Restoration: A vital tool in nature conservation

To fully comprehend restoration, it's important to differentiate between degraded and converted ecosystems. A degraded ecosystem is a natural habitat such as a forest, wetland, or grassland that’s less healthy and supportive of biodiversity and carbon storage because of human activities such as pollution, the introduction of invasive species, or deforestation. Degradation is a spectrum, but at the end of that spectrum is a converted ecosystem, which is a natural habitat that has been transformed into a human-dominated one, such as cropland or urban areas.

The full scope of restoration means working on both converted and degraded landscapes, but the feasibility of restoration in these areas can vary. While converted lands offer the potential for greater benefits to biodiversity and climate, degraded lands are generally easier to restore, as they lack significant human infrastructure. Right now, there’s more data on ecosystems that have been converted, making them a primary focus for WWF-Canada’s research.

Benefits of restoration

The advantages of ecosystem restoration are multifaceted. It not only expands the areas where wildlife can thrive and reproduce, but also plays a crucial role in addressing climate change. Restored, healthy habitats can sequester more carbon from the atmosphere, storing it in plants and soils. This dual function of supporting actions against biodiversity loss and climate change is vital in Canada, which is home to more than 800 animal and plant species at risk of extinction.

WWF-Canada's approach to conservation involves a combination of restoration and protection. In regions with relatively intact environments, such as Canada's northern areas, the priority is to protect these lands and seascapes and prevent conversion or degradation. But in regions where human impact is high, restoration is necessary.

WWF-Canada's restoration initiatives

A recent study conducted by WWF-Canada in collaboration with academic partners has identified substantial opportunities for ecosystem restoration in Canada. By mapping converted lands across the country – excluding urban areas to prevent human displacement – the study pinpointed areas with the highest potential for biodiversity and climate benefits through restoration.

The results indicate that 3.9 million hectares (9.6 million acres) of converted lands, primarily in southern Ontario, Quebec, and southern Manitoba, offer important restoration potential. This map of restoration priority areas includes regions in all provinces and territories, which is crucial given Canada's commitment to a 30% restoration target under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

_{Prioritizing ecological restoration of converted lands in Canada by spatially integrating organic carbon storage and biodiversity benefits. (a) Average and (b) total potential biodiversity benefits of restoring converted lands in Canada.}

_{Source: Conservat Sci and Prac, Volume: 5, Issue: 6, First published: 03 April 2023, DOI: (10.1111/csp2.12924)}

WWF-Canada is already putting restoration into action. For example, the Nature and Climate Grant Program, presented in partnership with Aviva Canada, supports local groups and Indigenous communities in restoring degraded and converted lands and shorelines across the country. Other notable restoration projects include partnering with the Katzie First Nation to restore the Upper Pitt watershed and supporting the Secwepemcúl'ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society in its response to the devastating wildfires on Secwépemc territory — including the 190,000-hectare (469,500-acre) Elephant Hill fire in 2017 and subsequent fires in Sparks Lake and Flat Lake in 2021 — by planting nearly a million trees over the next three years in British Columbia.

Working with Indigenous communities is vital to ensure that their priorities and knowledge are considered so that restoration activities that they choose to lead on their lands respect local context, values and knowledge to benefit the communities.

The path forward

The urgency of ecosystem restoration is further underscored by scientific reports from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). These reports highlight the alarming rate of global temperature rise, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, and their impacts on extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, and other climate-related issues. To limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avert a climate catastrophe, immediate action is required, including a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a focus on nature-based climate solutions, such as ecosystem restoration.

Ecosystem restoration in Canada is not only an environmental imperative but also a commitment to international biodiversity targets. By setting a national restoration target that aligns with international commitments, Canada can contribute to halting and reversing biodiversity loss and, at the same time, to mitigating climate change. In the words of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, "Our world needs climate action on all fronts: everything, everywhere, all at once."

More information about WWF-Canada’s Nature and Climate Grant Program.

About the author

She holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Sustainability from the University of Ottawa, and a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of New Brunswick. She has been working at WWF-Canada for nearly a decade and recently conducted a comprehensive analysis of restoration efforts in Canada for WWF-Canada, which is a Green Marine supporter.