Our lifelong health and quality of life depend on biodiversity – a rich diversity of wild plants, animals and habitats. We are fortunate to live in a province of rich biodiversity but more species become endangered every year as a result of ever-increasing human activities. More than 170 of Ontario's wild species are at risk – that's over one-third of all of the species at risk in Canada.

Since 2000, about $2 million has been invested each year in the provincial Species at Risk Program. With this funding, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is providing protection for species at risk and coordinating recovery and research projects with numerous partners. Learn more about species recovery and how you can help.

MNR works with many partners – government agencies, non-government organizations and interested individuals – at local, provincial and national levels, to protect and recover species at risk. On the projects page, you will find descriptions of current projects.

In 2005, the Ontario government announced Ontario's Biodiversity Strategy as part of a global effort to protect biodiversity and ensure sustainable use of biological resources. The Strategy recommends actions by government, non-government and private sector organizations to protect and preserve our natural heritage, including species at risk.

There are lots of things you can do to help protect biodiversity and species at risk.

Be sure to visit the links page and connect with other helpful and informative websites.