CREATING THE FUTURE IN THE TOWNSHIP OF LANGLEY: “The Township is a living demonstration of adaptive management in action,” wrote Kim Stephens in the Watershed Case Profile released by Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia (October 2017)
Note to Reader:
The Langley Township story is the fifth in a series of Watershed Blueprint Case Profiles published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability.
The series showcases and celebrates successes and long-term ‘good work’ in the local government setting.
The purpose of the series is to inform and facilitate inter-regional collaboration in the Georgia Basin.
By telling the stories of those who are spearheading changes in practice, this helps other local governments eliminate the “disconnect between information and implementation” that may otherwise hold them back.
Integration: How it is Embedded
“During the interviews with staff, their explanations of process made it clear that the Township is a living demonstration of adaptive management in action,” wrote Kim Stephens, Partnership Executive Director and author of Green Infrastructure Innovation in Langley Township, released in October 2017.
“The essence of the adaptive approach is to ‘learn by doing’ and to change direction when there is a better way.
“The 2007 showcasing series focused attention on the BC process for ‘convening for action’. The 4-phase process (illustrated below) is incremental. It requires time and commitment. The hardest gap to bridge is that between WHAT and SO WHAT. The Township has done that, and has gone full circle.”
‘Convening for Action’ means…
“Use what we have learned so that we can take action and make a difference in our professional lives. That difference is to change the way we develop land.”
Context statement by Ray Fung, representing the Green Infrastructure Partnership, at the start of the 2007 Showcasing Innovation in Langley event.
Convening for Action in Langley
“Technical teams input to long-range planning,” stated Stephen Richardson, Director, Development Services. “There is a constant feedback loop. We raise the bar each time 
through an iterative process. This strengthens standards of practice. The continual enhancements are reflected in our neighbourhood plans.
“The structure is set up to support good ideas of an integrated nature so that staff can flourish in the work environment. It is a team approach. Staff share and learn from each other.”
To Learn More:
To read the complete story, download a copy of the Watershed Case Profile. Click on Green Infrastructure Innovation in Langley Township, released in October 2017.
The Table of Contents below is a synopsis. It distills the essence of each section into a succinct statement. These create a storyline. Readers are asked to pause and reflect on them before reading the story itself.
