Pepsi Bottling Ventures (PBV) has donated $10,000 to the Conservation Trust for North Carolina (CTNC) to support the Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative and the North Carolina Youth Conservation Corps.

The Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative is a partnership of land conservation organizations working with the city of Raleigh and other local governments to conserve high priority lands along streams in the Upper Neuse River Basin, which provides drinking water to over 600,000 people. Since 2005, the Initiative has protected 7,045 acres along 74 miles of streams. Conserving these critical lands limits runoff pollution while maintaining wildlife habitat, preserving open space, and creating recreational opportunities – all of which improve quality of life for people in the region.

“We at Pepsi Bottling Ventures strongly support the efforts of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina,” said Paul Finney, President and CEO. “Their work to help protect the Upper Neuse River Basin is important. We believe it is in all of our best interests to ensure a long-term, safe water supply for our region.”

“We greatly appreciate Pepsi Bottling Ventures’ generous donation. Their support will help us conserve land along streams to protect drinking water supplies, connect young people to the outdoors, and improve public access to protected natural areas,” said Margaret Newbold, CTNC Associate Director.

PBV’s donation also will support the North Carolina Youth Conservation Corps (NCYCC). The NCYCC provides paid summer jobs for 16-24 year olds, with the aim of teaching youth valuable work and life development skills through hands-on outdoor work on high priority conservation projects. Projects typically consist of trail construction and maintenance, habitat restoration, and invasive species removal. The NCYCC has had four crews working on conservation projects across the state this summer, including a crew in the Upper Neuse River Basin.

“We are proud to support the efforts of the Youth Conservation Corps and their many projects in our state,” said Finney. “We look forward to forging a long-term partnership with the Conservation Trust to continue to protect water quality and engage young people in conservation and the outdoors.”

North Carolina–based PBV is the largest privately held bottler of Pepsi-Cola products in North America, operating 21 bottling and distribution facilities that serve consumers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. PBV operates a state-of–the-art manufacturing facility in Raleigh and is a major water user in the region. The company is committed to helping keep the region’s water clean and using water efficiently to ensure a plentiful supply For more information about PBV visit www.pepsibottlingventures.com.