Michael Norton

Michael joined Nature United in 2026. He provides overall strategic direction for the conservation team and supports conservation programs in planning and strategy design for systems level impact. He builds strong relationships across teams and with partners and champions collaboration. He acts as a thought leader in conservation, developing innovative strategies and frameworks to scale Nature United’s conservation impact.

Prior to joining Nature United, Michael worked for several departments of the Government of Canada in progressively senior roles. Most recently, he served as Director General of Natural Resources Canada’s Northern Forestry Centre where he provided national leadership on wildfire science and policy and established several funding programs supporting wildfire resilience. In senior roles with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre and the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, he provided thought leadership and built consensus around actions to transform wildfire management. He served previously as Associate Regional Director General for the prairies and northern region at Environment Canada. He has worked in fields of transboundary water management, environmental regulation, contaminated site remediation and wildlife conservation. He holds science degrees from the University of Guelph and the University of Alberta. He was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025 for contributions to public service.