Canada-backed conservation grants deliver gains for biodiversity and women leaders

By AI, Created 3:40 PM UTC, May 21, 2026, /AGP/ – Canada’s CA$20 million investment through the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund supported 100 conservation grants in eight countries across South America and Southeast Asia in 2025. The work helped protect threatened ecosystems, improve livelihoods and expand women’s leadership in community-led conservation.

Why it matters: - Canada’s funding reached some of the world’s most biodiverse and most threatened ecosystems. - The grants supported conservation, sustainable use and community-led management across areas that provide fresh water, carbon storage and other ecosystem services. - The initiative also pushed gender equality by expanding leadership opportunities for women in conservation organizations.

What happened: - The Government of Canada provided CA$20 million, or US$14.4 million, through the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. - Global Affairs Canada delivered the investment in 2025 through 100 grants to civil society organizations. - The funding supported work in the Tropical Andes, Cerrado and Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots. - The countries benefiting were Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in the Tropical Andes; Brazil in the Cerrado; and Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand in Indo-Burma.

The details: - The grants targeted more than 28,000 square kilometers of Key Biodiversity Areas. - Results to date include reduced threats to 12,800 square kilometers of Key Biodiversity Areas and 88 globally threatened species. - The threats reduced included fires, illegal hunting, encroachment and mining. - The work improved land tenure, food security and water access for 89,454 women and 91,413 men. - Ninety-three organizations produced new or updated gender action plans. - Eighty-six organizations put in place gender-equality actions, including zero-tolerance policies on sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, gender-sensitive hiring, childcare provisions and women’s mentorship and leadership pathways. - Among grant recipients, 57 more women moved into technical roles, 17 more into supervisory roles and 22 more into leadership roles. - Céline Heinbecker, director of the Environment and Climate Partnerships Division at Global Affairs Canada, said protecting biodiverse ecosystems is an investment in Canadians’ wellbeing because Canada’s economy depends on ecosystem services outside the country.

Between the lines: - The funding reflects a broader push to link biodiversity protection with local livelihoods and women’s participation, not just species and habitat outcomes. - Canada’s International Biodiversity Program, which ran from 2023 to 2026, backed the effort as part of support for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. - The program emphasized partnerships with women, local communities and Indigenous Peoples, along with conservation and restoration efforts. - CEPF executive director Olivier Langrand said the results show what is possible when conservation is community-led and gender equality is prioritized. - CEPF’s structure matters here: the fund channels money through civil society groups rather than government agencies alone, which can speed local action and capacity-building.

What’s next: - CEPF said its long-term commitment to the three hotspots will help sustain and build on the results. - Best practices from the grants are being shared through CEPF’s Learning Hub. - Regional implementation teams will continue supporting local capacity and CEPF’s conservation strategy in the three hotspot regions. - Project examples and best-practices materials are available here.