Conservation Excellence Certification

Are you a registered not-for-profit in Canada that acquires land for the purpose of conservation? Are you committed to the Canadian Land Trust Standards and Practices? If you answered yes, then read on.

Participating in the Conservation Excellence Certification Program‍

Participating in the Conservation Excellence Certification Program is a voluntary way for your organization or agency to demonstrate their commitment to the highest standards for ethical and technical operation in Canadian land conservation.

The Centre for Land Conservation (CLC) is currently in the pilot phase of developing the Conservation Excellence Certification program and is seeking organizations to participate in an initial assessment before launching the program publicly in 2025.

The Conservation Excellence Certification Program is a five-step process designed to be an objective and administratively simple assessment tool. The first three steps are completed by your organization, with assistance from the Center for Land Conservation.

1. Expression of Interest
2. Preparation
3. Application
4. Assessment
5. Reporting

Expression of Interest

‍A representative from your organization first must complete the Expression of Interest Form to indicate your organization's intent to participate in Conservation Excellence Certification.

‍Preparation

‍If your organization meets the participation criteria, a representative from CLC will reach out to provide orientation information, including a list of the materials you will need to include in your application. During preparation you will have the opportunity to reach out to CLC with any questions or concerns about the process as well as participate in peer-to-peer learning to help prepare the documents needed for your application.‍

Application

‍Once started, your organization will have three months to complete the application process.At any point in the application you can reach out to CLC for assistance or guidance.

When the first three phases are completed by your organization, representatives from CLC will complete the final steps of Conservation Excellence Certification:‍

Assessment

Assessors representing CLC will review your application using a standardized application scorecard. CLC representatives will reach out to your organization for any clarification or additional questions needed to complete the assessment.‍

Reporting

‍Once the assessment is completed, your organization will be sent a report outlining the results. CLC will not publish any Conservation Excellence Certification reports publicly. If your application is successful, your organization will be listed on CLCs website along with other successful organizations. If unsuccessful, CLC will share advice and recommendation on which practice elements need improvement.

Interested in participating? Complete the expression of interest form below