The National Environmental Treasure (NET) is a people’s trust fund devoted to the exclusive funding of Canadian environmental organizations, to increase their core capacity in critical areas such as environmental literacy, infrastructure support, public communications, and operational sustainability. We are particularly interested in supporting under-funded smaller and medium-sized organizations, working in local communities and regions. Our goal is to build a $30 million-dollar public charitable foundation for the environment — the equivalent of every Canadian donating a “loonie” for their environment. In addition, we are leading a national biodiversity education program to increase literacy and action on the ground to ameliorate biodiversity loss and augment regeneration.
“In nature, the normal way in which trees flourish is by their association in a forest. Each tree may lose something of its individual perfection of growth,
but they mutually assist each other in preserving the conditions for survival. A forest is the triumph of the organization of mutually dependent species.”
– A.N. Whitehead
Valerie Behan-Pelletier is an Honorary Research Associate in the Invertebrate Biodiversity Program at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Ottawa. She is an expert on soil mites in ecosystems globally, and has a broad research interest in biodiversity and ecology of arthropods in soil and canopy habitats. She is currently engaged in research initiatives on soil mites across North America and in New Zealand. She is an Editor of the Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas, a Project of the European Commission and the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative, scheduled to be released in Fall 2015. She is past member of the UNEP Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) Soil and Sediment Subcommittee. Valerie has been a recipient of Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship, is a past member of NSERC’s GSC on Evolution and Ecology, and the Scientific Committee of the Biological Survey of Canada. She is a graduate of University College Dublin, Ireland and McGill University, Montreal. She brings her passion for and knowledge of biodiversity to the Women for Nature Initiative
Ann Dale is the Director of the School of Environment & Sustainability at Royal Roads University. She held her university’s first Canada Research Chair and her field is Sustainable Community Development. She is a member of the World Academy of Art and Sciences, a Trudeau Fellow, and has received numerous awards over the course of her academic career and work with the environmental movement. Professor Dale has been committed to building capacity in the environmental movement and the social sector for several decades.
Heather Hamilton is the Executive Coordinator of the Canadian Biodiversity Institute and a founding member of Transition Ottawa, a Transition Town initiative. She is also active in other municipal affairs as the Vice-Chair of Ottawa’s Forest and Greenspace Advisory Committee. Cats, dogs and gardens keep her busy at home.
Yuill Herbert is a founding member and Director of a not-for-profit worker’s cooperative, Sustainability Solutions Group whose work involves sustainability assessments for universities, community planning and sustainable buildings. He is also on the boards of Canadian Worker Cooperative Federation and Canadian Cooperative Association.
Nina-Marie Lister, MCIP, RPP, Hon ASLA is Graduate Program Director of Urban Planning and Director of the Ecological Design Lab at Ryerson University. She is the founding principal of Plandform, a creative studio practice engaged in planning and design of green infrastructure across parks, public spaces and urban waterfronts worldwide.
Gulzar Samji is a consultant and educator on environment, gender and development, and has published widely in this area. She is director of the Canadian Institute of Community Development. She has participated in several United Nations conferences and advisory committees.
Kent Waddington is an executive leadership coach and co-founder of the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care where he works as communications director. An environmentalist since high school, Kent has spent much of the past 20 years engaged in coaching members of the Canadian health services sector as they develop and deploy more environmentally-responsible and climate-change preparedness practices within their organisations.
Jason Adair is an Ojibway (Ashinabe) artist from Etobicoke, Onatrio who resides in Vancouver, British Columbia. From an early age, Jason was inspired by the Woodland style of Ojibway art and in particular by Norval Morrisseau. His inspiration and strong desire is to bring healing and joy through colorful images, passing on teachings and stories that have been passed to him.
Leanne Cadden is a UVic graduate of the Gustavson School of Business with a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Entrepreneurship. She specializes in working with nature and art and was First Finalist for Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce business awards for the start-up of her own gallery at age 24.
Jaime Clifton-Ross is a communication and curatorial specialist who is passionate about communicating science to the public. She is currently teaching in the School of Environment and Sustainability at Royal Roads University and previously worked as the research curator for CRC Research in that department. She has a Bachelor of Arts, specializing in Art History, from the University of Victoria and a Master of Museum Studies from the University of Toronto.
Joel Cran started his journey into the world of creativity through music and meditation. In this order, his personal and career path went: Meditation –> Music –> Sound Design –> Filming –> Business Stories (Marketing). Joel is an award-winning videographer and sound engineer residing in Victoria B.C.
Emily Jerome is an inspired environmental educator who finds joy in sparking wonder in others and discovering new places to explore outside. She is a recent graduate from Royal Roads University with a Master of Arts in Environmental Education and Communication. Emily also holds a Bachelor of Science with a Major in Biological Sciences from the University of Calgary.
Chantelle Mussell is a lovely spirit of a human being and an excellent creative director and designer. She’s a singer, a songwriter and a marketing extraordinaire. With over 15 years of graphic design and communications experience, Chantelle has worked with many celebrated environmental and social groups all striving to save the world.
We are dedicated to working wherever possible with a wide diversity of partners as a means to more directly benefit local communities across Canada. We strongly believe that strength lies in diversity and partnership, that the sum of the whole is stronger than the parts. It is only through partnership, through individual actions offered by a single individual or organization that often in isolation appear small, are the ones that collectively grow into meaningful social action. We welcome your involvement, either individually or through your organization, or business.
Alternatives Journal
Allset Translation
Arbour Environmental Shoppe
Canadian Biodiversity Institute
Canus Plastics Inc
Chateau Lake Louise
Clifford Lincoln
Environment Canada
Holiday Inn
Ziggy Kleinau (Citizens for Renewable Energy)
Laidlaw Foundation
Lever Pond’s
Clifford Lincoln
Lisgar Collegiate Institute
Lever Pond’s
Loblaws Rideau
Merchants of Green Coffee
Mr. Gas
Musicians Colores Andinos and Cocha Marka
Nature Canada
Natural Marine
NEP Canada
Ocean Pointe Resort
Ottawa 2000
Owl Innovations
Party Time Rentals
Pembina Institute
Plaza La Chaudiere
Powersmiths International Corp.
PureSource Inc.
Ruth Richardson
Robert Schad Foundation
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 632
Shriner Klowns
Sierra Youth Coalition
Dave Smith, Ottawa Entrepreneur
Sparks Street Mall Authority
TerraChoice Environmental Services Inc
Thermixx Energy
Whisky Run Golf Club
Alternatives Journal
Allset Translation
Arbour Environmental Shoppe
Canadian Biodiversity Institute
Canus Plastics Inc
Chateau Lake Louise
Clifford Lincoln
Environment Canada
Holiday Inn
Ziggy Kleinau (Citizens for Renewable Energy)
Laidlaw Foundation
Lever Pond’s
Clifford Lincoln
Lisgar Collegiate Institute
Lever Pond’s
Loblaws Rideau
Merchants of Green Coffee
Mr. Gas
Musicians Colores Andinos and Cocha Marka
Nature Canada
Natural Marine
NEP Canada
Ocean Pointe Resort
Ottawa 2000
Owl Innovations
Party Time Rentals
Pembina Institute
Plaza La Chaudiere
Powersmiths International Corp.
PureSource Inc.
Ruth Richardson
Robert Schad Foundation
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 632
Shriner Klowns
Sierra Youth Coalition
Dave Smith, Ottawa Entrepreneur
Sparks Street Mall Authority
TerraChoice Environmental Services Inc
Thermixx Energy
Whisky Run Golf Club