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“Wildfire seasons are beginning earlier and summer droughts are more pronounced, likely enhanced by global climate change. Given the extent of forests in B.C.’s mountainous terrain, most communities are at risk of burning during a wildfire. Understanding the cause and consequences of this problem is essential to find meaningful solutions,” wrote Robert Gray in a co-authored article.

“Knowing the Waterbucket user-base was wanting to find information easily, we redesigned the home page with not only a more contemporary look and feel but also to facilitate it being a portal to all of the different content-rich sections of the site,” stated Susan Friesen. “”Now site users can enjoy a faster, easier and mobile-friendly experience to conduct their research and become more informed with the valuable resources the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC provides.”

Ted’s informative presentation on the anticipated impacts on food security from climate change was well received and was a natural follow up to Fin Donnelly’s talk on the challenges of maintaining a healthy Fraser River system. “The most productive agricultural land is situated in the lower Fraser Valley. This is one of the most productive agricultural regions in all of Canada. Half the total provincial farm gate receipts come from the Fraser Valley.” stated Ted van der Gulik.

Fin Donnelly’s commitment and passion in both identifying and addressing the complex range of issues that challenge the health of the Fraser River gave invaluable insight and understanding of the need for an holistic approach and engagement by a range of participants. Also, his definition of “Rivershed” is a more inclusive term than Watershed, providing a sense of place, hence placing responsibility and commitment at the local level, a role that community stewards and local governments can effectively embrace.

Bob McDonald’s observation that climate change is a reality and needs an immediate and collective response given water is the issue of the 21st century, is timely, and a message that cannot be repeated enough. That said, and as noted in the collective article in the Vancouver Sun, Bob and the Partnership for Water Sustainability share a positive vision of the future, seeking solutions through collaborative partnerships and a realignment of the water story.

The Partnership looks forward to an on-going connection with Michael Blackstock as he advances the three bold action items of Blue Ecology Education, Blue Ecology Architecture and a Blue Ecology City project. As Michael noted, the education initiative is especially significant, particularly at the elementary school level, as this will serve the young student well in their later years, namely understanding the central role of water and respecting it not simply as a commodity, but rather the life force it truly is.

“Initially, we saw EAP as a tool (i.e. ‘the protocol’) that would help practitioners calculate the opportunity cost of balancing ecological services with drainage infrastructure. However, our thinking has evolved over the past year: EAP is a process, not a protocol. Thus, we are rebranding EAP as the Ecological Accounting Process,” stated Tim Pringle. “The term ‘Process’ more accurately describes the challenge of working with multiple stakeholders in order to accurately describe the ecological services made possible by the watershed hydrology.”

“The reality today is a very different work environment then what we ‘old guys’ grew up in,” stated Wally Wells. “That leads to a required dialogue of what communicating really means and how the message is received and interpreted by different generations. Maybe, just maybe, we take too much for granted based on what we individually know in trying to communicate asset management. We need to think very hard about the way we carry the message – with, I would suggest, more thought to the perception of the listener.”

Blue Ecology is an ecological philosophy developed by Michael Blackstock, professional forester and scholar. Blue Ecology looks at the water cycle differently to interweave First Nations and Western thought. Michael Blackstock has a vision: British Columbia water managers would embrace the Blue Ecology water cycle; our communities would become more water-resilient; and we would successfully adapt to a changing climate.

“For years to come, Fraser River water levels (high and low) and quality will be affected,” stated Kim Stephens. “At the mouth of the Fraser, the consequences of summer droughts and rising sea levels combine to impact river water quality while at the same time increasing the need for irrigation water. The Fraser River would be able to supply much of the water required for expansion of the total irrigated area. But delivering the water would require a huge investment in infrastructure.”