How a new certification program promises to enhance the credibility and impact of land conservation organizations across the country — and benefit all Canadians
.jpeg)
Southern Interior Land Trust nʔaʕx̌ʷt – Ginty’s Pond Conservation Property, Cawston B.C. Photo by Al Peatt.
There’s a lot riding on Canada’s 150+ local and regional land conservation organizations. These not-for-profits are protecting more than a million hectares of forests, farmland, wetlands, grasslands and other natural spaces across the country.
It’s crucial work, according to Lara Ellis, executive director of the Centre for Land Conservation (CLC). “They’re safeguarding habitat for our country’s wildlife, building our resilience to climate change and preserving greenspaces where we connect and play,” she says. “That’s particularly important in southern Canada, where most land is privately owned.”
These organizations are negotiating significant legal agreements. They’re securing millions of dollars of land, either through direct purchase, donation or conservation agreements. They’re raising substantial amounts of money, not only for purchasing properties but for the endowment funds needed to steward that land in perpetuity. And while some have professional staff, many are run entirely by volunteers.
To do all that, organizations need the confidence of donors and landowners. “The trust of our donors is the biggest asset we have,” says Dorthea Hangaard, executive director of the Couchiching Conservancy, which stewards more than 6,000 hectares of land in central Ontario.
That’s where CLC’s new Conservation Excellence Certification promises to make a big impact.
The voluntary program recognizes local and regional land conservation organizations that undergo a rigorous assessment process to prove they meet the highest standards of transparency, accountability and impact.
Now CLC is proud to salute the first six organizations to achieve certification, officially announced on March 20, 2025:
For Ellis, it was a watershed moment. “This marks the beginning of a new era of land conservation in Canada,” she says. “I believe our Conservation Excellence Certification program will drive more support than ever for land trusts across the country.”
Judie Steeves, president of B.C.’s Southern Interior Land Trust, agrees. “This recognition will help us build stronger partnerships and secure more habitat for wildlife,” she says. To date, the entirely volunteer-run group has purchased, protected and restored hundreds of hectares of Okanagan wilderness.
“This recognition will help us build stronger partnerships and secure more habitat for wildlife”
There’s solid data to back up those beliefs. In 2024, CLC commissioned an independent survey of more than 400 Canadians across the country who had donated to charity in the previous two years.
Although a large majority said they trusted charities, nine out of 10 would put more confidence and trust in an organization accredited by a third party. More than 80 per cent believe that CLC’s program would help achieve the goals of land preservation across Canada.
Most significantly, 83 per cent said they were more likely to support an accredited land trust — and those numbers are even higher among donors who typically give more than $1,000 a year.
83 per cent of Canadian donors surveyed said they were more likely to support a land trust that was accredited
Source: Independent survey of 401 Canadian donors conducted by Ignite Labs on behalf of the Centre for Land Conservation, May 2024. Numbers add up to more than 100% due to rounding.
Data from the U.S. shows the difference third-party certification can make for organizations. In 2005, the Land Trust Alliance introduced an accreditation program. A decade later, they commissioned an independent evaluation of its impact. It revealed that the accreditation process motivated land trusts of every size to make measurable improvements in governance, land acquisition procedures, stewardship practices and financial systems.
The results were significant. Compared to their non-accredited counterparts, they conserved three times as much land, increased their budget three times as much and gained more than twice as many volunteers over the ten-year period.
In the U.S., accredited land trusts protected three times as much land as their non-accredited counterparts over a 10-year period
Now, Canadian land conservation organizations have the opportunity to reap the same benefits.
To achieve CLC’s Conservation Excellence Certification, organizations must meet the ethical and technical guidelines laid out in the Canadian Land Trust Standards & Practices. The guidelines include 91 practices grouped into 12 standards, covering everything from fundraising, human resources and tax benefits to land acquisition and stewardship.
The process starts with filling out a simple expression of interest on the CLC website. Organizations that meet the participation criteria are invited to submit a full application. Expert assessors then review the submission, evaluating the organization on governance, sustainability practices, strategic planning and management.
“Our goal is to be rigorous enough to create confidence, without creating an onerous burden for organizations,” Ellis explains. “We’ve developed documents and videos to guide participants through the process, and our staff is always available to answer questions.”
“Our goal is to be rigorous enough to create confidence, without creating an onerous burden for organizations”
Successful organizations are certified for four years — with the option to renew — and are listed on CLC’s website. They are also entitled to display the Conservation Excellence Certification trustmark, signalling that they operate at the highest levels of professional practice.
Stephanie Merrill is proud to have earned that trustmark. “This recognition underscores our dedication to being a professional organization, trusted with the responsibility to protect nature,” says the CEO of the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, which has protected land in 90+ nature preserves throughout the province.
Today, 10 more land trusts have enrolled in the program and 15 more have committed to participating in the program before 2026. Ellis invites others to follow their lead, with the goal of enrolling a total of 40 by March 2026.
For her, the advantages are clear. Certification builds trust, demonstrating an organization’s commitment to the highest standards in conservation. Trust builds support. Support drives real and lasting success. “And the more successful they are, the more of Canada’s natural heritage that will be preserved for generations to come,” says Ellis.
As a national organization established in 2019, the Centre for Land Conservation (CLC) advances land conservation and stewardship through certification, policy and research. Our Conservation Excellence Certification program was launched in April 2023 with the support of Environment and Climate Change Canada, Power Corporation, the Echo Foundation, the Michael Young Family Foundation and donors from across Canada.
.png)
