Green Infrastructure Consultation Workshops in 2004 and 2005 laid the program foundation for “Convening for Action in British Columbia”

Consultation Workshops in May 2004 and May 2005 resulted in successive reconfigurations of the Green Infrastructure Partnership’s work plan, with the emphasis on educating stakeholders regarding the benefits of a design with nature approach to community planning and land development, and facilitating adoption of this approach.

• The 2004 workshop was practitioner oriented. Participants stressed the need for systems-based thinking and an integrated approach to planning, zoning and infrastructure design.  They also stressed that green infrastructure was more than tinkering with the ways things are currently done.
• The 2005 workshop involved local government. The atmosphere was upbeat with participants enthusiasticaly stressing that the number of success stories is growing. They recognized that there were hurdles to overcome, but they are not insurmountable. The clear message was to make outreach and practitioner education the #1 priority.

The reconfigured work plan that resulted from the 2005 Consultation Workshop underpins the Outreach & Continuing Education Program (OCEP) that has provided program elements for Convening for Action initiatives in three regions: Vancouver Island, Metro Vancouver and the South Okanagan.

To read the complete story as posted in 2005, click on Green Infrastructure Partnership: Convening for Action in British Columbia.

Posted December 2009