The Challenge
Canadians are spending most of their lives indoors – reports indicate as much as 90 per cent of our time is spent inside. Both doctors and scientists confirm that a lack of exposure to nature actually contributes to human illness. Our disconnection from nearby nature is a prime reason for the declining state of human health, both mental and physical. The challenge is trying to connect people to nature, to get them outside and discovering the benefits of immersing one’s self in nature. At CWF, we want an appreciation for nature to be an intrinsic value shared by all Canadians.
In Your Community
There’s nothing quite like the peaceful solitude that comes when you spend time alone connecting with nature. However, connecting with a community of nature lovers is also a wonderful way to be inspired. Canadian Wildlife Federation offers many opportunities for you to join your community in wildlife conservation activities.
WILD Family Nature Club
Families get connected to a fun world of outdoor exploring — and to other families doing the same — via CWF's WILD Family Nature Club. It offers opportunities for semi-structured outdoor activities, and training for adults who'd like to involve their children more with the natural world. Through our online platform Canadians can access resources, share experiences and learn about training opportunities. This highly popular program was developed with help from the International Children and Nature Network.
Greening Community Spaces
A community project for wildlife can be a great focus for service clubs, naturalist or youth groups, or the families on your block. If you already belong to an organization, talk to other members and ask if they're willing to tackle a community project. If you don't already belong to a group, why not organize one? Talk to like-minded friends or neighbours, place an ad in your local newspaper, or put a notice up at the library.
Canadian Conservation Awards
CWF invites you to honour these deserving Canadian conservationists by participating in the Canadian Conservation Achievement Awards Program
National Wildlife Week
National Wildlife Week (NWW) is a major Canadian Wildlife Federation initiative designed to celebrate our country’s natural heritage and promote the cause of conservation in Canada. Proclaimed by Parliament in 1947, National Wildlife Week falls every year during the week of April 10 – the birthdate of the late Jack Miner, one of the founders of Canada’s conservation movement. “Wild Goose Jack”, as he was known, is credited with saving the Canada Goose from extinction. Check in with CWF each year for information on great NWW events or plan your own activity to mark the occasion.
#NatureForAll: A Global Movement to Inspire a Love of Nature
#NatureForAll is built on the knowledge that the more people experience nature, the more they appreciate, love and care for it.
The movement aims to build support and action for nature conservation among people from all walks of life by raising awareness and facilitating experiences and connections with the natural world. The Canadian Wildlife Federation is a founding partner of #NatureForAll and is helping to bring together a diversity of partners to scale up the reach and impact of their collective work and take it to a new level of influence.
You can take action to reverse current trends by integrating the power of nature into your daily life, your community, your school or your work.
Citizen Science & iNaturalist
Take an active role in conservation. Download the iNaturalist app and become a citizen scientist. No matter where you are, you can use your iNaturalist app to record plants, animals and wildlife and share your discoveries. All our information becomes part of a national data base. Become a “citizen scientist” and look at wildlife in a whole new way!
At Home
You don’t have to be standing in the middle of a national park to develop your love for wildlife and natural places. There are many activities you can do right at home designed to enhance your connection to nature. Whether you live in a rural or urban setting, the Canadian Wildlife Federation encourages you to get involved in conservation.
CWF Photo Club
Join the CWF Photo Club community for your chance to connect with amateur photographers and wildlife enthusiasts from across Canada. Your free membership entitles you to fantastic wildlife photography tips, a monthly photo e-newsletter, and a chance to win great prizes through our annual, kids and monthly photo contests!
At-Home Projects
Hankering to make a change? Want to get your hands dirty (or, at least, slightly scuffed)? Take a look at our At-Home Take Action Fact Sheets, which will give you the tools you need to make a difference for wildlife — and feel good about yourself!
Garden For Wildlife
Whether you’re planting and tending to a small patio planter, a backyard vegetable garden or a plot in a community garden, gardening is beneficial to you and the environment in which you live.
Helping Bats At-Risk
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. The results of WNS are devastating with some Canadian populations down by 90 percent in only three years.
HelpTheBats.ca is the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s response to ensure Canadian bat populations are protected. The HelpTheBats.ca program engages schools and other groups in learning about Canadian bat species and the current threats to their survival, including habitat loss and white-nose syndrome. This disease is decimating bat colonies across Eastern Canada. Our outreach program has engaged over 2,000 schools and groups across Canada, with a citizen science component that has distributed hundreds of bat boxes and educational materials, all designed to encourage people to monitor bats in their area and send us their data.
In the Classroom
While the outdoors provide a natural classroom to learn about wildlife and habitats, indoor programs lead by the Canadian Wildlife Federation also help students develop a deeper understanding of our natural world. From learning about wildlife on giant floor maps to immersive learning experience, CWF is leader in conservation education.
WILD Spaces in the Schools
Through CWF’s WILD Spaces program, youths aged nine to 12 develop conservation ethic by creating pollinator habitat and sharing that experience with other students. Through an online classroom, participants from across the country interact as they learn about pollinators, discover how to create suitable habitat, and share pictures and stories of the wild spaces they create for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Perks for select groups with outstanding participation include pollinator-friendly plants or free entry to their local botanical gardens.
In the Wild
There is no better place to develop a deeper appreciation for nature than getting outside and experiencing it first-hand. Whether viewing it through binoculars, through the lens of a camera, from behind a magnifying glass or under a canopy of stars while camping, the great outdoors are yours to discover. The Canadian Wildlife Federation’s programs are designed to help you experience the beauty of all things wild.
Below Zero: Winter Fun!
Where do dragonflies go when the snow flies? What keeps wood frogs from croaking in winter? How do polar bears find cold comfort in Arctic climes? Most Canadians live with snow and ice for at least five months of the year, yet we know surprisingly little about life in frozen environments. Put on your long-johns and join us on an amazing sub-zero safari into the winter world of wildlife.
CWF Geocache
Part of the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s mission of connecting Canadians with wildlife is in helping people to get outdoors! Geocaching, an outdoor treasure hunt played by cachers around the world, is a game that can help. Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) devices. It is an outdoor game enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.
Great Canadian Campout
CWF’s Great Canadian Campout is a perfect opportunity to get outside with family and friends this summer. Whether you’re an experienced camper or a newbie, join the fun! Commit to camp and be one of the thousands of other Canadians camping across Canada. Whether you’re camping in your backyard, at a local campsite or in one of our incredible provincial or national parks, let us know! Register your campouts from Victoria Day to Labour Day. Not sure how to start, where to camp or what to do? We’ve got you covered with information and tools to get your family and friends outside and connected with nature. This website is full of ideas and activities suited to any experience level.
On the Water
Connecting with nature is not the sole domain of the land lover. With over 202,000 kilometres of coastline along three oceans and 891,163 square kilometres of its total area covered by fresh water, Canada is home to some of the best natural water habitats in the world. Fishing, snorkeling, canoeing, swimming and sailing are just a few of the ways Canadians can enjoy life in, around and on the water. There are several different Canadian Wildlife Programs designed to help you develop an appreciation for Canada’s waterways.
WILD About Sports
WILD About Sports encourages Canadians to get outside and enjoy Canada’s waterways, coastline and oceans by providing the training, resources and opportunities for them to get involved and take action. The program uses watersports and related activities to increase Canadians’ awareness of the environment and wildlife habitat. It includes an extensive range of online resources that promote awareness, appreciation and action.
Love Your Lake
The conversion of natural shoreline vegetation to lawn, its armoring with rock, concrete or steel, and the removal of fallen wood and aquatic plants from the water impact wildlife and water quality. The actions of multiple landowners add up to lake wide impacts.
Often, shoreline property owners do not realize that their actions are negatively affecting the health of their shorelines and their lake. Our Love Your Lake program works with shoreline property owners and lake associations to help them take action to protect shoreline habitat, reduce nutrients and sediment from runoff, and naturalize altered shorelines.
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