The Nature Conservancy of Canada is 98 per cent of the way to its goal of conserving one million acres of ecologically important land and water in British Columbia by Earth Day 2020. As people consider where to make their year-end donations, the Nature Conservancy of Canada is calling on British Columbians to consider supporting its Reach a Million campaign.
With the completion of four projects in 2016, the land trust now counts its conservation achievements at 980,000 acres in B.C. These lands protect wetlands, forests and grasslands in critical areas for migratory birds, large carnivores, small mammals and dozens of species at risk.
“We are excited to be so close to our goal of bringing one million acres of B.C. nature into permanent conservation,” said Michael Curnes, Director of Development for the Nature Conservancy of Canada in British Columbia. “But land in this province can be very expensive, so these next 20,000 acres will need the support of all British Columbians who want to make a lasting contribution to the natural future of this province.”
The Nature Conservancy of Canada works with private landowners to protect ecologically sensitive land through purchase, land donation or conservation agreements that restrict development and subdivision. By working on private property, the Nature Conservancy of Canada can conserve sensitive habitats that are not available to government parks and protected area agencies.
“I support the Nature Conservancy of Canada because of its commitment to using sound conservation science to guide its projects and programs. This organization is contributing to the knowledge we all need to have about the way nature operates, and what we can do to protect our ecological future,” said Paul Cassidy, a partner with McCarthy Tétrault LLP and longtime supporter of the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
“The comment I hear most frequently from donors is that they want to feel confident that their contribution is having a direct and measureable impact towards protecting nature and wildlife in British Columbia,” says Curnes.
Donors who want assurance their investment is being spent wisely can look to the fact that MoneySense magazine has ranked the Nature Conservancy of Canada as the top environmental charity in the country for seven years running. Full details on MoneySense Magazine’s Charity 100 can be found at www.moneysense.ca/save/financial-planning/2017-charity-100-canadas-top-rated-charities/.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the nation’s leading land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962, NCC and its partners have helped to protect more than 2.8 million acres (over 1.1 million hectares), coast to coast. More than one quarter of these acres are in British Columbia. You can learn more about the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Million Acre initiative at www.natureconservancy.ca/1millionforbc.