An extensive survey on the ways Canadians use and understand nature has just been released.
According to the 2012 Canadian Nature Survey, more than two-thirds of Canadian adults choose to spend time outdoors in order to experience nature and 13 per cent of Canadian adults volunteered in nature conservation away from their homes. Some 4.6 million Canadians (almost 19 per cent of all adults) gave money for donations or membership dues to nature or conservation organizations. These and other fascinating facts can be found in the 2012 Canadian Nature Survey, the first national survey of its kind in Canada in more than 15 years and the first ever to include information about all 13 provinces and territories.
At a provincial level, a significant portion (15 per cent) of Islanders indicated that they rely on nature for income and employment in fields such farming (8 per cent), fisheries, forestry and outdoor tourism. The survey also found that just over half of Prince Edward Island residents (56 per cent) chose where they live partly to have access to nature such as forests and oceans. Many Islanders reported that they participated in outdoor activities in hunting, fishing and trapping for recreation or personal use and sharing.
Islanders were also very aware of the role nature plays in ecosystem services and the many benefits that nature provides to all of us. Between 95 per cent and 98 per cent of Islanders reported knowing that nature can be essential to:
• Produce oxygen and clean pollutants from the air;
• Filter water to keep it clean and safe;
• Provide places for recreation, fitness and leisure;
• Keep soil fertile and productive; and
• Pollinate plants and crops to produce food.
Additionally, 76 per cent of Prince Edward Islanders were aware that biodiversity contributes to ecosystem services and provides life support and other important benefits to people. In total, the economic value of all nature-related activities was $121 million per year in Prince Edward Island.
In Prince Edward Island, 34 per cent of adults participated in at least one volunteer nature conservation activity for at least one day. Eleven percent of Prince Edward Islanders reported participating in citizen science activities in the previous 12 months. Citizen science involves a wide range of volunteer activities for people who perform or manage research-related tasks such as wildlife or habitat observation, measurement, or assessment.
The 2012 Canadian Nature Survey updates and expands on information provided by Canadians in the 1996 Survey on the Importance of Nature to Canadians, and the 1981, 1987, and 1991 surveys on the Importance of Wildlife to Canadians. Electronic copies of the 2012 Canadian Nature Survey can be found at www.gov.pe.ca/forestry/FFWreports .