WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 25, 2025) — The National Wildlife Federation and Canadian Wildlife Federation pledged to build upon a historic Memorandum of Understanding the organizations signed and celebrated at their respective annual meetings this month in Minneapolis, Minn., and Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, to outline their commitments to collaboratively address the immense and interconnected challenges facing wildlife and people.
“Wildlife and the challenges they face transcend borders — and so too must we. This renewed and strengthened partnership reflects the significance of our shared border and the importance of our nations’ actions to conserve and restore species like the monarch butterfly, North Atlantic Right Whale, Pacific salmon, woodland caribou, North American beavers, and Canadian Lynx,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “We look forward to building upon this historic agreement with collaborative conservation actions that match the magnitude of the crises facing wildlife and people alike.”
“CWF and NWF signing a MOU to work together on shared priorities for transnational conservation issues is a symbol of solidarity for wildlife,” said Sean Southey, CEO of the Canadian Wildlife Federation. “We each provide a strong voice for wildlife in our countries, and the MOU provides an opportunity to unite to become an even stronger voice for the wildlife that move across our borders such as the North Atlantic Right Whale and the Monarch. Neither species stands a chance of recovery without action from both the USA and Canada. Moreover, imperiled habitats that span our borders, such as the native grasslands of the Great Plains, will benefit from shared action.“
The Memorandum of Understanding, signed in Minneapolis, Minn., earlier this month, outlines a shared framework for collaboration and shared priorities, including:
- Recover the full diversity of native fish, wildlife and plants by conserving and restoring habitat that transcends our transnational boundary with special attention to species of cultural significance and migratory species, including the conservation and enhancement of migration corridors.
- Reduce pollution that drives habitat degradation and climate change, while bolstering the resiliency of habitat and supporting the ability of wildlife to adapt to impacts from changes in weather and ecosystems as a result of climate change.
- Conserve water quality and quantity, through such measures as the continued clean-up and sound management of the Great Lakes and other joint water resources, as well as continued support for conservation of wetlands, grasslands, and forests that provide habitat and help purify water across North America.
- Reduce and minimize the impacts on wildlife from industrial development in one country on the wildlife of the other country.
- Address the risks posed by exotic invasive species of wildlife, pathogens, and plants.
About the National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation is America’s largest and most trusted wildlife conservation organization with more than 7 million members and supporters and 52 state and territorial affiliates. NWF works to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife and people thrive in a rapidly changing world.
About the Canadian Wildlife Federation
The Canadian Wildlife Federation is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to fostering awareness and appreciation of our natural world. By spreading knowledge of human impacts on the environment, carrying out research, developing and delivering education programs, promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, recommending changes to policy and co-operating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future in which Canadians can live in harmony with nature.
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