Guest letter from the editor

John Lounds (Photo by Mike Ford)

As I sit down to write this, hundreds of thousands of monarchs from across Canada have begun their almost 5,000-kilometre flight south to their overwintering grounds in Mexico. As with so many living creatures, the  monarch’s life cycle of constant change and evolution is fascinating to me. And just as the monarch must constantly evolve, so too, must the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC).

After 23 years at NCC, it’s time for me to hand over leadership to the next generation of conservationists. When I joined NCC more than two decades ago, never did I dream that it would get to be where it is today. That has happened thanks to you — our wonderful supporters across the country, who have challenged us to do more, faster. Your passion and enthusiasm for conservation have inspired me.

What has also inspired me is the energy and drive of our staff, almost half of whom today are younger than 35 years. Watching them, I am confident that I am leaving NCC in good hands. I’m even more confident because of the recent appointment of our new president and CEO, Catherine Grenier. As you’ll read in our Force for Nature profile in this issue, Catherine is just who we were looking for to guide our vision for the future of conservation in Canada.

Although I’ll be officially retired from my post, I will remain at NCC for the next eight months in my role as senior advisor to the president and CEO. And I plan to remain connected with NCC, even once I formally retire.

Thank you for your support of NCC’s mission. I’m proud of what we have accomplished together, and remain ever grateful to you.

Yours in nature,

John Lounds
Senior advisor to the president and CEO