FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Nabhan, PhD., or Ashley Rood
Center for Sustainable Environments
Northern Arizona University
PO Box 5765
Flagstaff, Arizona 86011-5765
928.523.0637
gpnabhan@email.arizona.edu
ashley.rood@nau.edu
www.environment.nau.edu
NAU’s RAFT Project Sets Sail:
National Media Coverage and Grant Funding Launches Campaign to Rescue America’s Endangered Foods
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz—Renewing America’s Food Traditions (RAFT), a national campaign facilitated by NAU’s Center for Sustainable Environments, was honored by Saveur Magazine as one of the 100 best food stories of 2005. The RAFT coalition, which includes seven nonprofits and research institutes, is also the recipient of a $745,000 three year grant from the Cedar Tree Foundation—ensuring the continuation of this national campaign to put traditional American foods back on our tables.
In its January/February special issue, Saveur Magazine calls for its readers to sign on to the RAFT campaign and highlights the first Redlist of America’s Endangered Foods. This comprehensive list incorporates over 700 traditional plant foods and animals linked to regional and historic culture of North America. The Redlist is included in the RAFT Campaign’s initial publication, Renewing America’s Food Traditions : Bringing Cultural and Culinary Mainstays from the Past into the New Millennium now on sale at the NAU bookstore.
Co-edited by Ashley Rood and Gary Paul Nabhan of NAU, the RAFT publication synthesizes the pioneering work of biodiversity conservation organizations such as the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Seed Savers Exchange, and Native Seed/SEARCH with culinary activists Slow Food and Chef’s Collaborative.
For more information about the RAFT project visit: www.environment.nau.edu/ raft or see contacts.
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