A new partnership to advance biodiversity conservation and education
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Biodiversity loss and natural resource degradation are among the greatest threats to humanity. In Canada, we are entering an era of intensive resource extraction — think critical minerals, pipelines and infrastructure development — that will profoundly impact biodiversity. Yet, over three quarters of all Canadians feel strongly about the importance of protecting nature and species at risk of extinction. Building awareness about and capacity for biodiversity conservation is crucial, as is the importance of understanding the real value of nature to Canadians.
These issues are at the core of a new memorandum of understanding between the Faculty of Environment's School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability (SERS) and the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF). Under the agreement, the two organizations will collaborate to advance biodiversity conservation and educational innovation across Canada and pursue new academic and research projects together.
“CWF is one of Canada’s leading environmental NGOs, and we are very pleased to be one of the first higher education partner to support the development of their Canadian Centre for Nature-based Education, a new initiative to enhance hands-on, nature-based learning experiences,” says Derek Armitage, Director of SERS. “The partnership will catalyze unique teaching and research opportunities that are of critical importance to future generations of students, and we are excited to build on our Faculty’s commitment to nature-based education.”
The new partnership will also launch a project to better understand the value of nature. Nature's benefits and ecosystem services are estimated at $125-150 trillion annually, yet there is limited understanding of the contribution of wildlife and nature to Canada’s sustainable development goals and local economies.
“The Real Value of Nature and Wildlife study is a timely step toward communicating how nature and wildlife contribute to economic activity, community resilience, and quality of life across key sectors,” says Sean Southey, CEO of the Canadian Wildlife Federation. “The work will provide an evidence base that helps governments, businesses, NGOs and communities better recognize nature as essential infrastructure and a foundation for long-term prosperity. Together, our two organizations are building the insights needed to move from valuing nature in principle to valuing nature in practice.”
Part of the University of Waterloo Faculty of Environment, the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability is a distinct academic body recognized for its commitment to transdisciplinary teaching, learning, and research to protect, restore, and transform social and ecological systems.
For the past 50 years, the University has been a leader in sustainability research and education, and the Faculty of Environment has been a catalyst for environmental innovation, solutions, and talent developed with the world, for the world.
