The Nature-Based Solutions Foundation

Founded by some of Western Canada's most experienced conservationists, the Nature-Based Solutions Foundation (NBSF) is on a mission to safeguard the country’s most endangered ecosystems. We do this primarily by working with and supporting land-embedded communities to co-create new protected areas.

Our Approach:

We use a proven “conservation financing” approach to help land-embedded communities transition to sustainable and resilient economies that thrive with nature (examples include eco-tourism, recreation, clean energy, sustainable seafood, and so much more). This approach lessens community dependencies on resource industries, making it possible for them to support and co-develop new protected areas.

Our Pillars

Protecting ecosystems: We use science and the best available research to identify the most endangered ecosystems for protection.

Fostering collaboration: We look for strategic opportunities to work with regional conservation partners, communities, land trusts, and governments to establish new protected areas.

Supporting communities: We provide land-embedded communities with funding and support to help them plan for new protected areas, build capacity, and develop sustainable economic alternatives linked to protected areas.

Current Project

Through our groundbreaking project, the Old Growth Solutions Initiative (OGSI), we are working with key communities to co-develop new protected areas (typically, Indigenous Protected & Conserved Areas) to safeguard what remains of the endangered old-growth forests of British Columbia in Western Canada, where trees can grow as tall as a skyscraper and as wide as your living room.

Currently, we are working on two projects, which, when complete, will protect a total of 386-square miles, including 137-square miles of highly endangered old-growth forests