A national environmental organization has recruited some of the wealthiest business people in the Atlantic region, including Tim Banks, to help it raise money.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada hopes to raise $10 million to protect 11 sites in this end of the country.

The group is looking to people like J.D. Irving, John Risley and Tim Banks to ante up $2.5 million of the final total. Along with the cash, the nature conservancy is also looking for land donations and landowners willing to put in writing restricted development of their land.

The NCC will spend the money to protect old growth forest in Cape Breton, the Acadian Peninsula and Northumberland Strait to name a few.

"In some cases we think we can do this while also conserving public access to the seashore as long as that access is controlled and doesn't threaten the natural values that are the bottom line of our conservation activities," said Dr. Bill Freedman.

James Irving has signed on as a co-chair of the fundraising campaign. He said the region should lobby to have more than five per cent of the budget spent in the east.

The group hopes to have the money in place by May 2005.