$3M donation helps protect threatened habitats in St. Lawrence River
Quebec project one of five global conservation efforts supported by Montreal entrepreneur Dax Dasilva
Many more threatened habitats throughout the St. Lawrence River will soon be protected by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). It is thanks to a $3-million donation from Age of Union, a new non-profit created by Montreal tech entrepreneur Dax Dasilva. The money will help NCC conserve and restore wetlands, islands, estuaries and coastal marine habitats along the river.
Nearly half of all Quebecers rely on the St. Lawrence River for their drinking water. Thousands of birds nest on its islands, freshwater fish feed and spawn in its tributaries and many endangered species depend on the river’s health for their survival.
Age of Union’s donation will help NCC grow the 30-square kilometres of conservation areas the not-for-profit group already protects across 25 islands in the river — the largest single collection of nature reserves in the St. Lawrence River.
People can visit many of NCC’s sites in the St. Lawrence River and learn more about them in an upcoming short film from Age of Union. We are the St. Lawrence premieres October 26 in Montreal, and features Dasilva, NCC conservation biologists and other environment-focused leaders. The documentary calls on Quebecers to protect the St. Lawrence River and to help lessen the impacts of climate change. The film will be available on Age of Union’s website after the premiere.
Quotes
“Without dedicated partners like Age of Union, we wouldn’t be able to protect a growing number of vital areas along the river that are facing habitat degradation. By working hand in hand, we can engage our fellow citizens and leaders to take action toward protecting the precious habitats we rely on for our survival and well-being. I can’t thank Age of Union enough for their trust and generous contribution.” — Joël Bonin, Associate Vice-president, NCC’s Quebec Region
“The St. Lawrence River watershed holds 20 percent of the globe’s freshwater reserve, and its estuary is one of the world’s largest and most biodiverse. Sadly, humans have taken this for granted. We dump our waste here and use it as a superhighway for cargo ships when it is also home to wildlife like whales, sturgeons, birds and much more. We hope with our support of Nature Conservancy of Canada, preservation efforts, and this film, we are able to foster a community of support and respect for these great waters.” — Dax Dasilva, founder and CEO of Lightspeed Commerce, founder of Age of Union
About
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is Canada’s leading not-for-profit private land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962, NCC has helped to protect 14 million hectares (35 million acres), coast to coast to coast. To learn more, visit natureconservancy.ca.
Age of Union is a non-profit environmental alliance that supports and makes visible a global community of changemakers working on-the-ground to protect the planet’s threatened species and ecosystems. Launched in October 2021 by tech leader and environmental activist Dax Dasilva in Montreal, Canada, Age of Union seeks to ignite a flame within every person through conservation efforts that solve critical environmental challenges around the world and inspire high-impact change by showing the positive impact that every individual can make.
Learn More
Follow us on on X (formerly Twitter): x.com/NCC_CNC | x.com/NCC_CNCMedia
Find us on Facebook
- 30 -
