From coast to coast, Shell has provided the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) with resources to help conserve special lands and endangered ecosystems. Preserving the richness and diversity of biological life (biodiversity) is expected by society and is important for truly sustainable development. Shell also values wise land stewardship because the company’s success is in part dependent on the land. Following are examples of NCC projects Shell has supported.
The Shell Conservation Internship Program is a partnership initiative between the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Shell Canada to provide university undergrad, graduate and post graduate students with valuable hands-on field experience to further their conservation career objectives and provide NCC with the capacity necessary to tackle its priority conservation goals.
This program began in 2002 as a pilot project with 16 students. In 2009, Shell renewed and increased its financial support for the program from $900,000 to $1.5 million over three years. This increase allowed NCC to employ 31 interns across Canada in 2009 and 2010, and 33 in 2011.
2011 marks Shell’s 100 year anniversary in Canada, and the 10 year anniversary of SCIP. To commemorate these milestones, Shell asked six SCIP alumni to record their views on today’s energy challenges. View the video to see what the alumni think.
Some of the past projects that received Shell Canada's contributions were:
- Shaughnessy Cohen Memorial Savanna, Pelee Island, Ontario
- La Fabrique, Île de Grâce, Québec
- Elkington Property (Garry Oaks ecosystem), Vancouver Island, B.C.
- Tabusintac Lagoon, New Brunswick
- Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan
- Cross Conservation Area, Alberta
- Big Hill Springs, Alberta
- Francis Nose Island, Nova Scotia
- MacFarlane Woods, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
In 2001, Shell took a creative approach to support by providing $250,000 for research and a three-year land conservation position for the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The Land Conservation Representative secured properties and conservation easements valued at $8 million. This resulted in much greater gains for conservation than a more traditional contribution towards the purchase of land.
In 1997, Shell Canada was one of four oil companies to relinquish mineral rights to 320,000 acres off the west coast of Canada. This was the first step to establish the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve.
Celebrating Canada's 125th birthday in 1992, Shell donated 22,100 acres of land to establish the Mount Broadwood Heritage Conservation Area. Grizzly bear, elk and big horn sheep are some of the species that roam this area, described by the NCC as a "wildlife paradise.” This land donation was valued at over $1.8 million.
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