund three conservation projects in the UK, Croatia and the United States.
The collaboration will support TNC’s global freshwater conservation priorities and align to DS Smith’s commitment to protecting nature, supporting biodiversity and managing water responsibly, as part of its Now and Next sustainability strategy.
$390,000 of the donation will support the work of the Norfolk Water Fund, $540,000 to protect and restore the Mrežnica, Tounjčica and Rječina Rivers in Croatia, and $160,000 earmarked for the Prater’s Mill Dam channel realignment project in Georgia, USA.
In the UK, a key goal of TNC is to support one of the country’s driest regions, Norfolk, which hold globally important chalk streams, like the River Wensum, as well as fragile wetlands like the Norfolk Broads National Park. These precious habitats are suffering degradation from water over use, pollution and physical damage, exacerbated by climate change and population growth – and with no conventional infrastructure solutions fully mitigating these impacts.
TNC co-founded the Norfolk Water Fund, a partnership that seeks to address water challenges impacting wildlife and people by restoring and mimicking natural processes through Nature based Solutions (NbS). NbS also offer significant economic benefits, unlocking sustainable development and diversifying income for farmers at a time of market uncertainty. The support from DS Smith will continue to build a pipeline of NbS projects that benefit wildlife, communities and landowners, and lay the foundation for much wider adoption of NbS at a regional scale.
Rob Cunningham, Europe Resilient Watersheds Program Director for TNC, said:
“Our work in Norfolk is part of TNC’s global efforts to demonstrate the role that nature restoration can play in improving water security for people and wildlife. This support from DS Smith will enable us to continue to protect vital habitats suffering from water over use and pollution while unlocking economic benefits for the community.”
Wouter van Tol, Head of Sustainability & Community Affairs, commented:
“We are thrilled that the DS Smith Charitable Foundation is making this commitment to TNC to support its mission. Sustainability is core to DS Smith’s purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world and environmental stewardship is embedded in our Now and Next sustainability strategy. In 2024 we made good progress on water management plans and biodiversity programmes at our paper mills and 100% of our in-scope mills and packaging sites now have water management plans. Reusing and recycling water multiple times and through efficient water treatment ensures the safe return to the natural environment to continue the water cycle.
“The UK is home to globally important chalk streams and wetlands including the River Cam, Wensum and Norfolk Broads that the donation to The Nature Conservancy will support over the next two years. Furthermore, vital restoration at Prater’s Mill Dam, Georgia, USA and the Mrežnica, Tounjčica and Rječina rivers in Croatia will benefit both the natural environment and ensure communities have healthy freshwater ecosystems.”
