Nature Canada facts for kids
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| Founded | 1939 |
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| Founder | Reginald Whittemore |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Focus | Nature conservation, Environmentalism |
| Location |
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Executive Director
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Emily McMillan |
| Website | naturecanada.ca |
Nature Canada is a group based in Ottawa, Ontario, that works to protect Canada's amazing wildlife and natural places. It has many supporters, including over 100,000 people and more than 800 other groups. These include local and provincial clubs that study nature.
Nature Canada's main goal is to "protect and save wildlife and their homes in Canada." They do this by involving people and speaking up for nature. Their work often involves local communities helping to protect animals, plants, and their habitats. They also work to get new laws passed at the federal level to protect animals and plants that are in danger. Nature Canada also partners with BirdLife International on a program to protect important bird areas.
Contents
How Nature Canada Started
Nature Canada began a long time ago, on September 30, 1939. A person named Reginald Whittemore started a magazine called Canadian Nature. He did this to honor his late wife, Mabel Frances Whittemore.
In 1948, the group became known as the Audubon Society of Canada. At first, they focused mostly on protecting birds.
Later, in 1971, the Audubon Society of Canada decided to do more than just bird conservation. They changed their name again to the Canadian Nature Federation (CNF). This allowed them to protect all kinds of nature.
Finally, in 2004, the CNF changed its name one last time to simply Nature Canada. This is the name they use today.
What Nature Canada Does
Nature Canada works on several important projects to help nature across Canada. Here are some of their main areas of focus:
Protecting Natural Areas
Canada has made a promise to protect a certain amount of its land and water. Nature Canada helps make sure this promise is kept. They work to protect at least 17% of Canada's land and inland water. They also aim to protect 10% of coastal and ocean areas. These protected areas are like safe homes for plants and animals.
Connecting with Nature in Cities
This program is called NatureHood. It helps people living in cities connect with nature close to where they live. The idea is to show that you don't have to go far to enjoy nature. The first NatureHood project started in Ottawa, Ontario, and Gatineau, Quebec. It helps city dwellers find and enjoy local green spaces.
Building a Network of Nature Lovers
Nature Canada calls its group of local nature clubs and provincial partners the NatureNetwork. This network connects many different groups across Canada. These groups all share a love for nature and work together to protect it. It's like a big team of people helping nature in every province.
Nature Canada used to publish the Canadian Nature magazine for 65 years. They also produced a TV show called Audubon Wildlife Theatre. Today, they create many helpful resources. These include guides for teachers, reports, news releases, and an e-newsletter. All of these help share information about nature and how to protect it.
See also
- Ontario Nature
- Bird Studies Canada
- BirdLife International
- International Union for Conservation of Nature
