Green Infrastructure Community-of-Interest
The Green Infrastructure Community-of-Interest
This Community-of-Interest (COI) is the communication vehicle for the Green Infrastructure Partnership, the mission of which is to provide leadership and encourage implementation of clearly defined green infrastructure standards and regulatory models in British Columbia. The Green Infrastructure Partnership supports innovation on the ground through a comprehensive Outreach & Continuing Education Program (OCEP)
The Green Infrastructure Partnership was formed in 2003 as a consortium of four organizations. For more on the Partnership and its mission, please click here.
The Community-of-Interest Storyline
The dropdowns comprise a Table of Contents for the Green Infrastructure Community-of-Interest under these four themes – Design with Nature; Implement Green Projects; Apply Green Standards, and Resources – as shown below.
A goal of the Green Infrastructure Partnership is to build capacity through the sharing of experiences, approaches and lessons learned by practitioners in implementing green infrastructure policies and practices. To provide the Green Infrastructure Partnership with story ideas – first address emails to outreach@waterbucket.ca.
Why a Community-of-Interest (COI)
The notion of a web-based Community-of-Interest (COI) has been developed to respond to the needs of organizational clusters which evolve to discuss and communicate ideas around a specific issue. The WaterBucket Website comprises a set of COIs that include each element of fhe Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia.
Platform Design:
Each COI is a self-managing website that provides easy access to a variety of information modules developed within the COI structure. This dynamic information source is developed on a collaborative, non-proprietary platform that allows emerging communities to leverage the investment of existing partners and use communication and web development resources effectively.
To enable users to customize their home pages by means of direct links, the WaterBucket Website resides on a state-of-the-art RSS (Real Simple Syndication) platform. In other words, content can be provided by a live feed so that users will receive fresh information with each visit. This capability will enable users to take control of the flow of information, and add new layers of personalization and social sharing.
Editorial Board:
The Green Infrastructure Partnership serves as a content advisory committee. As an editorial board, it provides editorial direction and/or oversight for the COI.
Vision for the COI as a 'Green Infrastructure Magazine'
The WaterBucket Website is designed in a magazine style to appeal to specific target audiences, such that:
- The menu dropdowns within each COI create the 'storyline' and supporting themes, so that users will keep coming back.
- The magazine part of the website is complemented by a database comprising web-accessible resources that are catalogued in accordance with a Controlled Subject Index that is common to all COIs.
Over time, it is envisioned that the individual dropdowns can evolve into 'second-level COIs' as they build up a readership that is attracted by stories contributed on a continuiing basis by a network of Context Experts.
Funding from Province of British Columbia enabled development of Green Infrastructure COI
In 2005, the former Land & Water British Columbia provided seed funding for development of the Green Infrastructure COI. Through the Ministry of Environment, the Province has continued to provide funding for story development. The Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia has also provided funding that has enabled story development.
Posted June 2006
Updated December 2007