About CPAWS
Our vision is that at least 50% of our remaining wilderness, including several critical areas here in the Ottawa Valley, will be permanently protected to sustain nature and people for many generations to come.
What We Do
CPAWS Ottawa Valley is your voice for wilderness in eastern Ontario and western Quebec! We seek consensus and work collaboratively with Indigenous governments, Crown governments, industry, the tourism sector and communities across the region to promote the conservation and sound management of our rich natural resources and public lands.
Our priorities are:
PROTECTED AREAS
The establishment of new parks and other types of protected areas, supporting national and provincial commitments to set aside more areas for conservation,
MANAGEMENT
To ensure that current protected areas are managed first and foremost to ensure that nature is protected and supported (ecological integrity),
BRIDGE AND PROTECT
To identify, characterise and ultimately protect important natural linkages that exist between parks and protected areas to support the continued movement of species, both as part of normal lifecycles, but also in response to climate change.
AMPLIFY COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
To connect Canadians, in particular, children and youth to nature through education and stewardship programs designed to build and foster a lifelong appreciation for the value of nature.
Where we work
CPAWS Ottawa Valley envisages a healthy ecosphere where people experience and respect natural ecosystems. We will achieve this by:
- protecting Canada’s wild ecosystems in parks, wilderness and similar natural areas, preserving the full diversity of habitats and their species;
- promoting awareness and understanding of ecological principles and the inherent values of wilderness through education, appreciation and experience;
- encouraging individual action to accomplish these goals;
- working co-operatively with government, First Nations, business, other organizations and individuals in a consensus-seeking manner, wherever possible.
CPAWS Ottawa Valley believes that by ensuring the health of the parts, we ensure the health of the whole, which is our health too.