Disney helps plant 2.7M trees in Brazil

BURBANK, Calif., April 30 (UPI) -- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures says it has arranged with The Nature Conservancy to plant 2.7 million trees in Brazil's Atlantic Forest.

The rainforest is one of the planet's most endangered.

The announcement regarding the new trees was made Wednesday by Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios.

In keeping with the Disneynature "EARTH" movie's themes of protecting the planet and its wildlife, Walt Disney Studios said it volunteered to plant a tree in honor of every moviegoer who saw the film during its first week of release.

The critically acclaimed documentary grossed $16.1 million at the box office during its inaugural week in theaters.

"We're proud to be working with The Nature Conservancy, one of the world's most effective conservation organizations, in planting trees in the endangered Brazilian Atlantic Forest," Cook said.

"Disney has created a spectacular portrait of our planet with Disneynature's 'EARTH' and demonstrated their commitment to the planet by supporting our ambitious, large-scale reforestation effort to restore and preserve the magnificent Atlantic Forest," said Mark Tercek, president and chief executive officer of The Nature Conservancy. "We applaud Disney for their contribution to our effort to plant and restore 1 billion trees by 2015 in the Atlantic Forest, a global conservation priority area of rich biodiversity."