Highlights of our 2018-2019 Successes

The Canadian Wildlife Federation’s last fiscal year was a period of significant achievement and growth. We saw the impact of our work as our recommendations to help conserve North Atlantic Right Whales continued to influence government action on fisheries closures and ship speeds. Our pollinator research involved working alongside the agricultural community, power generating companies and municipalities to create and restore critical habitat for pollinators. We rallied almost 100,000 supporters and other Canadians to join together to seek a ban on neonicotinoid pesticides that are harming our pollinators, aquatic insects and other wildlife. Here are a few more highlights from 2018-19.

CONNECTING CANADIANS TO NATURE Canadian Conservation Corps

CWF’S Canadian Conservation Corps offers youth aged 18 to 30 the opportunity to join a unique three-part program that includes a wilderness journey, field training with leading conservationists and planning their own community-based conservation service project in their hometown. CCC has directly engaged over 70 young adults in all regions of the country and indirectly reached more than 10,000 people across Canada.

WILD Education

Working with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in the U.S., CWF began the process of redeveloping WILD Education to meet the needs of current educators in Canada. The program will include two new modules: (1) a short introduction to nature education that will focus on simple steps any teacher can take to bring nature education into their classroom, and (2) a theory and practice workshop that will show the educational benefits of conservation education. We will address distance education needs to ensure the new materials are available in all regions of the country.

WILD Family Nature Club

The greatest single predictor of adult conservation behaviour is time spent outdoors as a child with a trusted adult. In 2018-19, CWF’S WILD Family Nature Club offered programming in 19 communities to provide opportunities for young families to explore and play in nature together.

WILD Spaces

CWF engaged 12,871 students through WILD Spaces — a program that gets classes involved in planting pollinator gardens and learning about the value of wildlife-friendly gardening.

During the 2018-19 fiscal year, CWF engaged over 700,000 individuals through programs, events and initiatives. We reached over 3.3 million people through fundraising, marketing and communications.

Garden Habitat Certification

Garden Habitat Certification continues to connect our supporters with a conservation ethic close to home. In the last 20 years, CWF has certified more than 1,500 gardens across Canada, with 500 of those certifications granted in the past two years.

Hinterland Who’s Who

Hinterland Who’s Who remains one of Canada’s most iconic and popular public service announcement programs, bringing wildlife information and awareness into the homes of Canadians across the country. In 2018, HWW released two new PSAS — the Common Raven and the Chorus Frog — and began developing a new App for children called The Wild Gang. The App will feature content from both HWW and WILD magazine, including PSAS, video games, scavenger hunts, projects and activities.

Ban With A Plan — Government Petition and Campaign

In summer 2018, CWF launched a petition calling for a legislated national ban on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides that are harming our pollinators and other wildlife. Close to 100,000 CWF supporters and Canadians signed our petition; with this united voice, we delivered a strong message to the Government of Canada. In spring 2019, Health Canada announced plans to cancel certain uses of three forms of neonicotinoids — imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and clothianidin — to address risks to pollinators.