Based in Vancouver, Echo Conservation has been working since 2014 to advance conservation initiatives in British Columbia, protecting wildlife and wilderness. “The name Echo was inspired by a region we worked in when we first started to protect grizzlies, wolves, and endangered mountain caribou,” says project director Thomas Knowles.
Echo’s work is based on four pillars: research, coexistence, fieldwork, and community engagement. The team funds research related to their focus areas and offer field support including tracking wildlife movement via remote trail cameras. They also monitor the impacts of industry on endangered species’ habitats. Echo promotes coexisting with wildlife through education and research efforts; offering a solution to human-wildlife conflicts as we venture ever-further into the remaining wilderness. They engage with communities throughout British Columbia to share their knowledge and research findings and inspire conservation action.
Currently, Echo is focused on mountain lion conservation. This autumn, they’re launching the Human-Cougar Coexistence Pilot Project in BC’s Lower Mainland. The Pilot Project will leverage the latest science and research to advocate for reducing conflict between humans and cougars: increasing awareness and education around cougars, their habitats and behaviours, and generally encouraging tolerance toward them. The Project seeks to promote a proactive approach to cougar conflict. Echo will also work to provide recommendations on successful implementations of proactive management strategies in areas where human and cougar populations overlap.
Echo Conservation made the decision to move their initiative over to MakeWay’s shared platform so that MakeWay could take care of the organizational and administrative support and empower the team to focus solely on their work on the ground. “MakeWay’s values also align strongly with ours, including the support for Indigenous Rights and Leadership,” says Thomas.
At MakeWay, our shared platform is home to over 60 projects based from coast to coast to coast. Initiatives benefit from the support of a mission-aligned community, charitable expertise, and shared resources, so they can focus on the work they’re passionate about.
Find out more about Echo Conservation by visiting their website!
