23 Aug Tread Lightly!, Noble Energy and U.S. Forest Service Complete Second of Three Restoration for Recreation Projects on Pawnee National Grasslands

Tread Lightly!, Noble Energy and U.S. Forest Service Complete Second of Three
Restoration for Recreation Projects on Pawnee National Grasslands

Critical Raptor Nesting Habitat Restored by Volunteers

Greeley, Colo. – August 24, 2015 – The ongoing partnership between Tread Lightly! and Noble Energy, Inc. continues to support multiple-use access, sustainability, education and stewardship of America’s natural resources with the completion of another hands-on volunteer project on the Pawnee National Grassland.

Last Friday, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service’s Pawnee National Grassland office, Noble Energy employees worked alongside volunteers from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and with support from the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program to help restore an important raptor nesting area back to its natural state.

“It is exciting to see Tread Lightly! staff and volunteers stand side-by-side with volunteers from Noble Energy and the U.S. Forest Service while extending our message and our mission of education and stewardship,” said Lori McCullough, executive director for Tread Lightly! “Our goals for this project are to both protect the raptors and to keep this area open and accessible to visitors for years to come.”

The raptors in the Pawnee Grasslands make this a world-class bird-watching area. Protecting the habitat is critical for the bird populations, and bird watching is an important source of tourism for nearby towns like Greeley, Colorado.

“Environmental stewardship is a cornerstone of Noble Energy’s commitment to do what’s right for the people of Colorado, both in how we develop energy and in supporting outstanding organizations like Tread Lightly! that are working to ensure sustainability of our state’s natural and scenic resources,” said Chip Rimer, Noble Energy Senior Vice President of U.S. Onshore. “It’s another important example in how by working together, Colorado can continue to have the energy we need, the economy we want and the environment we value.”

“Returning this area to its natural state is a great accomplishment that not only protects a unique nesting site on the Pawnee National Grassland, but also focuses recreation use to our recently developed Pawnee Buttes Trailhead with great amenities for visitors,” Acting Deputy Forest Supervisor Tom Ford said.

“The conservation of nesting areas and migratory corridors on the Pawnee and surrounding areas is critical to the survival of several raptor species in northeastern Colorado,” said Michael C. Tincher, Rehabilitation Coordinator at the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program. “Functional partnerships between the energy industry, environmental groups, state/federal agencies and private landowners are crucial to making this happen. Hopefully this is just the start of many such cooperative endeavors.”

Noble’s Nurturing with Nature partnership with Tread Lightly! involves two other hands-on Restoration for Recreation projects in 2015, including the Main Draw OHV project, which was completed June 26, and the Baker Draw Designated Shooting Area scheduled for September 21, 2015.

The multifaceted “Nurturing with Nature” partnership is highlighted by the development of a unique educational program to connect Greeley students with the outdoors. By integrating outdoor ethics and skills education into local schools, Tread Lightly! and Noble Energy are providing Greeley’s youth with direct exposure to nature. This type of exposure has proven essential for healthy childhood development and nurturing a society of good citizens and environmental stewards.

More information about Nurturing with Nature and Tread Lightly!’s Restoration for Recreation program can be found at https://treadlightly.org.

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About Tread Lightly!

Tread Lightly! is celebrating its 25^th anniversary as a national nonprofit organization in October 2015. Founded in 1990 through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, Tread Lightly! promotes responsible outdoor recreation through ethics education and stewardship programs.

Tread Lightly! has more than 70 official partners from various industries and is likely the nation’s only non-profit holding MOUs with every federal and state agency in the U.S. Tread Lightly!’s diverse member base enjoys a wide range of outdoor activities including hunting, angling, camping, boating, biking, four-wheeling and much more. Become a Tread Lightly! partner or member today and start supporting access, education and stewardship at www.treadlightly.org.

About Noble Energy

Noble Energy is a leading independent energy company engaged in worldwide oil and natural gas exploration and production. The Company has core operations onshore in the U.S., primarily in the DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale, in the Gulf of Mexico, offshore Eastern Mediterranean, and offshore West Africa. Noble Energy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is traded under the ticker symbol NBL. Further information is available at www.nobleenergyinc.com and www.noblecolorado.com

About U.S. Forest Service

The mission of the Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the Nation’s clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. bando maps The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.