Archive:

Beyond the Guidebook 2010 describes how a ‘convening for action’ philosophy has taken root in British Columbia. Lessons learned by those who have done it can help those who want to move to a ‘design with nature’ strategy. “It is a great resource, well written. Down to earth, and in line with what the Water Sustainability Action Plan speaks about… The new business as usual, connecting the dots and giving useful tools and roadmaps for success. It is an easy read, and captivating with the stories, quotes and pictures,” states Kathy Bishop.

“Sustainable communities are all about choices – choices that become reality very quickly, with lasting consequences. In the years ahead, much will depend on getting the choices right in British Columbia, especially in those communities that are experiencing growth and/or renewal. By choosing to live water smart, communities will be more prepared for climate change and their quality of life will be enhanced. If we can show how to get the water part right, then other parts are more likely to follow ,” states Lynn Kriwoken.

“The Water Balance Model supports new approaches to water management, and will facilitate informed decision-making about climate change adaptation. The Water Balance Model is moving toward an expert system with broad capabilities,” said Ted van der Gulik.

“The website is a vehicle for documenting and then sharing what takes place in forums organized under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan. We are writing our history as we create it. The website is designed to provide the complete story on integrated land and water management – why, what, where and how,” said Mike Tanner.

2ND IN A SERIES: “For me, the watershed moment for the CAVI-Comox Valley Leadership Team occurred in 2010. The schedule for our regular learning-lunch series had been impacted by circumstances. The planned postponement of the series to early 2011 left us with the risk of losing momentum and interest; hence, we decided to host a developer-dialogue session. The ‘ah-ah’ moment for all parties lay in recognizing the importance of getting things done right at the front-end; and that by aligning collective efforts on a watershed scale, a regional response to (minimizing) infrastructure liability could be achieved,” stated Derek Richmond.

1ST IN A SERIES: “The drought, forest fires and floods that British Columbia experienced in 2003 created a teachable moment for change in the way we view water in this province. Over the past decade, we have showcased innovation, developed tools and provided training, and collaborated with local governments to develop talent and build capacity in the Vancouver Island and Lower Mainland regions. Water sustainability in the local government setting will be achieved by implementing green infrastructure policies and practices.” stated Ray Fung.

In February 2014, presentation of a Progress Report to the Capital Regional District created the opportunity for Councillor Judith Cullington to state that: “For many year, I have been following your work; and I have seen you build up this massive resource inventory of all kinds of information related to watersheds and a watershed-based approach to community planning.”

An advocate of the “top down bottom up” principle of engagement, Tim Pringle has been a consistent champion for local involvement and recognizes the value of stewardship groups and community groups in working towards a common vision based upon universal values.

Known for his initiative and creative ideas and that invaluable quality of recognizing the limitations of government policy, Ted van der Gulik has always been prepared within the system to ‘think outside the pipe’ and find solutions for the common good, and as a result, has provided an incredible public service to British Columbia.