WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY?

Blockchain allows digital information to be distributed but not copied, making it a valuable tool for a broad range of wildlife conservation projects. A blockchain is essentially a list of hacker-resistant, time-stamped records that are linked together using sophisticated cryptography and managed by a computer network.

© Oliver Woods / WWF-Canada

A small line graphic
WHY BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY FOR CONSERVATION?

Blockchain technology provides secure data distribution in innovative conservation projects such as monitoring wildlife over large areas in addition to tracking the supply chain of a marine species from ocean to dinner plate. Blockchain is adaptable to different conservation projects, and it provides cyber-security to establish trust in data as they are shared between government, academia and local environmental groups.

A small line graphic
WHERE IS WWF USING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY?
Satellite map of Canada
Target icon
CANADA

NEWFOUNDLAND

Using blockchain technology to enhance the security and authenticity of freshwater data.

Target icon
CANADA

NEW BRUNSWICK

Using blockchain technology to enhance the security and authenticity of freshwater data.

Target icon
CANADA

NOVA SCOTIA

Using blockchain technology to enhance the security and authenticity of freshwater data.

Target icon
CANADA

PEI

Using blockchain technology to enhance the security and authenticity of freshwater data.

A small line graphic
BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION

Explore how WWF-Canada is using Blockchain Technology for conservation.

Restoring trust and clarity in freshwater data

© ACAP Saint John / WWF-Canada

A small line graphic
BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION

Restoring trust and clarity in freshwater data

Through Atlantic Water Network, volunteers in dozens of communities across Atlantic Canada grab their hip waders and forge into local rivers to collect information on water quality.

Government scientists, university researchers and consultants are also collecting this information, at times creating duplicated efforts, and resulting in data gaps and incomparable data.

Blockchain technology helps keep the pool of data clear and transparent. Users can determine who created each dataset, how and why it was collected and whether it has been modified. If data owners don’t approve of how their information is being used or changed, blockchain allows them to revert it back to its original, unaltered version. 

Users can access, visualize and download water-quality information collected by 35 monitoring groups from all four Atlantic provinces. 

© Nashwaak Watershed Association / WWF-Canada

Blockchain builds trust by creating clarity about where the data is coming from and how it was collected. It allows scientists to compare information gathered by passionate citizen scientists against their own and verify its accuracy.

Best of all, blockchain works behind the scenes, so using platforms like Atlantic DataStream is simple and straightforward. As a result, initiatives like Atlantic DataStream, hosted by The Gordon Foundation, can break down data duplicates and create a big picture of freshwater health even across jurisdictional boundaries.

Towards clearer data

People, wildlife and ecosystems depend on the thousands of interconnected rivers and lakes across Canada. But we can’t make wise choices to protect our watersheds without a reliable picture of their health and current state. By boosting blockchain technology and taking advantage of its ability to provide data clarity, we hope to fill in this gap to help with future decisions.

A small line graphic
IMPACT
a 800,000 a

Over 800 000 data points have been brought together from government, citizen science and Indigenous environmental groups.

A small line graphic
OUR PARTNERS IN BLOCKCHAIN
Atlantic water network logo
The gordon foundation logo

A small line graphic
OUR PARTNERS IN BLOCKCHAIN
Atlantic water network logo
The gordon foundation logo

Want to partner with us?

A small line graphic
TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Support the future of environmental conservation

A vertical line graphic
A vertical line graphic

Take part in a Living Planet Technology Challenge