NEW YORK, NY – Change the Course, an initiative of the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), and Legends Global, the premier partner to the world’s greatest live events, venues, and brands, announced a landmark partnership to create the Legends Global Acts Water Fund.
Launched ahead of World Water Day on March 22, the partnership establishes a mechanism to support water restoration projects across the United States. The initial investment will provide support for a portfolio of projects, restoring 7.5 million gallons of water to water scarce regions. The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to environmental water stewardship, ensuring that local communities remain vibrant and resilient. By prioritizing the restoration of water quantity and quality, Legends Global and Change the Course are taking a proactive stance on water scarcity to protect ecosystems and deliver lasting environmental and social benefits.
“Water is one of the most critical resources for the communities where our venues operate, particularly across the Western United States where water scarcity continues to intensify,” said Lindsay Arell, Chief Sustainability Officer for Legends Global. “Through our partnership with Change the Course, the new Legends Global Acts Water Fund helps align our operations with watershed restoration and conservation with plans to expand projects across North America in the years ahead.”
“Change the Course was designed to facilitate collective water resilience solutions that help create long-term, livable communities and a more sustainable water future,” said Sara Hoversten, Director of Business for Water Stewardship at BEF. “Partnering with Legends Global around the Legends Global Acts Water Fund helps us drive collective support for community-developed and community-led water stewardship projects that deliver ecological, social, and economic resiliency.”
The initial investment will support water restoration across three mission-based programs including:
- San Saba River Restoration Project (Texas): The San Saba River in the Texas Hill Country is a cornerstone of the regional economy, lifestyle, and cultural identity. Water scarcity driven by more frequent and prolonged drought conditions as well as increased development have resulted in reduced streamflow. Environmental Water Environmental Water Transactions (EWTs) are an important conservation tool for restoring and maintaining flow in Texas rivers in the face of rising water demands and scarcity.
- Colorado River Indian Tribes Farm Improvement (Arizona/California Border): The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Drip Irrigation and Canal Lining Conversion projects are designed to convert less efficient irrigation methods to precision drip irrigation and canal lining on 1600 acres of Colorado River Indian Tribes agricultural lands. These projects help reduce conveyance loss, more efficiently and reliably deliver water for irrigation, and reduce demand at the CRIT Point of Diversion on the Colorado River.
- Merced County Seasonal Wetland Habitat (Merced County, California): Through innovative practices such as the flooding, gradual drawdown of seasonal wetlands during spring, and water rights transactions, the project will provide 2,000 acres of crucial habitat for peak shorebird migration.
About Change the Course
Change the Course (CtC) is an initiative of the Business for Water Stewardship program at the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. CtC brings together corporations, conservation organizations, and the public to raise awareness about freshwater, reduce water footprints, and ensure clean and reliable water for rivers, commerce, and communities. Business for Water Stewardship and CtC have partnered with dozens of corporate sponsors to support over 500 water projects – restoring over 70 billion gallons of water to date. Learn more at changethecourse.us.
About Legends Global
Legends Global is the premier partner to the world’s greatest live events, venues, and brands. We deliver a fully integrated solution of premium services, including feasibility & consulting, owner’s rep, sales, partnerships, venue management, hospitality, merchandise, and content & booking. Through our white-label approach, we keep our partners front and center while leveraging the power of our global network: over 450 venues, 20,000 events, and 165 million guests annually. To learn more, visit us at www.LegendsGlobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
submitted by Sydney Wade
