Centre for Land Conservation (Centre pour la Conservation des Terres)

The Centre for Land Conservation (CLC) is a Canadian nonprofit organization and registered charity focused on advancing private land conservation across Canada. Established in 2019, it serves as an independent policy and program leadership institute dedicated to supporting, expanding, and accelerating sustainable land conservation practices on private lands nationwide.

Mission and Activities

CLC's primary goal is to significantly accelerate the pace and scale of local and regional land conservation efforts in Canada. The organization works collaboratively with community-based land conservation groups to develop initiatives that grow the conservation sector as a business, fostering better and faster outcomes that endure over time.

Key activities of the Centre for Land Conservation include:

• Developing entrepreneurial leaders and building capacity within local and regional land conservation organizations.
• Designing and advocating for constructive policies that support private land conservation efforts.
• Engaging and recognizing landowners and partners committed to land stewardship.
• Building collaborative, multi-year conservation programs and fundraising campaigns aimed at reducing duplication and strengthening conservation results.
• Promoting reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples by actively integrating Indigenous perspectives and partnerships into conservation work.

Standards and Leadership

The Centre is recognized as the steward of the Canadian Land Trust Standards and Practices (CLT S&Ps), a set of guidelines that ensure responsible operation and governance of land trusts and other community-based land conservation organizations in Canada. These standards demonstrate a commitment to high-quality conservation practices and provide evaluation criteria for organizations working in the sector.

As Canada's only dedicated think-tank on conservation, CLC identifies strategically significant issues and innovative solutions that are effective, transferable across different regions and organizations, and designed for long-term conservation impact.

Sector Support and Innovation

CLC is involved in exploring initiatives such as national conservation endowment match funding and conservation insurance facilities aimed at supporting private land conservation organizations in fulfilling their missions amidst legal and stewardship challenges.

Through research, advocacy, and collaboration, the Centre builds the foundation for more effective and inclusive conservation outcomes, fostering a whole-landscape approach that embraces reconciliation and partnership with Indigenous communities.

Organizational Status

The Centre for Land Conservation operates as a registered charity under Canadian law, complying with the Canada Revenue Agency's regulations. It has the business registration number 854475969RR0001.

The Centre for Land Conservation continues to play a vital role in shaping the future of private land conservation in Canada through leadership, standards development, and collaborative programming designed to protect and steward the country's natural landscapes for generations to come.[1][2][3][4]