The BC Conservation & Biodiversity Awards Honour 20 Conservation Based Charities with $350,000 in Funding

VANCOUVER, BC, April 28, 2026 /CNW/ - The BC Conservation & Biodiversity Awards are pleased to announce the 2026 Award recipients, recognizing 20 outstanding conservation initiatives working to protect and restore BC's natural environment. 

The 2026 Award recipients are:

• BC Nature - Advancing research and restoration of endangered Black Kokanee populations in Anderson and Seton Lakes
• Bulkley Valley Centre for Natural Resources Research and Management - Assessing how innovative forestry practices influence moose habitat in northern BC
• Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) - Ocean mapping to support BC Coastal First Nations in developing science‑based marine plans that strengthen biodiversity and climate resilience
• Cheakamus Foundation for Environmental Learning - Using drone‑sensed imagery to identify suitable habitat for endemic moss conservation in Squamish
• Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society - Retrieval of ghost gear to protect sturgeon habitat in the Fraser River
• Living Lakes Canada Society - Wetlands restoration in the Columbia River Basin
• Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association - Expanding ecological connectivity to protect critical ecosystem corridors in the North Okanagan
• MakeWay – Átl'ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound Marine Stewardship Initiative - Herring research and monitoring in Howe Sound
• BC Conservation Foundation - Bat conservation in areas affected by loss of old‑growth forests in the Kootenays
• BC Conservation Foundation - Recovery of Western Bluebirds in Garry Oak ecosystems on southern Vancouver Island
• Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) - Supporting the N'Quatqua First Nation in advancing an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) through administration, operations, and community engagement
• BC Nature – Training/education programs to protect native pollinators in southern BC
• Peninsula Streams Society - Habitat restoration along Millstream Creek in Victoria
• Raincoast Conservation Foundation - Salmon habitat restoration in the Coldwater River
• T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation - Ghost gear retrieval in Hecate Strait
• University of British Columbia - Recovery planning for the Marbled Murrelet in Haida Gwaii and on Vancouver Island
• Be the Change Earth Alliance (BTCEA) - Empowering 400–600 Metro Vancouver youth to lead hands‑on habitat restoration projects
• BC Conservation Foundation - Guidance and coordination to support recovery of species and ecosystems at risk in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley
• Rivershed Society of BC - Connecting communities and First Nations in watershed and habitat restoration initiatives along the Fraser River and in Langley
• Wildsight - Enhancing wildlife habitat and reducing wildfire risk to improve ungulate winter range in the Kimberley area

Strengthening Conservation in BC Where It Matters Most

The BCCB Awards address a critical funding gap for grassroots conservation initiatives in British Columbia. Since launching in 2022, the Awards have distributed more than $1.3 million to over 70 projects, supporting organizations whose work has led to measurable improvement in BC's ecosystem health and biodiversity protection.

Applications for the 2027 BC Conservation & Biodiversity Awards

Applications are now being accepted through to December 31, 2026. Open to BC conservation-based charities and projects, applications can be submitted via our website: bccbawards.ca. The 2027 Award winners will be chosen by our independent, uniquely structured Selection Committee, a panel of professionals from leading academic institutions and environmental organizations. Recipients to be announced March 1, 2027.

Donate to the BCCB Awards­­

The BCCB Awards are making significant strides in conservation, where every effort adds up. By focusing on grassroots projects, we are proving that measurable progress is possible. To support conservation efforts in BC, individuals can visit our website and make a direct impact by contributing to the BCCB Awards Foundation.

"The BC Conservation & Biodiversity Awards Foundation is a donor‑advised fund at Canada Gives, a registered charity and public foundation (Reg. No. 83306 2144 RR0001). Canada Gives manages administration and reporting for the Foundation and issues all Awards following review and recommendations from the selection committee."

SOURCE BC Conservation and Biodiversity Awards

For more information, please contact: Delaney Morris, Manager, IT & Communications, Canada Gives, Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected]