Policy

Wildlife and wild areas are one of the wondrous things that help define Canada in the world.  Nature also provides us with food, clean air, clean water and places to reconnect with planet Earth. 

But this legacy is in trouble.  Pollution of our water, air, land, destruction of wild areas, climate change and over-commercialization of wildlife are putting Canada’s legacy of wildlife and wild places at risk. 

More than 500 species are listed as at-risk by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), including many iconic Canadian species like the killer whale, the woodland caribou, the whooping crane, the monarch butterfly, and too many others

We at Canadian Wildlife Federation take pride in being part of the solution. 

Our programs are targeted at three main things,

1. direct conservation programs to help individual species, to conserve wild places, and to create knowledge needed for people to better co-exist with wildlife
2. advocacy to improve government policies
3. education to maintain a conservation ethic among Canadians and to support land-use that is sustainable in the long term

This balanced approach ensures immediate results that benefit wildlife now, and it makes progress toward economic development that is sustainable in the long term.

Just some of the exciting programs and projects we are planning for 2010 include:

• A wide range of  projects to help Canada’s endangered species, including habitat conservation, species re-introduction, and population analysis
• Shaping federal government climate change policy to include financial commitments to engage Canadians in conservation of our renewable resources and commit to conservation of internationally important natural areas
• Follow up on the report by Canada’s Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development who expressed deep concerns with the federal government’s approach to freshwater habitat management
• New projects to protect our oceans and ocean wildlife
• Rivers to Oceans public education program to raise awareness of the inter-connectedness of all our water sources and to improve their management
• Workshops for ecosystem managers incorporate ideas that help wildlife adapt to climate change
• For information on CWF’s many other projects visit our funding stories or annual report.

In addition t these new programs and projects, CWF also plans to maintain its education program to provide opportunities for young people to learn about wildlife.  Our growing family of innovative educational programs includes Project Wild, Fish Ways, Wild School, Blow Zero and Blue School.  Now used by more than 100,000 educators, these programs help young people learn about importance scientific and conservation concepts such as habitat, biodiversity, climate change, and water management.

Our Backyard Habitat programs help individual Canadians take personal action right in their own backyards,.  Whether you put up a single bird feeder or transform every corner of your backyard to benefit wildlife, CWF has everything you need. Check out these or other CWF programs.

Since 1962, CWF has worked for the protection of Canada’s wild species and spaces.  Representing over 300,000 people who share a belief in the importance of our natural world, we are one of Canada’s largest non-profit, non-government conservation groups.

Be proud to be part of the solution to Canada’s environmental issues — be proud to support CWF.
 

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