Convening for Action in British Columbia

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DOWNLOAD A COPY OF: “Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Natural asset management… cutting through the rhetoric” – released by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in May 2022

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 to 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 May 10, 2022 addressed the question, what does “managing natural assets” actually mean in a municipal asset management context? Local governments need real numbers to deliver outcomes. EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process, meets this test by providing a number that can be incorporated in an annual Asset Management Budget for stream system maintenance.

Road Map for Stream System Integrity: Historical Context 

EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process, has its origins in the 1990s “salmon crisis” in the Georgia Basin / Salish Sea / Puget Sound Bioregion. Listing of Coho salmon as an endangered species in Puget Sound was a catalyst for cross-border collaboration between BC and Washington State.

The road map for protecting stream system integrity – an outcome of seminal research at the Center for Urban Water Resources Management in Seattle – is the inspiration for the Twin Pillars Concept for linking “water balance accounting” and “ecological accounting” through asset management.

Richard Horner, Chris May, and others applied a systems approach, examined the interaction of all the variables, and correlated land use changes with impacts on stream system condition. They defined four limiting factors in order of priority. These factors provide the road map for action to protect and/or restore stream integrity.

To Learn More:

To read the complete story published on May 10th 2022, download a PDF copy of “Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Natural asset management… cutting through the rhetoric”.

DOWNLOAD A PDF COPY: https://waterbucket.ca/wcp/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/05/PWSBC_Living-Water-Smart_Ecological-Accounting-Process_2022.pdf