4.05.2001 ET

(CSRwire) Thanks to the generosity of more than 1,100 people nationwide who donated Earnings from using their GM Card, The Nature Conservancy, Michigan Chapter received $50,000 and one of four trucks today from GM.

"Instead of choosing electronics or vacations, these wonderful people chose to help protect our environment," said The Conservancy's State Director Helen Taylor. "These trucks and the cash will definitely go to good use immediately."

The Nature Conservancy will use the trucks in west Michigan, Shiawassee County, the Upper Peninsula and at its central office in Lansing. GM requested that the funds be used for shoreline protection and acquisition which is a major focus area for The Nature Conservancy.

"We are extremely proud of our Cardmembers' generosity," said John F. "Jack" Smith Jr., GM Chairman, who serves on the national board of governors for The Nature Conservancy. "They join us in our passion and commitment to The Nature Conservancy, and more importantly, to protecting Michigan's natural resources."

The trucks will help staff access remote areas of the state and carry equipment for stewardship activities such as controlling invasive plants, monitoring rare species, conducting controlled burns and other methods necessary for protecting plants, land and animals in Michigan. The Nature Conservancy currently owns 34 preserves in Michigan totaling more than 18,660 acres throughout the Upper and Lower Peninsulas.

"Partnering with The Nature Conservancy is something any business can be proud of - it's a smart investment in our future," Smith said. "Rarely does one find a nonprofit organization so dedicated to specific, measurable results."

"With the rise of population and the expansion of development in Michigan, we realize we only really have five to ten years to make a significant difference," Taylor said. "A partner like GM is crucial to our success in working cooperatively with major businesses."

GM has been working with The Nature Conservancy since 1994 and expects its commitment to The Conservancy and environmental protection to expand over the next few years. For every $3 in GM Card Earnings that a GM Cardmember donated between October 1, 2000 and December 31, 2000, $1 went to support The Nature Conservancy's Michigan chapter. This is the second year that GM has offered this option for its cardmembers.

The Nature Conservancy is a private, international, non-profit organization established in 1951 to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, the Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 12 million acres in the United States, and have helped through partnerships to preserve more than 60 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada, Asia and the Pacific. For more information about The Nature Conservancy, please visit www.nature.org/

General Motors (NYSE: GM), the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, designs, builds and markets cars and trucks worldwide. In 2000, GM earned $5 billion on sales of $183.3 billion. It employs about 386,000 people globally. For more information about GM's environmental progress in the areas of products, plants and partnerships please visit www.gmability.com/

For more information please contact: