Nature Canada

Nature Canada
Founded 1939 (1939)
Founder Reginald Whittemore
Type Non-profit
Focus Nature conservation, Environmentalism
Location
Key people
 Eleanor Fast, Executive Director
Stephen Hazell, Director of Conservation
Website naturecanada.ca

Nature Canada is a member-based[1] environmental organization headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario. Its supporters include more than 40,000 individuals and over 350 affiliated organizations, including local and provincial naturalist clubs.[2]

The organization's mission is to “protect and conserve wildlife and habitats in Canada by engaging people and advocating on behalf of nature.”[2] Their conservation work is based predominantly on community-based efforts to protect animals, plants and habitat, lobbying for legislation at the federal level to protect endangered species and habitats, and working as a Canadian co-partner for BirdLife International's Important Bird Area (IBA) program.

History

Nature Canada traces its roots back to September 30, 1939 when Reginald Whittemore launched the magazine Canadian Nature in honour of his late wife, Mabel Frances Whittemore. The organization claims this makes Nature Canada the oldest national nature conservation charity in Canada, however Ducks Unlimited Canada was founded two years earlier in 1937[3][4]

In 1948, the organization established itself as the Audubon Society of Canada.

In 1971, the Audubon Society of Canada expanded its mandate beyond bird conservation and re-established itself as the Canadian Nature Federation (CNF).

In 2004, the CNF changed its name to simply Nature Canada.

Program areas

Nature Canada's work focuses on five main areas:

  • NatureHood — an urban nature program seeking to connect Canadians living in cities to nature nearby to them. The initial NatureHood pilot project is based in Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec.[5]
  • NatureWatch — a citizen science program that "aims to involve and train citizen scientists in gathering and sharing data in order to inform conservation efforts and policies". NatureWatch includes four sub-categories: FrogWatch, IceWatch, PlantWatch and WormWatch.[6]
  • NatureVoice — the advocacy arm of Nature Canada's work which advocates for what the organization sees as more effective laws aimed to conserve, as well as to protect wildlife and natural habitats.[7]
  • NatureCaretakers — a bird conservation program providing environmental stewardship and monitoring of bird habitat in Canada's numerous Important Bird Areas (IBAs). The IBA program is part of a global initiative of Nature Canada's partner, BirdLife International.[8]
  • NatureNetwork – the term Nature Canada uses for its network of local Canadian naturalist organizations as well as its provincial affiliates in every province.[9]

Nature Canada formerly published a magazine, Canadian Nature, however it discontinued publication in 2004, after 65 years. The organization produces teacher guides, technical reports, media releases, brochures, information packages and an e-newsletter.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Annual General Meeting". Nature Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  2. 1 2 "About Us". Nature Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  3. ↑ "History". Nature Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  4. ↑ "Ducks Unlimited". Ducks Unlimited 76 (1): 10. January–February 2012.
  5. ↑ "NatureHood". Nature Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  6. ↑ "NatureWatch". Nature Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  7. ↑ "NatureVoice". Nature Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  8. ↑ "NatureCaretakers". Nature Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  9. ↑ "NatureNetwork". Nature Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.