Protecting What Matters Most: Megan Quinn’s Conservation Journey

Growing up in the industrial landscape of Northern England, Megan Quinn didn’t fully realize her passion for nature until she moved to Canada in 2004. After graduating from the Ecosystem Management Technician program at Fleming College, she has worked in a variety of environmental jobs, with a focus on the non-profit sector.  

Since 2018, Megan has led the stewardship team as the Coordinator of Conservation Biology for Eastern Ontario with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). In this role, she is responsible for planning and implementing stewardship work in some of the area’s most sensitive and ecologically important habitats. One day, her office is an old growth forest, and the next, it’s a continentally significant wetland or underwater cave. 

From growing up on a street with only one tree to working to protect the last intact forest corridor in eastern North America, Megan advocates for authentic youth involvement in conservation. She previously served as Chair of the Young Professionals Committee of the Canadian Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (CCIUCN) and currently sits on the Communications Committee.  

In her work as a Sustainable Development Goal Impact Mentor with the United Nations Association in Canada (UNAC), Megan has helped young Canadians find their voice for nature and community-based projects. She has also partnered with Earth Rangers as a “Conservation Hero” to share stewardship work with youth across Canada.  

She regularly features in documentaries, media interviews, podcasts, and at events across North America, promoting community action and telling her story. In 2025, she was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her services to conservation and youth education. 

In her spare time, she is a competitive horseback rider and enjoys creative expression through novel writing and knitting.