Flagship Sponsors
A flagship species is one that represents an environmental cause in need of conservation, and has been chosen because of its vulnerability or distinctiveness. The support this species engenders can successfully leverage the conservation of an entire ecosystem. Examples include the polar bear and the giant panda.

Keystone Sponsors
A keystone is the stone at the top of an arch that supports the other stones and keeps the whole arch from falling. Keystone sponsors understand that ecosystems are complex and intricately balanced; the loss of one species in an ecosystem can drastically upset that balance and cause the whole ecosystem to collapse. Examples include kelp in kelp forests and corals in coral reefs.

Umbrella Sponsors
Umbrella species are those whose ecological requirements include the requirements of many other species. They are usually wide-ranging species with a large area requirement, such as a grizzly bear. Protection of an umbrella species extends protection to other species in that ecosystem. From bees to wild salmon and maple trees to human beings, all species are interconnected and all are valuable.

Indicator Sponsors
This is a species whose presence indicates the presence of a set of other species or conditions in an ecosystem. It could also be a species that defines a characteristic of a given ecosystem and can be used to represent an area. It can be the most sensitive species in an ecosystem and act as an important monitoring signal for the condition of the ecosystem. Because they are so sensitive to ecosystem changes, frogs are among the best indicator species.

Cultural Sponsors
Cultural sponsors recognise the importance of diverse cultures and the fact that cultures have arisen from the diversity of the ecosystems in which they developed. Cultural sponsors are those who have provided support to bring an individual to the conference, whether they be a speaker or other participant, or a member of an organisation who would not otherwise be able to attend. Canada has always been a nation of many cultures, from First Nations to French and English settlers, to the multicultural mosaic of today.