•  
•   Website

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s grassroots voice for wilderness. Since 1963 we’ve led in creating over two-thirds of Canada’s protected areas, which amounts to about half a million square kilometres – an area bigger than the entire Yukon Territory. Our vision is to keep at least half of Canada’s public land and water wild. The BC chapter was established in 1978 and has played a lead role in more than doubling the amount of protected areas in the province to over 14%.

CPAWS works collaboratively with governments, local communities, industry, and indigenous peoples to protect our country’s amazing natural places. Our goal is to create large, meaningful protected areas with ecological strength – places that can nurse nature through climate change and shelter biodiversity forever. Our achievements include protecting places such as Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area and Muskwa-Kechika Management Area. We are currently working to ensure the establishment of national parks in the South-Okanagan Similkameen and Flathead River Valley, as well as creation of a National Marine Conservation Area in the Southern Strait of Georgia, and protection of the marine wildlife and birds of the Scott Islands.