An aerial view of a turquoise lake surrounded by a dense green forest.

Ontario

Active projects

214

Species-at-risk protected

145

Hectares conserved

337,000

Ontario at a Glance

Our journey as an organization began in Ontario in 1962 with the protection of Cavan Swamp near Peterborough. Since then, we have been working to protect, restore and care for the landscapes that make this province special, from vast boreal forests to rare alvars. Our roots are in Ontario, and together, we can continue protecting the natural places that define this province for generations to come.

Driven by experts: Science, Indigenous Knowledge and local community insights strengthen our work to protect, restore and steward Ontario’s natural areas.
Scale of protection: We protect more than 330,000 hectares across Ontario, ensuring the native plants and animals that live here can thrive while supporting the natural systems communities depend on.
Species at risk: We protect and restore habitat for species at risk across the province, from grassland birds in Southern Ontario to woodland caribou in the north.
Critical ecosystems: From boreal and Carolinian forests to tallgrass prairies and alvars, and from Great Lakes shorelines to inland lakes, rivers and wetlands, Ontario is home to a remarkable diversity of ecosystems that sustain wildlife and communities. By protecting the landscapes that matter most, we ensure that nature can continue to support us for generations to come.

An aerial view of a forest with autumn foliage and a winding stream flowing into a lake.

Creating lasting impact in Ontario

Ontario is home not only to nearly 40% of Canadians but also to an incredible diversity of landscapes and wildlife. As natural areas across the province face growing pressures, so does our collective need to protect them. That’s why we work with partners to protect, restore and connect habitats across Ontario. Together, we can ensure nature thrives alongside the people and communities who depend on it.

Protecting the lungs of the Earth

In Northern Ontario, we protect over 230,000 hectares of boreal forest, including Boreal Wildlands — the largest private land conservation project in Canadian history. Often called the “lungs of the Earth,” the boreal forest is the planet’s largest carbon storehouse, absorbing and storing immense amounts of carbon while producing the oxygen we breathe. More than three times the size of the City of Toronto, this vast landscape of forests and peatlands is a nature-based solution to climate change and a critical habitat for wildlife.

Restoring habitats and species at risk

Across Ontario, we restore habitats that have been degraded or lost. We bring back wetlands; control invasive species; use prescribed burns to keep prairies and savannahs healthy while reducing wildfire risk; and recover habitat for species at risk, such as grassland birds and the mottled duskywing butterfly.

Conserving Ontario’s rarest landscapes

Alvars are rare landscapes of thin soil over flat limestone and are home to unique wildlife communities found almost nowhere else in the world. Ontario has most of the world’s alvars, and we protect and care for many of them across the province, including on the Saugeen Peninsula, at the Carden Alvar and in the Napanee Plain.

2 projects

Researchers examine a small bird during field research.

Working together for nature

We achieve more in Ontario by working together. Through our partnerships and work with Indigenous communities, the provincial government, municipalities, land trusts and corporate allies, we protect and restore the places that make this province special. From the Ontario Phragmites Action program, delivered in partnership with the Invasive Species Centre, to the Greenlands Conservation Partnership, these collaborations enable us to make a greater impact for nature across Ontario.

Explore collaborations and partnerships

Featured partners

We’re grateful to the partners who share our vision. Their commitment and collaboration make it possible to protect the places that matter most for people and nature, now and for generations to come.