Nature Conservancy of Canada
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is recognized as the largest, private nature conservation and restoration organization in Canada. Using evidence-based solutions as a guiding principle in selecting locations to conserve, since its founding in 1962 the non-profit, charitable organization and its partners have protected 14 million hectares of ecologically important lands and waters across Canada, along with habitat for more than a quarter of the country’s species at risk. With offices in each province, NCC works at a local level with a wide array of stakeholders and partners to secure parcels of land.
Founded | 1962 |
---|---|
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 |
Major milestones and campaigns
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 types of orchids. The organization’s first project outside Ontario was Sight Point on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, in 1971.
The organization has now 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[2] in Saskatchewan, the 11,000-hectare Waterton Park Front[3] in Alberta, and the 55,000-hectare Darkwoods Conservation Area[4] in British Columbia, the largest single private conservation project in Canadian history. The Darkwoods Forest Carbon Project[5] 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 with contributions from foundations, corporations, individuals and other levels of government. In 2019, the NACP was succeeded by the Natural Heritage Conservation Program[6] (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 $1.2 billion in conservation outcomes including the protection of nearly 700,000 hectares for more than 200 species at risk — 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,[7] Jason Priestley,[8] William Shatner and other Canadian celebrities[9] appearing in a series of commercials promoting the campaign.
The Landmark Campaign[10] 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, totalling 115,000 square kilometres and protecting habitat for 130 species at risk, including seven that are endemic — meaning they are found only in Canada.
Collaboration with Indigenous communities
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[11].”
Collaborative projects span from the Gámdis Tlagee Conservation Area[12] in Haida Gwaii, BC, working with the Haida Nation, to the Cascumpec and Conway Sandhills projects[13] 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.[14]
Access to Nature
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, from the Rocky Mountains to East Coast islands.
Volunteerism
The Conservation Volunteers program is an essential partner in nature conservation, and 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.
Private donations
In addition to funding from various levels of government, as a registered non-profit NCC’s work wouldn’t be possible without donations from individuals, foundations and corporations. One-time and recurring monthly donations help support securing new properties and the ongoing management of existing locations. Other options include donations in memory of a loved one, gifts of stock or other investments, or making NCC a beneficiary in a will or life insurance policy. The vast majority of every dollar donated to NCC[15] goes directly to land conservation, securement and supporting programs ($0.78 per $1 in 2020-21).
Landowners can also donate ecologically important properties to the organization and receive tax incentives in return under the Ecogift program.[16]
Honours and awards
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, making the Financial Post’s “Charities of the Year” list in 2014, 2015 and 2017, and being a certified Great Place to Work®.
Media
NCC produces a quarterly magazine, the Nature Conservancy of Canada Magazine, that is sent free to anyone who donates $25 a year or more to the organization. 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).
Leadership
After serving as president and CEO of NCC for 23 years, John Lounds retired from the role in 2020. NCC’s current president and CEO is Catherine Grenier. Grenier is a leader with experience in various nature conservation organizations, most-recently as vice-president for Park Operations for Sépaq (Société des établissements de plein air du Québec), the body that oversees parks, reserves and resorts in Quebec.
References
- "2015-2016 Annual Report".
- "Old Man On His Back". Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Waterton Park Front". Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Darkwoods". Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Darkwoods Forest Carbon Project". Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Natural Heritage Conservation Program". Environment and Climate Change Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Ryan Reynolds' Force For Nature commercial". YouTube. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Jason Priestly Force for Nature commercial". Daily Motion. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "William Shatner Force for Nature commercial". YouTube. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Landmark Campaign". Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Working Together on the Land". Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Gámdas Tlagée". Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Cascumpec Sandhills and Conway Sandhills". Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Walking Together to Care for the Land and Water" (PDF). Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "2020-2021 Annual Report". Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Ecogift Program". Nature Conservancy of Canada. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Canada's Best Charities". Maclean's Magazine. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Top 100 Charities 2021". Charity Intelligence. Retrieved 4 January 2022.