About Us

Mission and Vision

Kenauk is a unique territory, which is in the process of being protected in permanence by the Kenauk Institute and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The mission of The Kenauk Institute is to support, coordinate and supervise scientific research, involve local schools in environmental education, and connect Kenauk with the broader community.

The vision is to establish a baseline inventory of biodiversity and monitor the property with a 100 year time horizon.  With time, Kenauk will become a laboratory for monitoring climate change and human impacts.

The Kenauk Institute commits to accomplishing this mission and vision in a manner that is accessible, rights-based, gender-responsive, culturally appropriate, and inclusive.

History

Kenauk has been protected through private ownership since the King of France originally granted this 65,000 acre wilderness domain to Francois de Laval, a Bishop of New France in 1674.

Today Kenauk is partnered with the Nature Conservancy of Canada whose reputation for protecting wild places is outstanding. The Nature Conservancy of Canada is the nation’s leading not-for-profit, private land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Together with the Kenauk Institute, we hope to ensure Kenauk’s legacy as a pristine wilderness for centuries to come.

Governance

The Kenauk Institute is honoured to have such a dedicated board of directors.

Mr. Doug Harpur – Chair
Mr. Patrick Pichette – B.A., M.A.
Ms. Sara Lydiatt – B.A., M.A.
Dr. Altaf Kassam – B.Sc., PhD, M.B.A.
Dr. Christian Messier – B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD
Dr. David Philipp – B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD
Dr. Kyle Elliott – B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD
Ms. Marie-Andrée Tougas-Tellier – B.Sc., M.Sc.

Reports and Policy

Please consult our annual reports for yearly updates on our facilities, as well as summaries of our research projects and educational programs.

2015 Annual Report
2016 Annual Report
2017 Annual Report
2018 Annual Report
2019 Annual Report
2020 Annual Report
2021 Annual Report
2022 Annual Report
2023 Annual Report

It is our policy that for any funds provided to academic institutions for research partnerships from all Kenauk companies, including the Kenauk Institute, Kenauk Nature X L.P., and Kenauk Canada ULC no overhead will be taken.

Indigenous Peoples Policy

The Kenauk Institute recognizes that Indigenous peoples are foundational to Canada’s constitutional framework and acknowledges the importance of reconciliation between Indigenous communities and broader society. We are committed to respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples, supporting positive relationships with Indigenous groups in proximity to the Kenauk property, as well as understanding the historical, cultural, and environmental importance of their traditional knowledge. Through initiatives focused on education and research, the Kenauk Institute seeks opportunities to foster, discover and share traditional forest-related knowledge, practices, and uses of the land as well as traditional lessons on sustainable wildlife management. We are committed to protecting all sites of significance and species of important conservation value. We are open to engage in forthright and sincere consultation with Indigenous people about the Kenauk Institute’s conservation initiatives. This commitment is a shared responsibility involving all the Kenauk entities and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The Kenauk Institute will periodically review this policy to ensure it remains relevant and meets changing expectations.