Nature Canada is a member-based

environmental organization An environmental organization is an organization coming out of the conservation or environmental movements that seeks to protect, analyse or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation from human forces. In this sense the environment ...

headquartered in

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

, Ontario. Its supporters include more than 100,000 individuals and over 800 affiliated organizations, including local and provincial naturalist clubs. The organization's mission is to “protect and conserve wildlife and habitats in Canada by engaging people and advocating on behalf of nature.” 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 BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...

'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 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: * Protected Areas — Canada made a promise to protect at least 17% of land and inland water and 10% of coastal and marine areas by 2020. * 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 Gatineau ( ; ) is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is located on the northern bank of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario. Gatineau is the largest city in the Outaouais administrative region and is part of Canada's N ...

, Quebec. * NatureNetwork – the term Nature Canada uses for its network of local Canadian naturalist organizations as well as its provincial affiliates in every province. 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.

References

External links

Nature Canada
{{Authority control Charities based in Canada Nature conservation organizations based in Canada Organizations based in Ottawa Environmental organizations based in Ontario Organizations established in 1939 1939 establishments in Ontario Animal welfare organizations based in Canada

History

Program areas

See also

References

External links