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Founded | 1962 |
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Focus | Land conservation, restoration and management |
Location | |
Area served | Canada |
Method | Conservation through property securement and long-term management and restoration of properties. |
Key people | Catherine Grenier, President & CEO John Lounds, Past President & CEO |
Revenue | $90,201,517.00 [1] |
Employees | > 320 |
Volunteers | > 2,300 |
Website | www.natureconservancy.ca |
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is a private, non-profit, charitable nature conservation and restoration organisation based in Canada. Since its founding in 1962, the organisation and its partners have protected 15,000,000 hectares (37,000,000 acres) of land and water across Canada, which includes the natural habitat of more than a quarter of the country’s endangered species [2] . With offices in each province, NCC works at a local level with stakeholders and partners to secure parcels of land.
NCC’s first conservation project was the Cavan Swamp and Bog (now the Cavan Swamp Wildlife Area) west of Peterborough, Ontario, in 1968. The 1,340-hectare site provides habitat for a variety of species, including 22 species of orchids. The organization’s first project outside Ontario was Sight Point on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, in 1971.
The organization has now[ when? ] conserved more than 1,000 properties from coast to coast to coast, including the 5,300-hectare Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area [3] in Saskatchewan, the 11,000-hectare Waterton Park Front [4] in Alberta, and the 55,000-hectare Darkwoods Conservation Area [5] in British Columbia, the largest single private conservation project in Canadian history. The Darkwoods Forest Carbon Project [6] is NCC’s third-party certified carbon credit program.
NCC has spearheaded several campaigns to raise awareness and funding for evidence-based nature conservation. The Natural Areas Conservation Program (NACP), launched in 2007, was a public-private partnership between the Government of Canada and NCC, along with program partners Ducks Unlimited Canada and Canada’s land trusts. Administered by NCC, the program allowed partners to match federal investment at a two-to-one ratio with contributions from foundations, corporations, individuals and other levels of government. In 2019, the NACP was succeeded by the Natural Heritage Conservation Program [7] (NHCP), a four-year partnership with a $100 million commitment from the federal government. To date, this important partnership has leveraged nearly $400 million in investment from the Government of Canada with more than $800 million in matching contributions. The result is more than $1.2 billion in conservation outcomes including the protection of nearly 700,000 hectares for more than 200 endangered species — an area slightly larger than Banff National Park.
Launched in 2007, the Force For Nature Campaign raised more than $500 million for land conservation, with Ryan Reynolds, [8] Jason Priestley, [9] William Shatner and other Canadian celebrities [10] appearing in a series of commercials promoting the campaign.
The Landmark Campaign [11] launched in 2013 with a goal of raising $750 million for conservation across Canada. It was completed in 2020 with more than 110,000 donors contributing. The Landmark Campaign resulted in 540 new conservation projects completed across Canada, totaling 115,000 square kilometers and protecting habitat for 130 species at risk, including seven that are endemic — meaning they are found only in Canada.
In April 2022 the NCC announced its largest project to date: the Boreal Wildlands. The 145,000-hectare site consists of more than 100 freshwater lakes, rivers and streams, peatlands, swamps, and mixed forests. Located near the town of Hearst in Northern Ontario, the area is home to species of flora and fauna, including lynx, black bear, moose, and the threatened boreal caribou, as well as hundreds of species of migratory and resident birds. The carbon sequestered in the soil and trees is estimated to be equivalent to the lifetime emissions of three million cars. NCC is purchasing the land from pulp and paper manufacturer Domtar. Once completed, it will be the largest private land conservation project in Canada’s history. As of May 2022, the NCC has raised 70% of its $46-million goal to purchase and maintain the land. The Boreal Wildlands project is within the Treaty 9 (James Bay Treaty) lands.
NCC formally acknowledges that “Indigenous Peoples have protected and cared for the natural areas, plants, and wildlife that have sustained them for millennia and NCC has much to learn from Indigenous Peoples across Canada that will help us to become better land managers and conservationists [12] .”
Collaborative projects include the Gámdis Tlagee Conservation Area [13] in Haida Gwaii, BC, working with the Haida Nation, to the Cascumpec and Conway Sandhills projects [14] in conjunction with L’Nuey, the Mi’kmaq Rights Initiative on PEI.
In 2014, NCC launched "Learning the Land" in partnership with several Indigenous schools to bridge the understanding between Indigenous and scientific worldviews. In 2019 that partnership was further formalized under the NCC’s Indigenous Conservation Engagement Framework. [15]
Most properties held by NCC are open to the public. Under the Nature Destinations umbrella, there are more than 30 signature sites across the country — with at least one site in each province — that are open to the public. Each represents a notable example of an intact natural landscape.[ citation needed ]
The Conservation Volunteers program is the only national conservation volunteering program. Volunteer projects range from clearing trash and invasive species management on NCC properties, to a variety of citizen science projects to help better understand biodiversity across the country.[ citation needed ]
In addition to funding from various levels of government, NCC’s accepts donations from individuals, foundations and corporations. Landowners can also donate ecologically important properties to the organization and receive tax incentives in return under the Ecogift program. [16]
After serving as president and CEO of NCC for 23 years, John Lounds retired from the role in 2020. NCC’s current[ when? ] president and CEO is Catherine Grenier.
In 2020, NCC was selected as one of “Canada’s best charities” by Maclean’s magazine and in 2021 [17] was added to Charity Intelligence’s “Top 100 Charities.” [18] Other accolades include consistently ranking at the top of the MoneySense Charity 100, an annual list that ranks Canadian charities on their finances and transparency, from 2010 to 2019, a four-star rating from Charity Intelligence in 2019 and making the Financial Post’s “Charities of the Year” list in 2014, 2015 and 2017.[ citation needed ]
Tourbière-du-Lac-à-la-Tortue Nature Reserve [19]
NCC produces a quarterly magazine, the Nature Conservancy of Canada Magazine. The organization also has a blog called Land Lines — ranked as one of the “Top 100 Nature Blogs” in 2021 — and is active on social media, including on Twitter (@NCC_CNC) and Instagram (ncc_cnc).
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. As of 2021, it works via affiliates or branches in 79 countries and territories, as well as across every state in the US.
The Sandhills, often written Sand Hills, is a region of mixed-grass prairie on grass-stabilized sand dunes in north-central Nebraska, covering just over one quarter of the state. The dunes were designated a National Natural Landmark in 1984.
Burns Bog is an ombrotrophic peat bog located in Delta, British Columbia, Canada. It is the largest raised peat bog and the largest undeveloped urban land mass on the West Coast of the Americas. Burns Bog was originally 4,000–4,900 hectares before development. Currently, only 3,500 hectares remain of the bog.
Ontario Parks is a branch of the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in Ontario, Canada, that protects significant natural and cultural resources in a system of parks and protected areas that is sustainable and provides opportunities for inspiration, enjoyment and education. The Ontario Parks system covers over 78,000 square kilometres (30,000 sq mi), which is about 10 per cent of the province's surface area or the equivalent of an area approximately equal to Nova Scotia. It falls under the responsibility and mandate of the province's Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. It was formerly under the mandate of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
NatureServe, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in Arlington County, Virginia, US, that provides proprietary wildlife conservation-related data, tools, and services to private and government clients, partner organizations, and the public. NatureServe reports being "headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with regional offices in four U.S. locations and in Canada." In calendar year 2011 they reported having 86 employees, 6 volunteers, and 15 independent officers.
Charles Joseph Sauriol, was a Canadian naturalist who was responsible for the preservation of many natural areas in Ontario and across Canada. He owned property in the Don River valley and was an advocate for the valley's preservation. As a member of the Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, he was responsible for much of the Don Valley's conservation. A section of the valley is a conservation reserve named in his honour and four other locations in Canada are named in his honour.
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) is a private nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1932 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. WPC has contributed land to 12 state parks and conserved more than a quarter million acres of natural lands. The Conservancy plants and maintains more than 132 gardens in 20 Western Pennsylvania counties, as well as planting thousands of trees through its community forestry program. WPC has protected or restored more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km) of rivers and streams. In 1963, Edgar Kaufmann Jr. entrusted Frank Lloyd Wright's masterwork Fallingwater to the Conservancy. The house was called the most important building of the 20th century by the American Institute of Architects.
Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel in the Mauricie region of the province of Quebec in Canada.
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) is an Australian independent, nonprofit organisation, working to conserve threatened wildlife and ecosystems in Australia. This is principally achieved through the acquisition of extensive areas of land on which to establish conservation reserves ("sanctuaries") or by entering into partnerships with government, Indigenous groups, and private landholders to manage landscapes for effective conservation. AWC is the largest private owner and manager of land for conservation in Australia, currently managing 31 sanctuaries and partnership sites for wildlife conservation that cover over 6.5 million hectares of land across Australia.
Happy Valley Forest is a 6.48 square kilometre provincially significant ecological area, classified as an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. It consists of an upland forest on steeply rolling topography, various wooded swamps, and minor wetland areas. A few small kettle ponds are also present.
An Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) is a class of protected area used in Australia; each is formed by voluntary agreement with Indigenous Australians, and declared by Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander representative organisations. Each is formally recognised by the Australian Government as being part of its National Reserve System. The areas may comprise land and sea, and are managed by Indigenous groups for the conservation of biodiversity. Managing IPAs also helps to protect the cultural values of their country for future generations, and has benefits for Indigenous health, education, economic and social cohesion.
Liscomb Game Sanctuary is a conservation area that straddles the border of Halifax Regional Municipality and Guysborough County in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Route 374 runs north–south through the sanctuary. Within the sanctuary are two nature reserves and parts of two wilderness areas.
Buffalo Pound Lake is a eutrophic prairie lake in Saskatchewan, Canada, formed from glaciation about 10,000 years ago, on the Qu'Appelle River approximately 28 kilometres (17 mi) north of Moose Jaw and 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) north-east of Tuxford. The lake gets its name from the method used by First Nations people to capture the bison using the natural topography as corrals or buffalo pounds. Bison, once numbering more than 60 million on the prairies but almost extinct by 1900, were reintroduced into the area in 1972.
Lac-à-la-Tortue Ecological Reserve is an ecological reserve in Quebec, Canada. It was established on May 27, 1992.
Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area is a protected area of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is located in the RMs of Frontier No. 19 and Reno No. 51 and is centred around Old Man On His Back Plateau and surrounding prairie grasslands. The conservation area covers 5,297 ha and has a former ranch and an interpretive centre on site.
The Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve is located in southeastern Manitoba near Gardenton and Vita, this is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of Steinbach, Manitoba. It is one of the last remaining stands of tallgrass prairie in Manitoba and is part of the Tallgrass Aspen Parkland conservation area in Manitoba and Minnesota. Several groups and organizations help in land preservation in the Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Nature Manitoba, Environment Canada, Manitoba Conservation and the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation.
The Wyss Foundation is a charitable organization based in Washington, D.C., that was founded by philanthropist Hansjörg Wyss. Established in 1998, the foundation has provided funding to conservation, environmental journalism, education, museums and progressive political advocacy.
The Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy is an Indigenous urban land trust that formed with the objective to return or rematriate land to unrecognized Tongva descendants in the greater Los Angeles County area. It was inspired by the work of the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust and has been associated with the Land Back movement. The conservancy is notable for its part in the return of Tongva land in Los Angeles County for the first time in nearly 200 years. The trust developed a kuuyam nahwá’a or "guest exchange" program for people who live and work in the tribe's traditional homelands to financially support the land trust's goals.