Global to Local: Canada's 2020 International Freshwater Biodiversity Targets

Catherine Masson is a Ph.D. Candidate at the Trent University School of Canadian Studies. Focusing on the Great Lakes–Upper St. Lawrence biogeographic zone, her global-to-local research addresses freshwater biodiversity across boreal parks and protected areas, integrating Indigenous Knowledge and media communications toward Canada’s post-2020 goals and targets. Her York University master's work informed the 2006-2011 Canada–U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement review. She studied South Asian women as water managers for her second bachelor's degree. In her Ontario Public Service roles, Catherine supported strategic water, climate change, fish, and invasive species programs and provided input for international, national, and provincial environmental agreement renewals, working with diverse stakeholders on complex issues. Contributions include presentations and papers on governance and accountability, policy implementation, social-ecological systems, ecological ethics, human dimensions, environmental history, and transboundary water issues. She is a member of the Lake Ontario Swim Team (LOST), an adventurous group of open water swimmers and lake-crossers based in Oakville, Ontario.