WWF and TELUS want you to Go Wild!

-WWF and TELUS expand their partnership to seek the best ideas to get communities to take action for nature-    

TORONTO, Nov. 3, 2015 /CNW/ - WWF-Canada and TELUS are pleased to announce the official launch of their Go Wild Community Grants presented by TELUS. When nature thrives so do we, that's why WWF and TELUS want Canadians from coast to coast to tell us how they would get people in their community more connected and involved with nature.

Following a successful pilot earlier this year, the expanded program will award grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, to a maximum of $90,000 annually, for the next three years to support creative ideas from Canadians on how to safeguard and restore nature, as well as help reduce the impact of climate change.

WWF-Canada is now accepting applications for the fall granting period starting today! Download an application here and submit your idea on how your community can connect to and conserve nature for a chance to receive one of our fall 2015 grants.

Last year's pilot program included projects from North Sydney, NS, where the Clifford Street Youth Centre developed an Earth Superhero Squad that engaged youth in connecting their community to local environmental issues and solutions to help protect nature. In Laval, QC, the organization Fleurs sauvages du Quebec et Eco-Nature hosted a community-wide "Bioblitz" to track and monitor native species. In Edmonton, AB, Edmonton and Area Land Trust's Geocaching Project used an innovative and fun approach to re-engaging people with nature; and in Tofino, BC, the Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society used their Go Wild grant to activate citizen scientists to monitor the health of sea stars.

Judges for this year's Go Wild Community Grants presented by TELUS, includes three Canadian nature lovers: Ziya Tong, host and producer of Canada's only daily science program, Daily Planet; Les Stroud, creator and star of the original survival TV show, Survivorman, and Arthur L'aventurier, explorer and youth entertainer.

Ready to Go Wild? All you have to do is visit (www.wwf.ca/gowild), download an application form and tell us what you would do to connect people and nature in your community.

Fall application period: November 3 – December 21, 2015

Spring application period: April 5 – May 13, 2016

Quotes:

David Miller, WWF-Canada President and CEO:
"There are individuals and groups across the country with wonderful ideas that help connect people and nature. With TELUS' help we want to encourage even more communities to bring their ideas to life. We are inspired by the ideas that our first Go Wild pilot project winners shared with us, and we are excited to launch a more extensive Go Wild Community Grants program that will encourage thousands of Canadians to take action in their own community. It has been wonderful to find a partner that recognizes the importance of connecting with, and taking action for, nature."

Jill Schnarr, TELUS Vice President of Community Affairs:
"TELUS is dedicated to giving where we live, and we are proud of our partnership with WWF-Canada to help preserve and protect Canada's awe-inspiring variety of wildlife and our diverse ecosystems, We also know that real change can only come with participation. That's why we're proud to partner with WWF-Canada in the launch of the Go Wild program which will help provide an opportunity for all Canadians to take up the challenge of protecting, revitalizing and championing nature in their communities."

Les Stroud, Go Wild judge and star of the original survival TV show, Survivorman:
"I am proud to be a part of the Go Wild Community Grants program again. Connecting with nature is the key to life itself. People are part of nature and so it is not just about the trees and lakes or the air and the animals, it is about helping people to connect to their local environment too. It's so inspiring to hear about the incredible creative thought energy that these wonderful Canadians are putting forth in an effort to connect with nature."

About WWF
WWF is creating solutions to the most serious conservation challenges facing our planet, helping people and nature thrive. www.wwf.ca

About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is Canada's fastest-growing national telecommunications company, with $12.3 billion of annual revenue and 13.9 million customer connections, including 8.4 million wireless subscribers, 3.1 million wireline network access lines, 1.5 million high-speed Internet subscribers and 954,000 TELUS TV customers. TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services, including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video, and is Canada's largest healthcare IT provider.

In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed more than $396 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered and more than 6 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Created in 2005 by President and CEO Darren Entwistle, TELUS' 11 Canadian community boards and 4 International boards have led the Company's support of grassroots charities and will have contributed more than $54 million in support of over 4,800 local charitable projects by the end of 2015, enriching the lives of more than 2.1 million children and youth. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

SOURCE WWF-Canada

Image with caption: "WWF Canada Go Wild Community Grants presented by TELUS (CNW Group/WWF-Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151103_C3751_PHOTO_EN_535504.jpg

Rowena Calpito, Communications Specialist, WWF-Canada, 416-489-4527, [email protected]; Gabe Mederos, Senior Communications Manager, TELUS, [email protected], 416-629-5767