Nature Canada

Nature Canada

Founded	1939
Founder	Reginald Whittemore
Type	Non-profit
Focus	Nature conservation, Environmentalism
Location	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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.”^[3] 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. This makes Nature Canada the oldest national nature conservation charity in Canada.^[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]

The organization also maintains an international program, through which it works with partner countries such as Mexico, Bolivia and Paraguay to protect migratory bird habitats in South America.

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

• Ontario Nature
• Bird Studies Canada
• BirdLife International
• International Union for Conservation of Nature

References

1. . Nature Canada Annual General Meeting. Retrieved on: August 11, 2014.
2. . Nature Canada About Us. Retrieved on: August 11, 2014.
3. ibid
4. . Nature Canada History. Retrieved on: August 11, 2014.
5. . Nature Canada NatureHood. Retrieved on: August 11, 2014.
6. . Nature Canada NatureWatch. Retrieved on: August 11, 2014.
7. . Nature Canada NatureVoice. Retrieved on: August 11, 2014.
8. . Nature Canada NatureCaretakers. Retrieved on: August 11, 2014.
9. . Nature Canada NatureNetwork. Retrieved on: August 11, 2014.

External links

• Nature Canada