I have been Chairman of Lakehead Conservation for twelve years and for the year 2000 I served as Chair of Conservation Ontario, our provincial association. In that time I have seen many innovative solutions from Conservation Authorities and other organizations.

Conservation is defined as the wise use of resources so that their benefits are not diminished. The concept can be inclusive of many practices when these are done properly and applied to the right situation. Multiple uses of an area are possible as long as these do not imperil people's health, present economic and recreation needs or future use of the resource.

As an example, we own two Agreement Forests where small blocks of forest are harvested and regenerated on a sustainable basis. A healthy forest is maintained, which provides habitat for animals and plants. The forest is also a pleasant setting for recreation and education.

An integrated, holistic approach is crucial. Conservation Authorities have always had the vision that we could benefit from our watershed resources both now and in the future while saving money and avoiding problems.

The key is to have a proactive approach. We guide development away from floodplains so that we do not have to rescue people when disaster strikes or pay millions to build protective dams and floodways and repair damage. The cost of on-going prevention is significantly less.

Our conservation lands are also a terrific investment. How would we begin to recreate these natural treasures should they all be lost to progress? Restoration projects may cost millions of dollars and still not recover the same benefits as natural systems.

Conservation Authorities are a bridge between government, organizations, businesses and the public. We can speak, listen and act well with each of these sectors to achieve results. Our cost-effective structure also allows us to pull together funding from these different sources and reduce duplication of effort.