CONSERVATION COMMONS
Conservation Commons links free searchable database of conservation knowledge and data throughout the world.
Conserve On-line Roster, click here.
Digital Earth, a geospatial data integration model developed by Pyxis Innovation (Web site recently updated) (a Canadian firm based in Kingston, Ontario) with assistance from the Conservation Commons and GBIF, is progressing, with a final product expected in October 2006.
It was presented at the CBD COP-8 in Curitiba, Brazil, last March.
The model (Pyxis poster PDF 14 MB) was demonstrated in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, in July 2006 at the Stewardship Conference.
Numerous other Conservation Commons activities, addressing the unique issues represented by traditional knowledge, private sector support for open access, among others, are in the pipeline.
GeoPortal

REMOTE SENSING & GIS ACTIVITIES WITH THE CSA IN MOZAMBIQUE
Project Title: Remote sensing & GIS applied to integrated water resource management.
Details of the project (September field mission)
Partners:
Canadian Space Agency (CSA) (contract signed in March 2006)
IUCN Offices: Canada, Mozambique and ROSA (Regional Office for Southern Africa)
Mozambique end-user: CENACARTA (Centro Nacional de Cartografia e Teledetecção)
Gartner Lee Ltd. - Environmental Strategies and Solutions (Canadian consulting firm)

2010 BIODIVERSITY CHALLENGE
is a partnership with the Canadian Committee for IUCN (CCIUCN), to engage Canadians in conserving nature. It is led by government and non-governmental organizations, including the private sector, indigenous and conservation organizations. This initiative is inspired by commitments to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss made by national leaders in 2002.
- Canadian 2010 Biodiversity Challenge (HTML details and news: The Challenge was presented in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, in July 2006 at the Stewardship Conference)
- BROCHURE 2010 CHALLENGE (PDF 0,1 MB)

CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD)
CBD partnerships on business and biodiversity and the 2010 Target. Collaboration through secondment of IUCN staff to CBD secretariat and through the IUCN Bonn Law Centre.

ACCESS AND BENEFIT SHARING 2006
Further research into legal and policy aspects of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) for Environment Canada
An agreement between IUCN and Environment Canada was signed in July 2006. Details to come. In the meantime, visit past projects on ABS (completed activities 2005 below)

CHINA-CANADA ECO-COMPENSATION POLICY STUDY TOURS IN 2006
Policy Research on Eco-compensation Policy Construction and Sustainable Development in the Interior Minority Areas in Hainan Province (China)
Updated April 07: Two study tours took place (November 2006 and April 2007) for Chinese delegations to visit partners in Canada. November-December 2006 visit to Canada by the Chinese Delegation.
Details of August Trip to China: A first visit to Hainan iIsland took place in mid-August 2006 to help put in place a workplan for two future capacity building tours in Canada followed by a return visit to China for project results dissemination purposes.
CIDA Policy Options Project (POP) Web site (Project # 2006-10)

SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES (SIDS)
Details
IUCN Canada office will be involved in the Capacity Building aspect of this project developed by IUCN's secretariat in Switzerland. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and islands more generally speaking, face a number of common problems such as water scarcity and land degradation - problems that are likely to aggravate as climate change accelerates. This project will focus on undertaking an initial scoping of the key ecosystem management and restoration issues that require enhanced capacity in the different SIDS regions, identifying a variety of issues - marine, water, soil, forests and `brown` issues.

INDIGENOUS PARTNERSHIPS (CANADA-GUATEMALA EXCHANGES ON SACRED SITES) WITH CIDA
An agreement is being developped with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for a first field study to evaluate potential for this project. More details soon.

GLOBAL FOREST PROGRAMME
Tom Hammond is part of IUCN's forest conservation programme: new forest proposals being developed with worldwide partners.

TEMPORATE AND BOREAL FORESTS IN RUSSIA
From 2000 to 2005, IUCN-Canada managed the Temporate and Boreal Forest Programme with the IUCN office in Russia.

MEDICINAL PLANTS
Sustainable Wild Collection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Development of an International Standard: work is continuing on this initiative in partnership with the Governement of Germany and the Medicinal Plant Specialist Group of the Species Survival Commission. Details
New Standard (February 2007)

GENDER & ENVIRONMENT
For IUCN Gender programme and Gender Web links throughout the world, click here

POVERTY THEME AND SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS
Poverty links, for IUCN's Initiative on Conservation and Poverty Reduction, and other Sustabilibility Web links throughout the world.

An important programme to address this issue is the EQUATOR INITIATIVE, managed by UNDP in a global partnership. IUCN is represented on the Board by the Director of the Canada Office. A research and learning activity arising from the Equator Initiative is being managed by IUCN member IDRC, in collaboration with the University of Manitoba. Click here for the Equator Initiative

CIDA-IUCN FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT
Details

MAJOR PARTNERS FOR IUCN-CANADA
Canadian International Development Agency: A proposal for a new CIDA-IUCN Framework Agreement with IUCN as a knowledge partner is under review.
Parks Canada is the IUCN State Member for Canada.
Environment Canada is a partner in ABS projects, 2010 Biodiversity Challenge and indigenous knowledge-related activity.

The Canadian Committee for IUCN is leading the 2010 Challenge initiative.

Throughout the years, staff of the Canada office have had expertise in a wide variety of subjects related to environmental conservation and resource management particularly with respect to natural resources and environments (e.g. forests, wildlife, water), and geographic areas of special importance to Canada (e.g. Temperate, Arctic and Boreal ecosystems), as well as Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Tropical and Sub-tropical environments. The office has been involved in cross-cutting processes and issues (Climate Change, Environmental Assessment, Marine Conservation, Integrated Coastal Management, Gender and Development, Endangered Species, and Parks and Protected Areas).

CHINA: Capacity Building on Policy Reform of Ecotourism Sustainable Management in China’s Nature Reserves

IUCN Temperate and Boreal Forest Programme (Russia)

ABS final report (PDF 580 KB) Analysis of Claims of ‘Unauthorised Access and Misappropriation of Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge’, Research Report prepared by IUCN-Canada for the CBD, co-financed by Environment Canada, December 2005
The CBD ABS Working Group held its fourth meeting in Granada, Spain, February 2006. Documents

PAST ACTIVITIES for IUCN-Canada, but still current for IUCN-Worldwide
Ecosystem Management Activities, see updated links (Arctic ; Arid & Semi-Arid Lands ; Water & Nature)