20 Years of Observations from a Water Enthusiast

PERSPECTIVE
20 Years of Observations
from a Water Enthusiast
Terry Rees, the outgoing Executive Director of the Federation of
Ontario Cottagers’ Association, shares what he’s learned from
decades in his favourite watershed. BY TERRY REES
F YOU’VE SPENT 60 years experiencing the
same landscape, the same patch of glorious
Canadian freshwater, you witness the evolution
of the watershed first-hand. The transition in the
upland forest, the changes to the shoreline structure and to the plants and animals that live there;
changes to the water levels, usually dictated by one
agency or another. Sometimes changes are a function of changing climate, and, significantly, changes
to the landscape from human activities. All these
changes can have a profound and cumulative effect
on the system’s ability to provide abundant, clean
water, either for human consumption, to grow food,
to power industries, or serve our communities.
Whether you are a watershed manager, a municipal planner, or an engineer responsible for water
infrastructure, you know the past is becoming a
poor example to follow for success in the future. But
understanding the trends, appreciating where we’ve
been, and paying attention to where we’re headed is
essential to making decisions with better economic,
ecological, and sustainable outcomes.
Over the 20 years I have spent leading Canada's
largest group of waterfront property owners, I
I
Terry Rees
Terry Rees is the outgoing Executive Director of the Federation
of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations, with four decades of ongoing
commitment to Canada’s natural resources management in the private
and not-for-profit sectors. He is also a member of the Water Canada
Advisory Board and a Water Canada Awards judge.
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WATER C AN ADA • M ARCH/APRIL 2024
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T

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