Ripple effects

Catherine Stewart (Photo by Dominic Steinmann)

For Catherine Stewart, Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change, water nourishes mind and body

Water has always been a big part of my life. Growing up on Lake Ontario, and later Rice Lake near Cobourg, Ontario, my early years spent lakeside gave me a deep appreciation for time spent in nature.

At 17, I worked as an Ontario Junior Ranger, helping to maintain and clean  Ontario provincial parks. It was a chance to connect with youth from across the province, and our conversations were deep and meaningful in those expansive landscapes. After a long day of canoeing, we would dip our standard-issue hard hats into the lake and enjoy a refreshing drink.

Today, I’m rarely found without my stainless-steel water bottle in my backpack. Whether in nature or travelling through an airport, it’s an essential. I find sentimental value in my trusted companion of years, and each time I use it I know it’s one less plastic water bottle. To me, summers in Canada are about hearing crickets and loon calls on the water under the stars. In winter, there’s nothing like being carried by the wind while skating on a frozen lake. I always appreciate a short walk or a long trip, to connect more closely with others, and myself, in the outdoors. The magic of nature is that it can be felt by all.

This story originally appeared in the spring 2023 issue of the Nature Conservancy of Canada Magazine. To learn more about how you can receive the magazine, click here.