List of 56 Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk projects 2023–2024

Alberta

Recipient: Milk River Watershed Council Canada
Approved funding: $130,000
Project description: This two-year project will develop a comprehensive inventory of bat species and the Northern Leopard Frog, while providing opportunities for Canadians to learn about these species at risk and partake in habitat stewardship activities in southeastern Alberta.

Recipient: Nature Conservancy of Canada – Alberta
Approved funding: $252,114
Project description: This five-year project will continue the success of a regional invasive species management pilot program and address habitat degradation concerns from invasive species to improve and restore habitat for species at risk in southwestern Alberta.

British Columbia          

Recipient: ʔaq̓am
Approved funding: $66,522
Project description: This two-year project will use both forest thinning and prescribed burning to restore not only the land, but natural processes and cultural stewardship practices for the long-term health of the landscape and community in Cranbrook, British Columbia, creating a long-term restored Rocky Mountain Trench ecosystem.

Recipient: Ecorana Environmental Ltd.
Approved funding: $28,990
Project description: This one-year project will start planning proactive conservation methods for protecting potential habitats in Ocean Falls, within the Great Bear Rainforest on the British Columbia Central Coast, especially for species at risk in areas where old-growth forests may be affected by logging.

Recipient: Splitrock Environmental Sekw'el'wás LP
Approved funding: $225,000
Project description: This three-year project aims to secure crucial habitat for the Stein‑Nahatlatch Grizzly Bear population in Lillooet, St'at'imc Nation traditional territory, British Columbia. It will also establish connectivity corridors to neighbouring Grizzly Bear populations to promote genetic diversity and decrease mortality.

Recipient: Castilleja Conservation Society
Approved funding: $162,819
Project description: This five-year project will undertake the conservation and recovery of upland species at risk and their critical habitat on Trial, Alpha, and Griffin Islands near Victoria, British Columbia.

Recipient: Zenon Czenze
Approved funding: $21,150
Project description: This one-year project will help identify important bat roosts for various tree-roosting species and guide the design of specialized artificial habitats that can withstand heat waves, enhancing conservation efforts and species survival in Lillooet, British Columbia.

Recipient: We Wai Kai Nation
Approved funding: $110,000
Project description: This three-year project will undertake the protection of habitat through building, installing, and maintaining nest boxes for the Western Screech-Owl kennicottii subspecies; creating a nesting habitat model; and collaborating with the We Wai Kai Guardians to set up a multi-year conservation program in the Campbell River watershed, British Columbia.

Recipient: British Columbia Wildlife Federation
Approved funding: $125,021
Project description: This five-year project will undertake the restoration of a minimum of 3.6 hectares of wetland habitat for species at risk at two locations by partnering with private landowners, First Nations, and provincial agencies on North and South Pender Island, British Columbia, and at the Earl Bar 40 Ranch near Newgate, British Columbia.

Recipient: Williams Lake First Nation
Approved funding: $420,000
Project description: This five-year project aims to restore grassland and forest habitat by reintegrating cultural burning onto Williams Lake First Nation land, as well as improve forest health near grassland and reduce the risk of wildfires adjacent to First Nations commercial and residential areas in Williams Lake, British Columbia.

Recipient: Southern Interior Land Trust Society
Approved funding: $53,100
Project description: This one-year project aims to protect at-risk species and other wildlife that rely on grassland habitat in Syilx territory by installing exclusion fencing, thereby keeping livestock off its grasslands’ property to help recover its ecological integrity.

Manitoba

Recipient: Souris River Watershed District
Approved funding: $120,000
Project description: This three-year project will enhance grassland habitat for Burrowing Owls and other grassland birds, while creating opportunities for Canadians to learn about species at risk and ecosystem benefits by engaging them in outreach in southwestern Manitoba.

Recipient: Nature Conservancy of Canada – Manitoba
Approved funding: $259,600
Project description: This five-year project will manage land disturbances to enhance habitat for species at risk and conduct surveys in areas lacking sufficient data in the Manitoba Interlake region.

Recipient: Manitoba Habitat Conservancy
Approved funding: $398,058
Project description: This five-year project will address multiple threats to species at risk, including habitat loss and degradation in southwestern Manitoba.

Recipient: Manitoba Naturalists Society
Approved funding: $162,000
Project description: This five-year project aims to protect and restore critical habitat for the Chimney Swift, identify new nesting and roosting locations, and provide opportunities for Canadians to learn about this species at risk and participate in habitat stewardship activities in Manitoba.

Recipient: Manitoba Naturalists Society
Approved funding: $268,111
Project description: This five-year project aims to protect and restore habitat for multiple bird species at risk and create opportunities for Canadians to learn about species at risk by participating in habitat stewardship projects that benefit these species, as well as the ecosystem in the Manitoba Interlake region and central and southwestern Manitoba.

New Brunswick

Recipient: Mount Allison University
Approved funding: $79,926
Project description: This two-year project will evaluate and reduce threats to habitats of at‑risk terrestrial species posed by the non-native and invasive Common Gartersnake on the island of Newfoundland.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Recipient: Healthy Waters Labrador
Approved funding: $50,000
Project description: This three-year project will conduct surveys and monitor species at risk in the Birch Island Conservation Area to address data gaps in the Birch Island Conservation Area Biodiversity, Species at Risk, and Habitat Monitoring Program in Labrador.

Recipient: Birds Canada
Approved funding: $403,000
Project description: This four-year project will map the distribution and abundance of at-risk breeding bird species in remote areas of the island of Newfoundland to complete the Breeding Bird Atlas.

Northwest Territories

Recipient: Deninu K'ue First Nation
Approved funding: $80,324
Project description: This two-year project aims to design and implement a lichen transplant monitoring program by training members of the Deninu K'ue First Nation to identify the correct species for collection, transportation, distribution, and monitoring of lichen that will be guided by Indigenous Knowledge and modern transplanting methods.

Recipient: Saint Mary's University
Approved funding: $208,109
Project description: This two-year project will conduct surveys and interviews of Indigenous Knowledge holders in the Northwest Territories to determine what is known about native berries and describe any changes seen in berry production.

Recipient: Fort Smith Métis Council
Approved funding: $25,883
Project description: This one-year project will develop awareness of the importance of Whooping Cranes and other Species at Risk Act-listed species in the South Slave region of the Northwest Territories.

Recipient: Pollinator Partnership Canada
Approved funding: $64,500
Project description: This ongoing project will receive additional funds to continue habitat and species recovery actions for at-risk bees, such as developing a campaign for volunteers to participate in bee surveys to identify where critical food sources are located.

Nova Scotia

Recipient: Ducks Unlimited Canada
Approved funding: $80,000
Project description: This two-year project will protect and improve the management of important foraging and breeding habitats on private woodlots for the recovery of four avian species at risk in central and eastern Nova Scotia.

Recipient: Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute
Approved funding: $234,000
Project description: This three-year project will focus on protecting and restoring priority habitats for at-risk forest birds, lichens, Monarch Butterflies, reptiles, and Barn Swallows in Nova Scotia.

Recipient: Atlantic Coastal Action Program Cape Breton
Approved funding: $116,873
Project description: This two-year project will develop a conservation plan to enhance the recovery of at-risk pollinators in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.        

Recipient: Birds Canada
Approved funding: $111,000
Project description: This three-year project will contribute to the recovery of the endangered Piping Plover by reducing threats and promoting the importance of maintaining natural processes to ensure resilient coastal ecosystems that benefit communities and wildlife in Nova Scotia.

Ontario

Recipient: The City of Richmond Hill
Approved funding: $56,000
Project description: This three-year project will create a 1.2 hectare meadow that will serve as a nectaring and breeding habitat for Monarchs within the City of Richmond Hill, Ontario.

Recipient: Federation of Ontario Naturalists
Approved funding: $167,118
Project description: This three-year project will restore over 35 hectares of Carolinian forest within the Sydenham River Nature Reserve near Alvinston, Ontario.

Recipient: Land Care Niagara
Approved funding: $28,000
Project description: This project will create and enhance breeding, nectaring, and staging habitat for Monarchs on agricultural land in the Niagara region of southern Ontario.

Recipient: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Approved funding: $207,500
Project description: This three-year project will create new, and enhance existing, habitat for the Western Chorus Frog in the Nashville Conservation Reserve located in Vaughan, Ontario, and the Claireville Conservation Area located in Brampton, Ontario.

Recipient: Halton Region Conservation Foundation
Approved funding: $61,400
Project description: This two-year project will develop and implement an adaptive monitoring and management plan for Jefferson Salamanders within Waterdown Woods in Hamilton, Ontario.

Recipient: Ontario Parks
Approved funding: $30,000
Project description: This one-year project will protect and enhance critical breeding habitat for Piping Plovers within four Ontario provincial parks along the north shore of Lake Ontario between Bowmanville and Picton, Ontario.

Recipient: Royal Botanical Gardens
Approved funding: $47,154
Project description: This one-year project will protect and support the recovery of a local population of Blanding’s Turtles within the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, Ontario.

Recipient: Georgian Bay Forever
Approved funding: $62,624
Project description: This one-year project will manage the invasive Common Reed, Phragmites, within Matchedash Bay (a Ramsar Site, which is a Wetland of International Significance and Importance) north of Barrie, Ontario, for the benefit of Blanding’s Turtles and other wetland-dependent wildlife.

Recipient: Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority
Approved funding: $50,678
Project description: This one-year project will develop and commence the implementation of a management plan for species at risk within the Mosa Forest Conservation Area in Newbury, Ontario, and gather ecological land classification and species at risk information related to three other Conservation Areas within the Lower Thames River watershed.

Recipient: Haliburton Highlands Land Trust
Approved funding: $79,400
Project description: This project will protect the Blanding's Turtle, the Eastern Whip-poor-will, and the Western Chorus Frog by identifying habitat to inform municipal planning and the stewardship of private land within the Highlands Corridor of Haliburton, Ontario.

Recipient: Winter Spider Eco-Consulting
Approved funding: $147,000
Project description: This three-year project will remove the invasive Common Reed, Phragmites, from over 120 hectares of wetland and coastal habitats across Manitoulin Island, Ontario, for the benefit of Blanding’s Turtles, Pitcher’s Thistle, Lake Huron Grasshoppers, and other local species at risk.

Recipient: Kawartha Land Trust
Approved funding: $50,000
Project description: This one-year project will identify private lands for species at risk habitat securement, restoration, and threat abatement within the Kawartha region of Ontario.

Prince Edward Island

Recipient: Bedeque Bay Environmental Management Association
Approved funding: $30,000
Project description: This two-year project will identify and assess potential Monarch habitats and monitor Monarch activities using standardized procedures to support conservation and recovery planning in Prince Edward Island.

Recipient: Prince Edward Island Watershed Alliance
Approved funding: $98,200
Project description: This two-year project will survey at-risk bat populations using North American Bat Monitoring (NABat) grids, providing baseline data on species’ abundance and habitats. It will engage with the Bat Advisory Committee to guide conservation efforts, educate local communities about the importance of bats in ecosystems, and promote stewardship actions on Prince Edward Island.

Quebec

Recipient: Regroupement QuébecOiseaux
Approved funding: $128,192
Project description: This funding will support ongoing work to contribute to the recovery of two species at risk, the Bank Swallow and the Chimney Swift, by proposing conservation measures to landowners where these species at risk reside, and by carrying out inventories and monitoring in several regions of Quebec located inside and outside the St. Lawrence Lowlands priority place.

Recipient: Nature Québec
Approved funding: $26,000
Project description: This one-year project will enable the development of a protected area scenario that meets the ecological requirements of the caribou population in the Gaspésie region of Quebec, notably the conservation of old forests of the Gaspé Peninsula.

Recipient: Nature Cantons-de-l'Est
Approved funding: $54,615
Project description: This three-year project aims to increase public awareness of the presence and importance of bats, inventory potential hibernacula sites, and canvas with owners of sites of interest for conservation. This project targets three species listed under the Species at Risk Act: the Little Brown Bat, the Northern Myotis, and the Tri-colored Bat.

Recipient: Centre d'interprétation du milieu écologique du Haut-Richelieu
Approved funding: $100,272
Project description: This five-year project aims to protect species at risk and their habitat and mitigate pressures affecting them through conservation planning, owner outreach, inventories, and the establishment of voluntary conservation agreements in the priority area of the St. Lawrence Lowlands, specifically focusing on six Species at Risk Act-listed species in a forest environment. This includes the False Hop Sedge (endangered), the Chimney Swift, the Least Bittern, and the White Wood Aster (threatened).

Recipient: Conseil régional de l'environnement du Centre-du-Québec
Approved funding: $95,699
Project description: This project aims to expand habitat protection efforts and focuses on helping endangered and threatened species, including the Barn Swallow, the Bobolink, the Chimney Swift, the Eastern Meadowlark, the Eastern Whip-poor-will, the Spring Salamander, the Tri-coloured Bat, and Van Brunt's Jacob’s-ladder Polemonium vanbruntiae.

Recipient: Horizon-Nature Bas-Saint-Laurent
Approved funding: $69,000
Project description: This three-year project will develop an action plan for land conservation, the voluntary conservation of suitable habitats, and an ornithological inventory in coastal and forest environments in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region in Quebec.

Recipient: Agence de mise en valeur des forêts privées des Appalaches
Approved funding: $157,716
Project description: This five-year project will contribute to protecting the habitats of species at risk and mitigating the pressures linked to forestry activities by working in collaboration with private landowners in implementing land-use planning and best management practices in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, in Quebec. This project targets 10 species listed under the Species at Risk Act, including the Butternut, the Bicknell’s Thrush, the Spring Salamander, the Wood Turtle, the Northern Map Turtle, the Chimney Swift, the Tri-colored Bat, the Northern Long-eared Myotis, the Little Brown Bat, and the Short-eared Owl.

Recipient: Nature-Action Québec Inc.
Approved funding: $345,021
Project description: This funding will support ongoing work to control invasive species in new areas, implement barriers to predation in new areas, and enter into new voluntary conservation agreements with landowners who host species at risk in Montérégie.

Recipient: Fondation québécoise pour la protection du patrimoine naturel
Approved funding: $99,000
Project description: This three-year project aims to restore Victorin's Gentian habitats along the St. Lawrence, inventory and monitor occurrences of Victorin's Gentian, and mitigate threats to endangered bats in Quebec.

Recipient: Société d'histoire naturelle de la vallée du Saint-Laurent
Approved funding: $329,274
Project description: This five-year project will consolidate the protected areas network in the Shawinigan River watershed and enhance habitat connectivity.

Recipient: Organisme de bassin versant de la baie Missisquoi
Approved funding: $99,624
Project description: This three-year project will protect habitats for three species at risk in the Missisquoi Bay watershed, including the Spring Salamander and two restricted species.

Recipient: Société pour la conservation de la tourbière de Lanoraie
Approved funding: $27,680
Project description: This project aims to consolidate the protected areas network in the Lanoraie peatland complex and enhance connectivity among wetland habitats in Quebec's Lanaudière region.

Saskatchewan

Recipient: Birds Canada
Approved funding: $79,650
Project description: This two-year project will work with landowners to develop and implement the Bird-Friendliness Index as a tool for evaluation of land management and production practices. This will, in turn, help conserve native grassland and halt or reverse the decline in grassland bird species at risk and biodiversity in southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

Recipient: Meewasin Valley Authority
Approved funding: $159,000
Project description: This three-year project will enhance habitat for sand-dune dependent and grassland species at risk and provide opportunities to engage land managers, practitioners, and volunteers in stewardship activities for species at risk in the South Saskatchewan River watershed in and near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Yukon

Recipient: Wildlife Conservation Society of Canada
Approved funding: $394,621
Project description: This three-year project will conduct surveys and outreach, as well as monitoring and conservation planning of avian communities found in reclaimed placer mine sites, compared to undisturbed ecosystems in the Yukon.