OTTAWA, ON – Nature Canada’s Women for Nature initiative brings together the leadership, knowledge, experience and passion of amazing women across Canada who are committed to nature conservation. The Women for Nature initiative will be formally launched on Parliament Hill today in Ottawa. Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI Inc.®), will take part in the launch along with other Women for Nature, Senators Janis Johnson and Nancy Green Raine, and Members of Parliament Stella Ambler, Linda Duncan, Joyce Murray, Kirsty Duncan and Elizabeth May.
“This is an opportunity to celebrate a diverse group of accomplished Canadian women who have chosen to join Nature Canada in championing nature conservation,” said Ian Davidson, Nature Canada’s Executive Director. Davidson continued, “These women are a driving force in Canadian society and they are at the heart of our efforts to engage and empower Canadians to advocate for nature, save species and protect habitats and connect children to nature.”
“I’m incredibly proud to be part of this extraordinary group,” said Kathy Abusow. “At SFI we are focused on responsible forestry, the future of our forests and the species that inhabit them which aligns closely to Nature Canada’s work. We recently launched our 2014 call for proposals for our Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant program. This program uses SFI managed lands as living laboratories to foster research and pilot efforts to better inform future decisions about our forests including species at risk.”
The SFI Program is the only forest certification standard in North America that requires participants to support and engage in research activities to improve forest health, productivity and sustainable management of forest resources. This year’s SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant program will focus on investments linked to the role of sustainable forest management in Carbon and Bioenergy; Forest Health; Water; Capacity Building; and Wildlife, Fish and Biodiversity.
The Women for Nature launch will be held at Centre Block, Room 256-‐S, Parliament Hill on February 4, 2014 from 6pm-‐8pm. Keynote addresses from the hosts will begin at 6pm. Light refreshments will be served.
ABOUT SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that leverages four interconnected pillars of work: standards, conservation, community, and education. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments. Collaborating with our network, we leverage SFI-certified forests and products as powerful tools to help solve sustainability challenges such as climate action, conservation of biodiversity, education of future generations, and sustainable economic development.
MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Leduc
VP, Communications and Government Relations
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
613-706-1114
media@forests.org
About Nature Canada
Nature Canada was founded in 1939 because of the passion and initiative of Mabel Frances Whittemore, a teacher and nature lover whose main goal in life was to share her passion for nature with others. Today, Nature Canada represents a network comprised of 45,000 members and supporters and more than 350 nature organizations across the country and with affiliates in every province. Over the past 75 years, Nature Canada has helped protect over 63 million acres of parks and wildlife areas in Canada and countless species that depend on this habitat as well as engage hundreds of thousands of Canadians in nature through its activities.
Media Contacts
Jodi Joy
Director of Development
Nature Canada
613-562-3447 ext. 239
jjoy@naturecanada.ca
Paul Jorgenson
Senior Communications Manager
Nature Canada
613-562-3447 ext. 248
pjorgenson@naturecanada.ca
Monica Tanaka
Communications Coordinator
Nature Canada
613-562‐3447 ext. 241
mtanaka@naturecanada.ca
