OTTAWA, ONT.: The Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) is proud to announce that the Canadian Centre for Nature-based Education (CCNbE) has welcomed its 50 th partner organization, marking an important milestone in a growing national movement to connect Canadians with nature through learning, experience, stewardship and action.
Launched in 2025, the Canadian Centre for Nature-based Education was created to help strengthen, connect and amplify the remarkable organizations already working across Canada to foster relationships between people and nature.
Rather than creating a new program to compete with existing efforts, the Centre was established to serve as a catalyst, helping partners collaborate, share knowledge, identify gaps and collectively expand access to nature-based learning opportunities.
The milestone reflects the growing recognition that reconnecting people with nature is essential to addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time, including biodiversity loss, climate change, declining outdoor participation and growing concerns around physical and mental well-being.
“The significance of reaching 50 partners is not the number itself,” said Mike Bingley, Director of the Canadian Centre for Nature-based Education. “What matters is what the number represents. It reflects a community of organizations choosing to work together.
“Every partner brings unique expertise, audiences, programs and perspectives. The Centre exists because no single organization can achieve this vision alone. Together, we can reach more learners, support more educators, and create more opportunities for people to experience, understand and care for nature.”
ADVERTISEMENT:
The Centre’s partners represent a diverse cross-section of Canadian society, including conservation organizations, educational institutions, Indigenous organizations, youth groups, community organizations, museums, zoos, aquariums, foundations and professional associations. Collectively, they reach millions of Canadians each year through formal, non-formal and informal education programs.
The Canadian Centre for Nature-based Education is guided by a simple but ambitious vision: a Canada where every person has the opportunity to develop a meaningful relationship with nature and the knowledge, skills and motivation to contribute to a sustainable future.
“Fifty partners is an important milestone because it demonstrates something larger than organizational growth,” said Sean Southey, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Wildlife Federation. “It demonstrates a shared belief that nature-based education matters. Across Canada, organizations are recognizing that helping people fall in love with nature may be one of the most important investments we can make in conservation.
“This milestone belongs to every partner that has chosen collaboration over competition and community over isolation. Together, we are building a stronger foundation for the next generation of conservation leadership.”
ADVERTISEMENT:
The Centre is currently working with partners to expand national collaboration, strengthen professional networks, advance research and innovation, improve access to nature-based learning opportunities, and support the development of new tools and resources for educators and practitioners.
As the network continues to grow, the Centre remains focused on its founding principle: that meaningful conservation begins with meaningful connections between people and nature.
To learn more about the Canadian Centre for Nature-based Education, visit ccnbe.ca .
