WWF-Canada and Environment Canada Award Over Three Quarters of a Million Dollars to Species at Risk Recovery Projects

These funds support research and education/outreach efforts of scientists and conservation advocates who are working to recover Canadian species at risk. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) currently lists 500 species as being nationally “at risk”.

Environment Canada contributed $450,000 to the 2005 ESRF. WWF-Canada, through the generosity of individuals, foundations and the corporate sector,.brought this amount to almost $800,000. Our supporters include Alcan Inc.; Marlene D. Campbell; Duke Energy; Blake Goldring; Government of Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources; The K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation; Inco Limited; Patricia A. Koval; The McLean Foundation; The Kenneth M. Molson Fund for Endangered Birds; Noranda Inc./Falconbridge Limited; Oracle Corporation; Placer Dome Canada; Samuel, Son & Co. Ltd.; Scotiabank; Shaw Communications; and The Tolkien Trust. The funds were awarded to various species recovery projects across Canada. Recovery efforts focussed on everything from the piping plover and sea turtles to the eastern hog-nosed snake and mountain caribou.

Among the 65 projects receiving funds in 2005 are the University of British Columbia’s project on habitat selection and population dynamics of Lewis’ woodpecker in the Okanagan Valley, a project by the Irving Eco-Centre on monitoring and rehabilitation of coastal species at risk in south-eastern New Brunswick, and the Friends of Nancy Island historic site and Wasaga Beach Park for the landscape and population dynamics of the eastern hog-nosed snake in Wasaga Beach project.

Launched in 1988 by WWF-Canada and Environment Canada, the ESRF has invested over $8.6 million in more than 480 projects across Canada. For a full list of the 2005 ESRF projects, please visit our website at wwf.ca.