Human communities can only be sustainable if they exist in a healthy, natural environment.  Knowledge of how the natural world functions is indispensable for achieving sustainability.  The vision of the Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit staff is that their efforts to understand freshwater Boreal ecosystems will enable future generations to live sustainably with the beauty, wonder and resources of freshwater environments.

Dissemination of this knowledge to policy makers, industry and the general public to assist in developing wise resource management and protection strategies is key to achieving this vision.  Vectors for science transfer include publications and conferences, community outreach activities and partnerships as well as the recently established Science Communication Graduate Diploma program that will eventually be housed at the Living with Lakes Centre.