Nature Conservancy of Canada receives $1 million gift from J. D. Irving, Limited

Donation supports wildlife habitat conservation, science and student interns

In celebration of National Wildlife Week, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is announcing it has received a significant and generous donation. J.D. Irving, Limited has donated $1 million to NCC’s national Landmark Campaign. The gift will allow NCC to conserve more habitat for wildlife, complete conservation science and research projects, as well as fund student internships and volunteer programs.

“On behalf of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, I would like to express our gratitude to J.D. Irving, Limited for this outstanding contribution,” said John Lounds, President and CEO of the Nature Conservancy of Canada. “I would also like to thank Jim Irving for his leadership for 17 years on NCC’s national fundraising campaigns, past and present. This donation will help NCC protect more habitat and at-risk species, connect more Canadians to nature, and inspire the next generation of conservation leaders.”

The $1 million gift brings J.D. Irving, Limited’s total contributions to NCC to more than $5 million, including land conserved. As long-time supporters, J.D. Irving, Limited has entrusted thousands of acres to NCC for conservation, including approximately 9,000 acres (3,640 hectares) of ecologically significant land in southwest Nova Scotia and a property at the Musquash Estuary, near Saint John, New Brunswick.

“We value the long-standing partnership we have with Nature Conservancy of Canada which is based on sound scientific research and collaboration,” said James D. Irving, Co-Chief Executive Officer of J.D. Irving, Limited. “We have worked for some time with NCC to protect areas of ecological significance in the Maritimes. These efforts are in addition to our company’s voluntary Unique Areas program and old forest conservation efforts that today account for over 1,450 sites and our investment of $1.5 million each year in forest research.”

NCC’s $750 million Landmark Campaign is the largest private conservation fundraising campaign in Canadian history. The J.D Irving, Limited donation will support NCC’s ambitious goals to secure at least 500 new land conservation projects and 10 large-scale signature land conservation projects across Canada. In Atlantic Canada, signature projects include:

The Musquash Estuary Nature Reserve near Saint John;
A large wetland habitat in Kingsboro, on Prince Edward Island and;
A coastal conservation project in Freshwater Bay near St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

About

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the nation's leading private, not-for-profit land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962, NCC and its partners have helped to protect 2.8 million acres (more than 1.1 million hectares), coast to coast. The Nature Conservancy of Canada has conserved 77,000 acres (31,000 hectares) in the Atlantic Provinces. To learn more, visit natureconservancy.ca.

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Contact:

Kathryn Morse

Atlantic Director of Communications

Nature Conservancy of Canada, Atlantic Region

Phone: 902-405-4334

Email: kathryn.morse@natureconservancy.ca