Nonprofit Spotlight: Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society

Outdoor Prolink Canada is proud to have Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society as our featured nonprofit during checkout. Every year, Outdoor Prolink partners with nonprofits to give back to organizations we align with. To honor these amazing nonprofits, we’re spotlighting each one and sharing why you should care about their missions too.

When you think of the great Canadian wilderness, what comes to mind? Likely, it’s a combination of lush forests, towering mountains, flowing rivers, and the diverse wildlife that call them home. These areas and wildlife are cherished across Canada, but are also increasingly at risk. That’s where the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) steps in. For over 60 years, CPAWS has been on the front lines of conservation, fighting to protect Canada’s natural landscapes and wildlife for future generations.

The Story Behind CPAWS

Founded in 1963, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is a national organization dedicated to protecting Canada’s wild spaces. For over six decades, we have worked to safeguard the country’s forests, lakes, rivers, and oceans, advocating for policies and actions that preserve these precious landscapes. Our mission is clear: to protect Canada’s wilderness through conservation, education, and policy advocacy. With 13 chapters across the country, CPAWS is committed to ensuring that Canada’s most cherished natural areas remain safe, wild, and beautiful. Our vision is to protect at least half of Canada’s land, freshwater, and ocean; ensuring these areas are healthy, resilient, and accessible for all Canadians, now and into the future. Through advocacy, public engagement, and a dedication to lasting stewardship, CPAWS continues to lead the charge in securing Canada’s natural heritage.

What sets CPAWS apart? 

CPAWS is uniquely positioned to advance area-based conservation through both our national office and 13 regional chapters across Canada. This structure provides a presence nationally and internationally, as well as locally in each province and territory we operate within. With our combination of national and local conservation efforts, we can combine groundwork within communities with national policy, communications, and advocacy expertise. This potent combination has allowed us to create measurable impact in both terrestrial and ocean conservation for decades across the country. Our work centers around three pillars: (1) bringing organizations, communities and industry together to increase our collective impact; (2) increasing the prioritization of nature and protected areas by federal, provincial and municipal decision-makers; and (3) mobilizing the public to act for nature.

We also take a unique approach to conservation by working closely with Indigenous communities. Many of the areas we fight to protect are lands traditionally stewarded by Indigenous peoples, and we strive to support their leadership in conservation initiatives. This collaboration not only strengthens our conservation efforts but also respects the deep cultural and spiritual connections Indigenous communities have with the land.

What are some upcoming initiatives CPAWS is working on?

As we move further into 2025, CPAWS has several exciting initiatives in the works at the national level. One of our major priorities is the 30×30 initiative, a goal to protect 30% of Canada’s land, freshwater, and ocean by the year 2030. This ambitious goal is crucial for ensuring biodiversity conservation and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

We are also preparing to release a “Report Card”, complete with an interactive map, which will track progress on conservation efforts across Canada. In the report, we’ll reveal how federal, provincial, and territorial governments are performing, with grades assigned and actionable recommendations for improving conservation efforts across the country. This will allow decision-makers and the public to better understand where Canada currently stands on conservation and where more action is needed.

CPAWS is also working on Nature-Based Climate Solutions (NBCS) with the release of a Policy Brief, based on the research of Dr. Risa B. Smith, to help Canada use its protected areas to achieve climate goals. These recommendations emphasize the importance of safeguarding carbon-rich ecosystems, such as forests, wetlands, and grasslands, to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Stay tuned via our website for our upcoming blog post and infographic, which will explore these solutions further and highlight the role protected areas play in tackling climate change.

How can the people of the outdoor industry support the work CPAWS is doing?

The outdoor community is in a unique position to make a real difference in conservation efforts across Canada. By supporting CPAWS, outdoor enthusiasts, industry professionals, and businesses are directly contributing to the protection of Canada’s wild spaces.

• Reaching out to your local CPAWS chapter and volunteering for different events or conservation efforts is a great way to contribute your time and expertise to our mission.
• Sharing our campaigns and social media content on your own pages can help raise awareness about the importance of preserving wilderness areas. Subscribing to our newsletter will keep you updated on conservation stories from coast to coast to coast, and actions and alerts on conservation projects that need your voice.
• Donations help fund our campaigns, advocacy, and education programs. Every dollar goes toward our mission of protecting wild places across Canada.

If CPAWS was an ice cream flavor, which flavor would it be?

If CPAWS was an ice cream flavor, it would have to be Moose Tracks.