About CPAWS

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s only nationwide environmental charity dedicated solely to the protection of our public land and water, and ensuring our parks are managed to protect the nature within them. The Yukon chapter provides a voice for the wilderness in the territory, helping to keep Canada’s “true” north wild and free.

Based in Whitehorse, CPAWS Yukon advocates for the territory’s most valuable and priceless resource: our abundant wilderness. We work with First Nations and all levels of government, local organizations, businesses and citizens to ensure the natural wealth we enjoy today is available for future generations. We represent the views of many Yukoners who want the Yukon to be an example for the world of how people can live in balance with the natural resources we depend upon.

Our Mission

CPAWS Yukon aims to conserve the Yukon’s ecologically and culturally important lands and waters for all. The world is rapidly losing its wilderness, and conservation must be a pillar in the Yukon so that our rich wildlife and diverse landscapes receive the protection they deserve.

Our History

CPAWS is a national charity founded in 1963, which now includes thirteen chapters and 40,000 supporters across the country. A leading organization in the environmental movement, CPAWS has spearheaded the creation of two-thirds of Canada’s protected areas. CPAWS Yukon was founded in 1992 by passionate Yukoners who wanted to bring greater attention to conservation issues in the territory, and the organization has grown into one of the most influential groups in the Yukon, engaging with First Nations, the public and government to develop solutions that will protect our environment.