Convening for Action in British Columbia

LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA – THE SERIES: “Water literacy is key to building a stewardship ethic. It is about understanding where our water comes from and caring where it goes,” stated Lynn Kriwoken, (retired) Executive Director, BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy

NOTE TO READER:

Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the vision for Living Water Smart in British Columbia. This means build greener communities and adapt to a changing climate; and embrace “design with nature” approaches to reconnect people, land, fish, and water in altered landscapes.

The edition published on June 22, 2021 introduced a new resource that is available on the Water-Centric Planning community-of-interest at: Living Water Smart in British Columbia: The Series. The mission of Waterbucket eNews is to help readers make sense of a complicated world.

In June 2018, on the 10^th anniversary of release of Living Water Smart, the Vancouver Sun newspaper published an Op-Ed by the Partnership for Water Sustainability to celebrate this milestone. The Op-Ed is reproduced in Living Water Smart in British Columbia: The Series, a downloadable resource.

DOWNLOAD A COPY: https://waterbucket.ca/wcp/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/06/PWSBC_Living-Water-Smart_The-Series_2021.pdf

Living Water Smart in British Columbia: The Series

“Each week, we celebrate the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the vision for Living Water Smart, British Columbia’s Water Plan. Released in 2008, Living Water Smart was the provincial government’s call to action, and to this day transcends governments,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Executive Director, Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia.

“Building greener communities is a foundation piece for adapting to a changing climate. This requires ‘design with nature’ solutions that reconnect people, land, fish, and water in altered landscapes. “

“Feature stories published weekly on Waterbucket eNews constitute a legacy resource. To make them readily accessible and sharable, many of these stories are now downloadable as report-style documents. In the Living Water Smart Series, featured authors explore specific themes, with an objective of helping others make a difference in the communities in which they live.”

“With Living Water Smart as its starting point, the Partnership has a primary goal, to build bridges of understanding and pass the baton from the past to the present and future. The Living Water Smart Series is an integral part of the knowledge-transfer process.”

TO LEARN MORE:

In June 2018, on the 10^th anniversary of release of Living Water Smart, the Vancouver Sun newspaper published an Op-Ed by the Partnership to celebrate this milestone. To read the Op-Ed, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: The Series.

About the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC

Incorporation of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia as a not-for-profit society on November 19, 2010 was a milestone moment. Incorporation signified a bold leap forward. The Partnership evolved from a technical committee in the 1990s, to a “water roundtable” in the first decade of the 2000s, and then to a legal entity. The Partnership has its roots in government – local, provincial, federal.

The umbrella for Partnership initiatives and programs is the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia. In turn, the Action Plan is nested within Living Water Smart, British Columbia’s Water Plan. Released in 2008, Living Water Smart was the provincial government’s call to action, and to this day transcends governments.

Conceptual Framework for Inter-Generational Collaboration

Technical knowledge alone is not enough to resolve water challenges facing BC. Making things happen in the real world requires an appreciation and understanding of human behaviour, combined with a knowledge of how decisions are made. It takes a career to figure this out.

The Partnership has a primary goal, to build bridges of understanding and pass the baton from the past to the present and future. To achieve the goal, the Partnership is growing a network in the local government setting. This network embraces collaborative leadership and inter-generational collaboration.

Application of Experience, Knowledge and Wisdom

The Partnership believes that when each generation is receptive to accepting the inter-generational baton and embracing the wisdom that goes with it, the decisions of successive generations will benefit from and build upon the experience of those who went before them.

The Partnership leadership team brings experience, knowledge, and wisdom – a forceful combination to help collaborators reach their vision, mission, and goals for achieving water sustainability. When they are successful, the Partnership is successful.

The Time Continuum graphic (above) conceptualizes the way of thinking that underpins the inter-generational mission of the Partnership for Water Sustainability. Influence choices. Capitalize on the REACHABLE and TEACHABLE MOMENTS to influence choices.