Friday, October 3, 2025
Canada is blessed with some of the most rugged, unspoiled natural beauty in the world. The glorious landscape includes great natural wonders—from the Rockies to the Great Lakes, Prairies to the Arctic, West Coast forests to the scenic wonders of Atlantic Canada. Yet, a mere 15 per cent of Canada’s land has been set aside for protection.
Canadians rank environmental issues at the top of the national agenda. But, with more and more people living in urban areas and immersed in a technology driven society, fewer Canadians than ever have a personal connection to the land. Meanwhile, science is telling us that nature plays an important role in our overall health and wellbeing.
With a network of more than 800 naturalist organizations across the country, Nature Canada provides a gateway for concerned Canadians, helping people gain a greater understanding of the natural world, its beauty, its gifts, its fragility, and the degree to which we are all dependent on nature. The more people understand about the natural world and the relevance of nature to their own lives, the more likely they will be to take action to protect their natural environment.
Connie Vitello, Editor of Environment Journal, has been invited to join an illustrious network of Canadian women celebrating the love for nature and advocating for positive improvements to conserve and protect the natural environment across the country through Nature Canada.
Women for Nature
Nature Canada’s grassroots approach to finding real solutions has been central to Nature Canada’s success for the past 80 years. In 2014, the organization marked its 75th Anniversary by launching Women for Nature to accelerate the organization’s positive impact on the natural world. For over a decade now, this exciting collaborative partnership has flourished through a partnership of professional women leaders through the Women for Nature initiative.
Nature Canada was founded in honour of a woman named Mabel Frances Whittemore. Mabel Frances was an educator and nature lover and her life’s goal was to share her passion for nature with others. Over the decades, women continue to hold many leadership positions within Nature Canada. Today the Women for Nature membership list includes some incredible female environmental leaders from across the country, including: Senator Rosa Gavez, Margaret Atwood, Councillor Dianne Saxe, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, Elizabeth May, and Laura Zizzo, an environmental lawyer and entrepreneur.
These collaborative voices of Canadian women with vision, who choose to demonstrate their passion for nature and pass their values on to others, are actively promoting Nature Canada’s efforts on issues important to Canadians like protecting lands, waters and saving species from extinction.
Women for Nature members help to increase the validity, strength, frequency and volume of important messages across Canada to government, industry and families. For most people a love of nature starts in their youth and likely from time spent camping, hiking, birding or other nature adventures. However, not all youth have that opportunity depending on their circumstances. Women for Nature supports a myriad of outdoor experiences like educational hikes, shoreline clean-ups, panel discussions, all led by expert naturalists and designed to maximize Canadian’s interaction with nature. They are working with hundreds of local groups in every province to connect children and youth with nature and aim to expand on this vital work in the coming years.
Connie is an award-winning editor and writer with 25 years of experience of providing in-depth coverage of interesting issues and innovative ideas about the environment. She is also a founding member of the Women’s Environment Group (WEG), which empowers and connects women working in the environment sector across Canada. In addition, Connie is integral in the execution of the following premier industry events: the Brownie Awards, a celebration of outstanding brownfield projects and champions; the Excess Soils Symposium, which raises awareness about resource recovery and optimal soil management; and webinars on a variety of timely environmental topics, featuring diverse expert panels. In her volunteer work, Connie advocates for urban greening and innovative projects that support the intersection of education and ecological stewardship.
“I am thrilled to be a member of Women for Nature and look forward to supporting this important initiative, which appeals to both my professional and personal passions,” says Connie. “It is an honour to be counted among these amazing Canadian women who are all incredible environmental stewards and female leaders. With the current geopolitical tensions and unprecedented battle for natural resources, it’s never been more important to work together and stand strong for the Canadian environment.”
For further information about Nature Canada and the Women for Nature initiative, please click here.
