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60 years of conservation

The seed for our work was first planted in 1962, thanks to the vision of a committed group of citizens. Here are some of the highlights of the past 60 years.

Nature Conservancy of Canada is incorporated as a charity
 | 1962

First exploratory meeting for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, 1961

Cavan Swamp and Bog, Cavan, ON | 1968

NCC's first conservation project

Sight Point, Cape Breton, NS | 1971

First project in Atlantic Canada


Un fleuve, Un parc, Montreal, QC | 1978

First project in Quebec

Qu'Appelle Coulee, Wolseley, SK | 1982

First property in Saskatchewan

The Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, MB | 1992

Work begins to conserve the largest surviving tracts of tall grass prairie in Canada 


Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area, SK | 1996

A beacon of hope for protecting our remaining intact native grasslands

Johnson's Mills Shorebird Reserve and Interpretive Centre, Johnson's Mills, NB | 2000

NCC’s first public education and ecotourism centre

1K | 2000

More than 1,000 properties conserved from coast to coast coast

Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area, SK | 2003

Reintroduction of plains bison to its historic grazing grounds

Waterton Park Front Project
, Waterton, AB | 2004

A significant private conservation initiative, in partnership with local ranchers and the Weston Family Foundation and the Poole Family

Start of the Natural Areas Conservation Program (NACP) | 2007

The Government of Canada launches the NACP with $225 million set aside for the protection of natural areas

Darkwoods, BC | 2008

At 55,000 hectares, this was at its time the largest single private conservation initiative in Canadian history

Darkwoods, BC | 2011

NCC launches the largest carbon credit program in North America


NCC turns 50 | 2012

Celebrating 50 years of conservation success

Launch of the Moose Sex Project | 2012

Project protects habitat along a narrow band of land connecting Nova Scotia to the rest of Canada

The Waldron Conservation Project, Waldron, AB | 2014

Conserving a provincial treasure and helping preserve Alberta's ranching heritage

Conserving the Kenauk property
, Kenauk, QC 
| 2014

A partnership between NCC and Kenauk Nature to conserve 260 square kilometres

More than 1.1 million hectares conserved from coast to coast to coast | 2016

Birch River Wildland Park, Alberta | 2018

Protecting 3,300 square kilometres of boreal forest

Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area, NU | 2019

After many years of collaboration to help accelerate a marine conservation initiative of global significance, NCC celebrated the announcement of two new protected areas covering 427,000 square kilometres in the High Arctic.

Indigenous-led conservation, Qat'muk, BC | 2020

NCC joined the Ktunaxa Nation, Province of BC, Government of Canada, community supporters and
funding partners in Cranbrook to celebrate the long-sought termination of development rights in the Jumbo Valley

More than 15 million hectares conserved across the country | 2022

Boreal Wildlands, ON | 2022

The largest private conservation project in Canada’s history

When nature thrives, we all thrive

Imagine an area the size of 23 Banff National Parks. Or three times the size of Nova Scotia. That’s about 15 million hectares — equal to the land the Nature Conservancy of Canada has conserved since its founding in 1962. That’s an awesome, measurable impact on the ground, across Canada, for people and nature. And we’ve done it with the support of an incredible, growing team of donors, partners and supporters — people like you.