Media Release: Nature-Based Solutions Foundation partners with TELUS to help protect old-growth forests
November 21, 2023
Nature-Based Solutions Foundation partners with TELUS to help protect old-growth forests
Developing a Biodiversity Protection Standard designed to measure and grade conservation value of protected areas to safeguard most at risk, underrepresented and biodiverse ecosystems in Canada
VANCOUVER, BC, Nov 21, 2023 — Nature-Based Solutions Foundation (NBSF) has announced a one-year partnership with TELUS to support science-based protection for endangered ecosystems in Canada with a special focus on old-growth forests in BC. This new partnership brings together TELUS, a global technology company, headquartered in BC, and the Nature-Based Solutions Foundation, a young but rapidly growing national conservation organisation, to develop a Biodiversity Protection Standard—which is being developed with some of the world’s top conservation biologists and will provide important insights to conservationists, community members, supporters, and stakeholders on the key environmental metrics of proposed protected areas. The goal is to support decision-making processes regarding conservation, enabling them to prioritise protection for the most endangered ecosystems. The Biodiversity Protection Standard underscores the value of projects that accomplish meaningful protection of the most at-risk, underrepresented, biodiversity rich, and often most carbon-rich ecosystems in the country.
By providing key science-based metrics for initiatives like these, the Biodiversity Protection Standard can help Canada reach its 30% by 2030 protected areas targets. The ultimate objective is to encourage greater involvement from funders, individuals, companies, and other organisations who are committed to supporting high-quality protected areas projects that are most effective at mitigating the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.
“As a global-leading communications provider who plays a significant role in connecting communities across Canada and the world, TELUS is well positioned to have far-reaching impacts on nature protection,” said Hania Eve Peper, National Coordinator at the Nature-Based Solutions Foundation. “We are so thrilled that TELUS has chosen to leverage their resources and reach to demonstrate environmental leadership in their industry through an impactful partnership with us, providing significant help at a key time as we move to protect at-risk, productive old-growth forests and native ecosystems in collaboration with First Nations and other communities. We strongly believe this partnership represents a leap forward in support from Canada’s business community to take bold action for the most endangered areas.”
"At TELUS, we have a consistent vision with ambitious environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and science-based climate targets,” said Geoff Pegg, Head of Sustainability at TELUS. “Now, we’re also helping our customers take meaningful climate action by restoring and preserving nature. Research and partnerships with organisations like the Nature-Based Solutions Foundation are critical to ensuring the utmost integrity of the environmental solutions we’re offering to our customers."
Currently, the Nature-Based Solutions Foundation is working directly with half-a-dozen First Nations communities to develop new Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs). Most prominently, NBSF is supporting the Kanaka Bar Indian Band for their proposed T'eqt'aqtn IPCA, located in the Fraser Canyon south of Lytton (link to media release); and the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation for their Salmon Parks Initiative (link to webpage), located on western Vancouver Island. When complete, the Kanaka Bar and Mowachaht/Muchalaht protected areas projects will safeguard a total of approximately 1,000-square km—an area over eight times the size of the city of Vancouver—including around 435-square km of old-growth forest.
TELUS is also supporting Indigenous data collection to provide Traditional Ecological Knowledge, which will help with testing and refining the methodology. Beyond the Standard, NBSF will provide science advising to TELUS for company-based initiatives, and the two will likewise explore opportunities to collaborate on carbon offset projects that help protect endangered ecosystems.
For more information, please visit www.naturebasedsolutionsfoundation.org
About NBSF
The Nature-Based Solutions Foundation (NBSF) is a young national organisation using a science-based approach to safeguard the most endangered ecosystems in Canada. NBSF was established to fill a critical niche in Canada’s conservation movement by addressing key conservation funding gaps that have historically hindered protection for the most endangered areas. Core to this approach is NBSF’s focus on collaborating with land-embedded communities—who play a decisive role in determining how land is used in their areas—to co-create new protected areas for the most endangered ecosystems. NBSF uses a proven “conservation financing” approach to help communities plan for new protected areas and transition to more sustainable economies that thrive with nature.
Founded by some of BC’s most experienced conservationists who bring decades of successes working to protect native ecosystems in western Canada, NBSF’s current programs are leveraging this expertise to safeguard the at-risk, productive (i.e. “big tree”) old-growth forests of BC.
For more information, please visit www.naturebasedsolutionsfoundation.org or watch The Key to Protecting Canada’s Most Endangered Ecosystems.
About TELUS
As a global leader in social purpose, TELUS is bringing the full power of its connected technology solutions and more than 22 years of sustainability leadership, to help others restore nature. From replanting wildfire-affected areas to restoring coastal kelp forests - TELUS environmental solutions and its partners offer a range of natural climate solutions designed to make positive social and environmental impacts in Canada and across the globe.
For more information about TELUS’ commitments to make the planet healthier, please visit telus.com/restoration.