Rick Bates
CEO, Canadian Wildlife Federation
Connecting Canadians to the wonder of Canada’s natural spaces and wildlife species has been the primary objective of the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) since it was founded in 1962. Science and education have always been core pillars in the charitable organization’s mission to inspire people to care about wildlife and biodiversity. The Canadian Conservation Corps and WILD Outside are the newest initiatives on the path to achieving that goal.
Our objective is to inspire youth to develop a passion for conservation, awareness of their natural environment, and a deeper appreciation for wildlife through mentoring and meaningful service projects.
“Through our leadership programs we strive to remove the barriers for teens and young adults to experience outdoor adventure while helping to conserve wildlife and habitat,” says Rick Bates, CEO of the CWF. “Our objective is to inspire youth to develop a passion for conservation, awareness of their natural environment, and a deeper appreciation for wildlife through mentoring and meaningful service projects.”
The Canadian Conservation Corps and WILD Outside programs join such other CWF conservation education programs as WILD Family Nature Club, WILD Spaces, Love Your Lake, Help the Bats, and Help the Turtles. To celebrate the organization’s 60th anniversary in 2022, the CWF will be launching its 60 Days of Conservation initiative during National Wildlife Week in April.
