The North American Wetlands Conservation Council (NAWCC) (Canada) is Canada’s mechanism to implement the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, a partnership between stakeholders in Canada, the United States and Mexico that work collaboratively to conserve and protect wetland and upland habitats, and associated waterfowl populations, by connecting people with nature. Established in 1990 by the Federal Minister of the Environment, NAWCC (Canada) also oversees implementation of NAWMP’s U.S. funding mechanism, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), in Canada. 

Specifically, NAWCC (Canada) takes a leadership role in the conservation of wetland and associated upland habitats in Canada by working strategically with numerous partners across North America to plan and achieve wetland and waterfowl conservation. 

To act on its mandate, the Council established a Secretariat that coordinates the Council’s various activities. The NAWCC (Canada) Secretariat, housed at Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, sits as an observer on NAWCC (Canada) to support and facilitate Council business. Additionally, since 2003, a NAWCC (Canada) Staff Committee informs and implement the objectives, strategic directives and decisions of Council.

North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Canada) members are drawn from federal, provincial and or territorial governments and non-government organizations. This partnership includes 12 members and includes Council Chairs, Executive Director, Canadian Wildlife Service; NGO Representative (currently Ducks Unlimited Canada)

 

Role

Details

Council Co-Chairs (2)
  • Canadian Federal Representative

o   Marie-Josée Couture – Director General, Regional Operations, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada

  • Provincial or Non-Governmental Organization Representative

o   Pat Kehoe – Director of International Partnerships, Ducks Unlimited Canada

Plan Committee Member
  • NAWMP Plan Committee Co-chair

o   Marie-Josée Couture – Director General, Regional, Canadian Wildlife Service, Operations, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Habitat Joint Venture

Representatives

  • Eastern Habitat Joint Venture Chair

o   Joseph Crocker – Regional Director, Atlantic Region, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada

  • Prairie Habitat Joint Venture Chair

o   Vanessa Charlwood – Regional Director, Prairie and Northern Region, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada,

  • Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture Chair &Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture Chair

o   Alan Hodaly – Regional Director, Pacific Region, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Species Joint Venture

Representatives

  • Sea Duck Joint Venture Canadian Co-Chair

o   Becky Whittam – Manager, Wildlife and Habitat Assessment, Atlantic Region, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada

  • Black Duck Joint Venture Canadian Co-Chair

o   Stéphane Légaré – Manager, Wildlife and Habitat Assessment, Québec Region, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada

  • Arctic Goose Joint Venture Canadian Co-Chair

o   Myra Robertson – Manager, Wildlife and Habitat Assessment, Regulatory Affairs, Northern Region, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Non-governmental

Organizations

  • Ducks Unlimited Canada
  • Manitoba Habitat Conservancy

o   Stephen Carlyle – Chief Executive Office

  • Nature Conservancy of Canada

o   Kendra Pauley – Director, North American Partnerships

  • The Nature Trust of British Columbia

o   Jasper Lament – Chief Executive Officer

  • Wildlife Habitat Canada

o   Jessica Burns – Executive Director

 

Provincial / Territorial

Representatives

  • Eastern Provincial Representatives (Quebec and Ontario)

o   Antoine Nappi – Senior Director of the Directorate of Threatened and Vulnerable Species, Quebec Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks

o   Cathy Darevic, Policy Coordinator, Natural Heritage, Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, Ontario

o   Scott Makepeace, Manager, Habitat Stewardship and Conservation, Forest Planning and Stewardship Branch, New Brunswick Department of Energy and Resource Development

 

Ex-officio members
  • ZuZu Gadallah -Co-Chair, NAWCC (Canada) Staff Committee – Section Head, Wetlands Office, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
  • Dave Kostersky – Principal Canadian Liaison, Canadian Wildlife Partners

 

 

The North American Wetland Conservation Council (NAWCC) Canada Strategic Plan 2020-2030 communicates NAWCC Canada’s vision, mission and goals for the implementation of the North American Waterfowl Conservation Plan (NAWMP) to partners, stakeholders and the public.

 

NAWCC Canada Vision

Canada has abundant and resilient wetlands that are sustained and valued, and whose health and maintenance contribute to waterfowl and wetland-dependent species conservation, as well as broader biodiversity and environmental objectives.

NAWCC Canada Mission

To advance the conservation of Canada’s wetlands and wetland-dependent species through sound science, appropriate governance, partnerships, communications and other conservation mechanisms in general, and through achievement of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) in particular.

 

The NAWCC Canada Strategic Plan 2020-2030 outlines strategies that will guide the next 10 years of planning, coordination, decision-making, communication and allocation of resources for the successful delivery of the NAWMP in Canada.

 

NAWCC Canada Strategies

To view the entire NAWCC (Canada) Strategic Plan 2020-2030