Most Canadians who had television in the 1960s or 1970s will remember it — the haunting strains of a lone flute, the trademark theme of Hinterland Who’s Who (HWW). It all started in 1963, with black-and-white vignettes about the loon, the moose, the gannet and the beaver. Accompanied by matching fact sheets, which were ordered by the thousands, the series of 60-second vignettes was created by the Canadian Wildlife Service to educate the public about this country’s native wildlife through excellent film footage, natural sounds, and relaxed narration.
Today, HWW continues to bring Canada’s amazing wildlife directly into people’s homes. Since 2003, the programme has become a partnership between the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) and Environment Canada (EC). The new public-service announcements carry on the classic theme of the original vignettes but also address the need to conserve and protect native species and their habitat. HWW also maintains a robust website (HWW.ca), full of information about wildlife and how the public can help it.
“CWF is proud to be associated with this iconic brand, which has been present for almost as long as our organization itself.” says Wade Luzny, CEO and Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Wildlife Federation. “HWW has inspired thousands of Canadians to connect with wildlife in so many different ways over five decades. It has undoubtedly played and continues to play a significant role in ensuring that our wild species remain part of the Canadian experience.”
There are many initiatives planned for 2013 to celebrate HWW’s 50th Anniversary. Information about the festivities will be posted on the CWF and HWW websites (CanadianWildlifeFederation.ca and HWW.ca) and on the HWW Facebook page. The public will have a chance to participate in HWW’s 50th anniversary in many ways, including the opportunity to vote for their favourite HWW theme (the winning themes will get a fact sheet makeover) or creating their own HWW video showing a Canadian species or ecosystem for a chance to win an exciting prize. Everyone is also invited to pay tribute to the programme by making a spoof of one of the HWW videos or writing a note on the tribute board starting this February. For more information, visit www.hww.ca/en/about-us/50th/.
With the public’s participation, the Hinterland Who’s Who Anniversary is sure to be a great success!
Hinterlands Who’s Who is a joint program of the Canadian Wildlife Federation and Environment Canada. Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the series. Hinterland Who’s Who has been bringing Canadians closer to our wilderness heritage for 50 years. Visit the Hinterland Who’s Who Web site at: www.hww.ca
Contact:
Annie Langlois
Canadian Wildlife Federation
(613) 599-9594 ext. 228
January 3, 2013
