Measuring your impact
Big Trout Bay, Lake Superior, ON (Photo by Costal Productions)
Looking back at what we’ve accomplished with your support, and casting ahead to bigger and bolder goals in the next 60 years.
ince the first Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) project at Cavan Swamp and Bog, Ontario, almost 60 years ago, you’ve helped us come a long way in ensuring the future of precious landscapes across the country. Thousands of Canadians and various funding partners from coast to coast to coast pitched in to support the conservation of the lands and waters that sustain us all. Working together with communities and partners, we look forward to the next 60 years as we achieve bigger and bolder goals, at a faster pace, in restoring and conserving the natural environment that we collectively value. Because when nature thrives, we all thrive.
Here’s a sample of what you’ve helped us accomplish to date:
Lakes: 490K hectares
Canada is a land of an estimated two million lakes. Your support has ensured the protection of nearly 490,000 hectares of lake area.
Rivers: 61K kilometres
Rivers are important ecosystems that drain the landscape and support many different aquatic and terrestrial species along the course of their length. NCC has ongoing restoration activities across the country to improve the integrity of riparian habitats — the transition zone between river and dry land. Your support has protected more than 61,000 kilometres of rivers.
Forests: 1.2M hectares
NCC works in a variety of different forest ecosystems across Canada, conserving nearly 1.2 million hectares of forest to date, thanks to your help. That’s more than twice the size of Prince Edward Island.
Dark Sky Preserves: 13 projects
Dark Sky Preserves are natural areas where the dark night sky is protected by eliminating light pollution. Many species are negatively affected by light pollution and require darkness for the healthy functioning of their behavioural and physiological cycles. Your support has helped NCC conserve 13 projects in Dark Sky Preserves across the country.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves: 498 projects
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are comprised of natural ecosystems and working landscapes, where communities work collaboratively to balance development with the conservation of natural resources. These reserves recognize that community engagement at many levels is needed for conservation success. Thanks to your support, 498 projects are protected within these reserves.
Grasslands: 113K hectares
Native grasslands are the unsung heroes of carbon storage through their extensive root systems. They are also among the world’s most endangered ecosystems. Your support has conserved 113,000 hectares of native grasslands.
Carbon Sequestration: 517K cars per year
Every year, the habitats conserved by NCC, thanks to your support, store close to 2,300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (which includes other greenhouse gases converted to their equivalent global
warming potential as carbon dioxide). That is equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions of around 517,000 typical passenger vehicles.
Wetlands: 5.4 trillion litres
Wetlands play a critical role in absorbing and storing carbon. They also remove sediments, excess nutrients and even bacteria from our drinking water. Like a giant sponge, wetlands absorb and hold water to buffer our cities and farms from floods and droughts. Your support has conserved 390,000 hectares of wetlands across Canada. Together, these wetlands can filter up to an estimated 5.4 trillion litres of water, close to 2.1 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.
RAMSAR sites: 97 projects
Designated by the RamsarConvention on Wetlands, Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance. Your support has helped NCC conserve 97 projects within Ramsar sites.
