A Citizens' Toolkit for Nature Conservation

A Greenprint for Action (PDF 172k)

You have just learned that a favourite wetland or woodland will soon be destroyed by development unless you do something. Fast action is needed to save the area. What do you do? Here are the important steps that you should take.

About Making a Delegation to a Municipal Council or Standing Committee of Council (PDF 127k)

Whether you live in a big city with a large municipal council, or a small municipality with only a few councillors, you, too, can make your voice heard by your local officials. Council delegations allow citizens to get local issues into the public arena, and are a basic component of the municipal democratic process.

Influencing Decision-Makers for Nature Protection (PDF 143k)

Influencing the corporate or government decision-making process is not easy. As a person attempting to influence the process, you need to be aware that there are potentially hundreds of variables; however, some are more important than others. Here are some basic guidelines to get the types of decision you want.

Effective Letter-Writing (PDF 143k)

So you're upset with the government's record on protecting woodlands. Or maybe they've just caved in again to yet another sprawling development proposal. You want to do something to help change their ways, but the enormity of the task makes success look hopeless. What can you do? One of the most effective weapons, readily available and proven by the test of time, is a letter.

Writing a News Release (PDF 129k)

An effective news release is one of the most common ways of getting media coverage. At major news outlets, the same story will likely have to compete with hundreds of other news releases every day, so yours has to stand out.