Our Work

In British Columbia, we like to think big — the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) takes on collaborative conservation projects that have an impact at the landscape level.

Guided by conservation plans and collaborating closely with local communities, Indigenous Peoples, governments, researchers, donors and other conservation and land management agencies, NCC’s focus in BC is to:

• fortify rare and threatened ecosystems
• conserve essential wetland, riparian and coastal ecosystems
• expand grasslands protection
• create habitat connectivity for keystone species
• protect mature and old-growth forests

Our work doesn’t end once a property is protected. When acquiring land, NCC manages conservation areas to maintain and improve their ecological integrity over the long term. Lands staff work with our partners to control invasive species, improve habitats for species at risk, and restore wetland, grassland and open forest ecosystems.

We also work with researchers on our lands, which provide a living laboratory for conservation inquiry. Observations and discoveries made in the field help build knowledge and expertise in natural land conservation.

NCC’s work in BC spans the breadth of ecosystems and landscapes found in Canada’s most biologically diverse province.

West Coast

With more than 27,000 kilometres of coastline, BC’s west coast is one of the most naturally productive areas on Earth. The abundant marine life, lush forests, dramatic mountains and mild climate draw people here, yet this popularity has also made the south coast the most heavily impacted region in the province.

NCC’s West Coast Program undertakes collaborative conservation projects that help conserve some of the province’s most rare and imperilled ecosystems. Our work in estuaries, wetlands and waterways benefits salmon and other aquatic species, while conserving mature and old-growth forests safeguards an abundance of coastal plants and animals.

NCC is actively working to control invasive species, manage impacts on sensitive sites, and restore wetlands, coastal sand dunes and Garry oak ecosystems on the lands we steward.

Featured West Coast projects:

• Carey Island
• Iclhicwani
• Reginald Hill

Interior

The BC interior winds through the sun-drenched valleys and grasslands of the Okanagan, Thompson Nicola and beyond, into forested, mountainous areas of the Chilcotin. NCC’s work here targets important and imperilled native grasslands.

Grasslands make up less than one per cent of BC’s land mass, providing essential habitat to many rare and at-risk plants and animals – in fact, one third of species at risk in BC rely on grasslands for all or part of their life cycle.

NCC works with ranchers, First Nations, governments, community groups and other partners to conserve and sustainably manage BC’s native grasslands for the benefit of nature and people. Several partnerships with family ranches have enabled a mutually supportive balance between cattle grazing and grassland conservation. Minimizing invasive species across NCC's conservation lands is an important focus in this area, as is managing access and building wildfire resiliency.

Featured Interior projects:

• Bunchgrass Hills
• Sage and Sparrow Conservation Area

Canadian Rockies

BC’s Rocky Mountain region encompasses formidable mountains, fertile valleys and an extensive network of lakes and rivers. NCC manages forests, grasslands, wetlands and lakes in this region. We focus on rehabilitating impacted landscapes through open forest and wetland restoration projects, including tree planting efforts.

Much of NCC’s conserved lands in this area are found in valley bottom areas where developmental pressures are increasing. Highways, expanding settlement and intensive resource development has a large impact on grizzly bear, elk, wolverine and other wide-ranging wildlife that require the ability to move between landscapes to access what they need to thrive.

NCC is an active partner in the broader effort to conserve strategic lands within important wildlife corridors in the Rocky Mountain region, ensuring safe movement for the many species that rely on them.

Featured Canadian Rockies projects:

• Elk Valley Heritage Conservation Area
• Darkwoods
• Columbia Lake – Lot 48
• Kootenay River Ranch

North

BC’s expansive northern region is as stunning as it is remote. Sweeping glacier-carved valleys are bordered by rugged mountains. Vast forests, alpine meadows, wetlands and lakes provide habitat for a vast array of wildlife.

This is an area of the province where NCC’s collaborative work with governments, First Nations and industry partners is having a very large-scale impact. As a Elk Valley Heritage, NCC facilitates opportunities for others to achieve their conservation goals, bringing various parties to the table who have interests, resources or know-how to make meaningful conservation happen. These projects in the north are ambitious in scale and enormous in ecological and cultural impact.