Convening for Action in British Columbia

Herb Hammond likes to remind audiences that the forest sustains us; we do not sustain the forest. I am a forest ecologist. I have worked primarily with Indigenous peoples for the past 40 years to help them advocate for a more ecosystem-based approach to using the land and protecting it. That experience has resulted in the development of what I now call Nature-Directed Stewardship. And this is incorporated in the book as well. Our planning system relies on identifying a network of ecosystems that become ecological reserves,” stated Herb Hammond.

“The collaborative nature of the working relationship between Asset Management BC and the Partnership for Water Sustainability, combined with our shared commitment to Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery, transcends our memorandum of understanding. We share a mission and represent complementary audiences and perspectives within local government. Wally Wells, founding Executive Director of AMBC, has successfully passed the baton to Arnold to carry on the mission to operationalize sustainable service delivery,” stated Kim Stephens.

The article by Arnold Schwabe is structured in four parts. First, he introduces an historical perspective. Then he foreshadows how he envisions Asset Management BC will adapt to what is happening in local government. After that, he states the “purposes” of local government. He closes with a discussion on why he believes the precursors of change are in place for a re-set. “We have no more excuses. We need to move past our anxiety and confront the problems. I would like to say taxpayers are unhappy but that would be an understatement. They are angry,” he says.

“Natural Intelligence is an idea that resonates because it is intuitively obvious. I believe it is that simple. Natural Intelligence is another angle on interweaving Western science and Indigenous knowledge because it explores what Indigenous knowledge is based on. Blue Ecology is a Natural Intelligence approach. Natural Intelligence is a form of Indigenous wisdom…which is knowledge of Natural Intelligence and how to live with it and how to be harmonious with it,” stated Michael Blackstock.

The edition of Waterbucket eNews published on January 28, 2025 celebrated the contributions of the late Barry Janyk (1952-2024), former 4-term mayor of the Town of Gibsons. He was outspoken, funny and fearless in following his passions and advocating for the causes he believed in. One of those causes was “Smart Development”. Because he believed in doing the right thing, he played a leadership role in setting the green infrastructure movement in motion a generation ago. He was an influencer in a profound and public way. He helped change history.

Bruce Milne was elected mayor of Sechelt the same year Barry Janyk was first elected to council, in 1996. “He held us all to account for the next three years, to make sure we really did make some change,” said Bruce Milne. “Elected officials who weren’t as confident sometimes found a lack of space left over for less confident people to be difficult for them, but it was never a problem when he was actually advocating for Gibsons or the Sunshine Coast.” Barry Janyk’s environmentalism was a pillar not only of his life, but his time in office.

Nine cascading factors that must be in alignment to implement a course correction. At the top of the list of cascading factors is political leadership and commitment to the shared vision. Leadership boils down to a willingness to act and bring together other champions willing to provide the type of energy and organizational drive that overcomes inertia. “The current reality is that you have to build new political commitment and basically start all over again in a new crucible phase…where you coalition-build to develop a new shared vision, etc.,” stated Ray Fung.

“Re-set means implement a course correction so that governments would maintain and manage engineered and natural assets as interconnected components within a system that includes the people who live there. What would success look like? At a high level, the community writ large would buy-in to the need and financial case for funding SOLUTIONS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE, EFFECTIVE AND PRAGMATIC. That is the point of departure for setting in motion changes that are for the common good,” stated Kim Stephens.

“Like it or not we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty; but they are also more open to the creative energy of men than any other time in history. And everyone here will ultimately be judged – will ultimately judge himself – on the effort he has contributed to building a new world society and the extent to which his ideals and goals have shaped that effort,” stated Robert Kennedy in 1966. Considered his greatest speech, it popularized the phrase ”may you live in interesting times”. The phrase is ironic because “interesting” times are usually times of trouble.

We share our world view through our stories and storytelling This is how we pass on our oral history. Storytelling is the way we share intergenerational knowledge, experience and wisdom. “Storytelling is the commonality of all human beings, in all places, in all times,” stated Professor Rives Collins, Northwestern University, author of “The Power of Story: Teaching Through Storytelling”.