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The event attracted attracted media attention, resulting in front-page headline stories in both of BC’s major daily newspapers. This led to further radio and TV coverage when the 2015 drought was voted BC’s top news story of the year in an online poll. “The Watermark spring theme focuses on risk and resilience, and we thought it would be a great opportunity to summarize the feast and famine workshop,” stated BCWWA’s Edel Burke.

Protection of farmland — including from port-related development in South Delta — is far more important, along with finding ways to better use water and to bring more irrigation to lands not suitable for growing food, said Ted van der Gulik. “I support market gardens. They’re good. It’s great to grow food in parking lots, having people grow their own food. Just don’t call them food security,” he said.

The 2015 workshop was designed to spark a conversation and ultimately inform a shared vision for ‘designing with nature’ to restore hydrologic integrity and maintain the seasonal ‘water balance’. Eric Bonham provided inspirational remarks to conclude the day. “Over the last five years water issues have become increasingly prominent within BC and beyond. The Partnership has been at the forefront of this understanding,” he said.

“We had a powerhouse team and the program was high-energy. Presentations were dynamic. It made a difference that team members are leaders by example; and everyone is passionate about what they do. The collective enthusiasm of the presentation team energized those who attended the workshop in Richmond. It was a memorable day,” reports Mike Tanner, Workshop Chair.