Conserved areas

Amount and proportion of Canada's terrestrial (land and freshwater) and marine area that is recognized as conserved.

This indicator measures the amount and proportion of Canada's terrestrial (land and freshwater) and marine area that is recognized as conserved. Conserved areas are lands and waters where human use is limited.

Conserved areas include protected areas as well as other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs). Protected areas include national, provincial and territorial parks, Indigenous protected areas, national wildlife areas, migratory bird sanctuaries and marine protected areas. OECMs are areas that do not meet the formal definition of protected area but are managed in a way that conserves biodiversity over the long term. Examples of OECMs can include: Indigenous territories, watersheds or resource management areas, and areas with restricted access, such as those used by the military.

The indicator is based on data from the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database. Data from federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions, the authoritative data sources, are compiled by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The area conserved is estimated by means of a geographical analysis based on reported boundaries, accounting for overlaps. Separate estimates are made for protected areas and OECMs.

For key results on conserved areas, please refer to Canada's conserved areas from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

For visuals of conserved areas data, please refer to Canada's conserved areas from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

• Goal 14, Life Below Water (Sustainable Development Goals, January 25, 2024)
• Goal 15, Life on Land (Sustainable Development Goals, January 25, 2024)

For key results on conserved areas, please refer to Canada's conserved areas from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Well-managed conserved areas are one way to protect wild species and their habitats for present and future generations. Habitat conservation is a measure of human response to the loss of biodiversity and natural habitat. As the area conserved in Canada increases, more lands and waters are withdrawn from direct human development stresses, thereby contributing to biodiversity conservation and improving the health of ecosystems. In turn, healthy ecosystems provide benefits such as clean water, mitigation of climate change, pollination and improved human health.