The Nature Education Collective (NEC) champions quality nature education for children and youth in Canada to ensure they become environmentally literate and to build generations of sustainability minded, action-oriented and resilient people.
The NEC is comprised of Canada’s leading national nature education NGOs: Canadian Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Earth Rangers, Outward Bound Canada and Project Learning Tree Canada. We recognize that there is an immediate need to create balanced and consistent national-scale climate and biodiversity education for all children in Canada. We acknowledge that education is primarily under provincial and territorial jurisdiction and feel strongly that the federal government has an important role to facilitate and fund nature education for the greater good of Canadians. Today’s children are Canada’s future voters and citizens, who will be making the decisions towards a sustainable future, considering its economic, social, and environmental aspects. Investing in environmental literacy and nature-based education programs that focus on developing students’ critical thinking skills is an investment in equipping younger generations with the knowledge and skills to create a sustainable society with thriving economies, equitable communities, and prosperous natural environments.
OUR MISSION
The NEC will work tirelessly to ensure that quality formal and non-formal nature education is at the forefront and will oversee the development and implementation of a national education strategy that engages and empowers children, youth and educators through lifelong nature-based learning.
OUR VISION
The NEC envisions a Canada where our natural world is considered in the personal and professional decisions and actions of Canadians, resulting in a healthy, sustainable society recognized as a world leader in nature education.
OUR PROGRAMS
Canadian Wildlife Federation
The Canadian Wildlife Federation’s mission is to conserve and inspire the conservation of Canada’s wildlife and habitats for the use and enjoyment of all. The Canadian Wildlife Federation conducts its activities through a cooperative approach – working with people, corporations, non-government organizations, and governments to inspire collaboration in achieving wildlife conservation. We will use the best available science-based information to develop our policies, programs and communications. CWF prides itself in being accountable and transparent in fulfilling our mission.
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) conserves, restores and manages wetlands and grasslands to benefit waterfowl, wildlife and people. Our goal is to ensure abundant wetlands and waterfowl for generations to come while improving Canadian lives. Our education team has been delivering award-winning, wetland-based education for over 25 years. Our nationwide Wetland Centre of Excellence (WCE) program immerses high school students in nature, setting them up to become stewards of their local wetlands. Our education program is home to award-winning interpretive centers where children, youth, educators and the general public can connect with nature at incredible wetland sites across the country.
EARTH RANGERS
Earth Rangers is the charity that transforms children’s concerns about the environment into positive action. When a child becomes an Earth Ranger, they become an animal saving hero, developing confidence that they can make a difference and optimism about the future. Through a variety of programs and content, we empower kids to become environmental leaders at home, in school and in their communities. From organizing shoreline clean-ups, to creating backyard animal habitats, to reducing food waste and energy consumption at home, our members are committed to leaving the world better than they found it – and having a whole lot of fun doing it.
OUTWARD BOUND CANADA
Outward Bound Canada (OBC) is a registered national charity that empowers youth through experiential adventures in nature. Since 1969, more than 175,000 participants have experienced our unique programs from coast to coast. Many of the thousands of youth who complete our programs every year—either as individuals or through their schools—are underserved with outdoor education and need our scholarships and bursaries. OBC partners with Indigenous Nations, schools, universities, community groups, government agencies, and corporations across Canada to provide a wide range of programs so youth from diverse backgrounds can explore nature through immersive expeditions, supported by highly skilled OBC instructors trained in risk management.
Using the outdoors as our dynamic classroom, we help youth in Canada to develop resilience, and build their physical, social, and emotional skills, and environmental leadership. Our vision is to ensure all youth in Canada have access to high quality, impactful outdoor education experiences that help them realize their potential.
PROJECT LEARNING TREE CANADA
Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) is committed to advancing environmental education, forest literacy, and green career pathways, using trees and forests as windows on the world. Our award-winning resources offer a lifetime of learning from early childhood through adulthood, and our wide and diverse network provides professional development for educators and opportunities for young adults to explore forests and green careers. Together, we are growing future forest and conservation leaders. PLT Canada, an initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI), is a non-profit charitable organization.
THE IMPERATIVE TO ACT NOW
Nature education plays an important role in fostering an understanding and appreciation for the natural world. In a world increasingly disconnected from nature, supporting nature education is essential for cultivating environmental awareness and stewardship. Without it, we risk missing the opportunity to instill in future generations a profound respect for the planet and the urgent need for its protection.