About the Conservation Areas Workshop

The Conservation Areas Workshop (est. 2007) is a training and development conference attended by more than 100 industry leaders in Conservation Land Management and Park Operations.

Supported by Conservation Ontario, attendees of the Conservation Areas Workshop (CAW) come together annually for networking, sharing best practices, training and building capacity for future conservation experiences.

Learning and training opportunities at the CAW adhere to our three foundational pillars:

People

Planning

Places

Session topics include but are not limited to:

  • Staff and visitor health and safety

  • Recreational opportunities and products

  • Innovative development and technology in outdoor recreation

  • Design elements of park infrastructure (signs, kiosks, pavilions etc.)

  • Ecosystem management including Species at Risk and Invasive Species

  • Visitor management and reservation system technology

  • Managing liability and insurance needs

  • Indigenous engagement

  • Enforcement and compliance

  • Forestry, arboriculture, and hazard tree management

  • Trail, bridge, and boardwalk building and facility infrastructure management

  • Property maintenance and operational plans

Additionally, the CAW provides annual site visits to Conservation Areas in Ontario, keynote speakers, an Exhibitor Marketplace, a Newcomers Welcome and more.

Host Authority

Each year, the Conservation Areas Workshop is planned by a volunteer committee of representatives from various Conservation Authorities. A host Authority takes on the responsibility of chairing (or co-chairing) the committee, overseeing the Workshop’s finances and coordinating the annual workshop. In 2024 the host Authority is the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.