CLARKSVILLE, TN – Google recently announced a $100,000 contribution to the Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) at Austin Peay State University to support ecological restoration, improved water quality, and community engagement in the Spring Creek Watershed. Google became part of the Clarksville-Montgomery County community in March 2018 when it broke ground on its data center campus.

Through this contribution, SGI will work with area volunteers, including Google employees, to develop a grassland program to support environmental efforts at Google’s property in Clarksville. In the coming years, the area will train and empower volunteers while providing an essential link in a growing network of grasslands in the Clarksville area spearheaded by SGI.

“This project has the potential to significantly impact our community and further the conservation efforts of the Southeastern Grasslands Institute,” said Dr. Dwayne Estes, APSU professor and executive director of SGI. “In so many ways, Google has become an important partner for Austin Peay, Clarksville, and the entire Southeastern region, and we are excited to be a part of that. Our vision requires dreaming big and thinking outside the box, and we could not imagine working with a more cutting-edge company than Google.”

SGI is a collaboration of leaders in international biodiversity conservation led by the APSU Center of Excellence for Field Biology. SGI seeks to integrate research, consultation, and education to create innovative solutions to address the complex issues facing Southeastern grasslands, among the most imperiled ecosystems in North America.

“At Google, we are committed to long-term collaborations with organizations in the communities we call home and value the opportunity to fund local initiatives to support the local environment,” said Amber Tillman, the head of Google Data Center Public Affairs, North America. “We look forward to having members of the Google team volunteer with SGI and make a positive impact on the local ecosystem.”

The initiative represents a model for corporate-academic partnerships in environmental conservation and is expected to leave a lasting impact.

“Partnerships of this nature really benefit the greater community, and we are excited to see not only the progress of this particular effort, but also the relationship grow as Google and APSU teams work closely together,” said APSU Vice President for Alumni, Engagement and Philanthropy Kris Phillips.

To support SGI and other APSU fundraising initiatives, contact APSU Alumni, Engagement and Philanthropy at 931-221-7127 or give@apsu.edu.