Saturday November 8, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Nature Canada announced the recipients of their national awards on November 4.
Three winners of the Nature Canada 2025 Annual Awards are based in BC.
The awards celebrate individuals and organizations making exceptional contributions to nature conservation. Three of this year’s winners are from BC and include:
- Ella Yan received the 2025 Charles Labatiuk Youth for Nature Award.
- Kiyoshi Takahashi received the 2025 Jodi Joy Volunteer for Nature Award
- NatureKids BC received the 2025 Partner in Conservation Award.
Ella Yan, currently a Grade 12 student at Moscrop Secondary School in Burnaby, BC, is this year’s recipient of The Charles Labatiuk Youth for NatureAward. The award recognizes individuals under the age of 18 who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to volunteerism or mentorship in conservation. Ella has been an executive of the Burnaby Youth Sustainability Network, where she has helped lead over 20 climate justice workshops for students, and has participated in the Ocean Wise Mountains to Ocean program. She has engaged hundreds of students in hands-on conservation work.
Kiyoshi Takahashi of Coquitlam, BC, is this year’s recipient of theJodi Joy Volunteer for Nature Award. The award is named after Nature Canada employee Jodi Joy and celebrates the spirit of volunteerism at the heart of Nature Canada. Kiyoshi has been a tireless leader in bird and bat conservation for decades. He is especially known for his work in building and maintaining nesting boxes for the swallows known as purple martins. In the 1950s, the population of purple martins in the lower BC mainland and eastern Vancouver Island had been reduced to two breeding pairs. A nesting box program for the birds began in the early 1980s, and Kiyoshi got involved. He has been called “instrumental” in the return of purple martins to the area.
NatureKids BC: A partner in Nature Canada’s NatureHood program, NatureKids BC is this year’s winner of the Partner in Conservation Award. NatureKids BC has demonstrated lasting impact through a legacy of connecting children and families to the natural world. A hallmark of NatureKids BC’s work is its commitment to promoting equitable access to green spaces. Through partnerships with organizations such as MOSAIC and Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver, the organization has welcomed newcomer families into its community, ensuring that nature experiences are inclusive and accessible to all.
“These remarkable award recipients show us the power of leadership, dedication, and passion for nature. From inspiring youth to volunteering tirelessly and building strong community partnerships, they remind us that individuals and groups across Canada can make a real difference for the natural world,” said Emily McMillan, Executive Director of Nature Canada in a news release this week.
Mission:
Nature Canada says they believe that delivering on Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy (for halting and reversing biodiversity loss) is core to Canada’s economic resilience, national identity, and global credibility.
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NEWS SECTIONS: ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY | AWARDS