Nature Conservancy of Canada announces appointments to leadership team

CHARLEVOIX, Quebec and VICTORIA, British Columbia, Sept. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) strengthens its use of evidence-based science and research capacity, and its presence and influence in Quebec, with today's announcement of two additions to its leadership team. Respected conservation leaders Claire Ducharme and Aerin Jacob, PhD bring a combined five decades of experience to the organization. Their appointments reflect NCC's drive to accelerate its work and double its impact.

Ducharme, who has dedicated her career to nature conservation, joins NCC as the new Quebec regional vice-president. She joins NCC from Sépaq, the organization that manages Quebec's network of 23 national parks where she most recently was the director of operations and deputy director general. Under her leadership, park visitation increased by 250 per cent over 10 years, while maintaining high visitor experience satisfaction and the parks' ecological integrity.

Passionate about connecting people to nature, she spearheaded conservation projects at Sépaq that grew collaboration with partners and neighbouring communities.

In her new role, Ducharme will be instrumental in mobilizing support to advance critical conservation work with NCC, the largest private owner and manager of protected natural areas in Quebec.

Jacob is NCC's new director of conservation science. As an ecologist and conservation scientist with two decades of experience, she has consulted across North America,?Latin America and East and Central Africa.

Most recently as conservation scientist with the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, Jacob's research guided conservation practice and related policy across the 1.36 million-square-kilometre Yellowstone to Yukon region, including collaborations with many other researchers, conservation organizations, community groups and multiple governments.

Her areas of research include species at risk, land use planning, ecological connectivity, recreation, human dimensions of conservation, and more. She will be focused on expanding NCC's Weston Family Conservation Fellowship Program, supporting the translation of research results to practical applications on the ground and helping to address the key conservation questions facing Canada and the world today. Jacob will be based in Victoria, BC.

These high-calibre appointments underscore NCC's ambitious trajectory. NCC is laser focused on expanding its impact for the sake of nature and people. In the past two years alone, NCC has influenced the protection of more than 1 million hectares (an area almost twice the size of Banff National Park), coast to coast to coast.

Quotes

"I am delighted to welcome Claire and Aerin to the NCC team. These two respected and accomplished conservation leaders add to our ?bench strength' at exactly the right time. Nature conservation has the power to unlock solutions to the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. NCC is delivering nature-based solutions ? doing more and doing it urgently. I'm looking forward to the big thinking, new partnerships and new achievements I know Claire and Aerin will bring to the organization."
? Catherine Grenier, President and CEO, Nature Conservancy of Canada.

"Despite the real threats of climate change and biodiversity loss, I'm an optimist. I'm very excited about the opportunity to contribute to the ambitious target of protecting 30 per cent of the country's land and water by 2030 and to join a team of conservation leaders who are working to achieve this goal."
? Claire Ducharme, Regional Vice President, Quebec, Nature Conservancy of Canada

"Big wild places and wildlife have always been close to my heart. For nearly 60 years, NCC has been an outstanding leader in species at risk and habitat conservation, working with diverse partners to connect and protect lands, waters and biodiversity across Canada. Critical to its success are commitments to collaboration and using evidence, values that I care about deeply. I'm thrilled to join NCC and to work with such a talented team and terrific partners on bold, ambitious conservation."
? Aerin Jacob, PhD Director of Conservation Science, Nature Conservancy of Canada

About

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the country's unifying force for nature. NCC seeks solutions to the twin crises of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change through large-scale, permanent land conservation. As a trusted partner NCC works with people, communities, businesses and government to protect and care for our country's most important natural areas. Since 1962, NCC has brought Canadians together to conserve and restore more than 15 million hectares. To learn more, visit natureconservancy.ca.

Media contact

Andrew Holland
National Media Relations Director
Nature Conservancy of Canada
[email protected]
Cell 506-260-0469