Leading Change in British Columbia: "Beyond the Guidebook 2010" tells the stories of the champions
Note to Readers:
During the November-December 2010 period, the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia released a series of five articles that are designed to inform local governments and others about a 'course correction' for Integrated Stormwater Management Plans (ISMPs). The series describes:
- what ISMPs are;
- how local governments can do more with less; and
- how local governments can ensure ISMPs are outcome-oriented.
The series is extracted from Beyond the Guidebook 2010: Implementing a New Culture for Watershed Protection and Restoration in British Columbia, released in June.
Success Will Follow When….
Beyond the Guidebook 2010 tells the stories of the champions who are implementing change on the ground. Equally important, this guidance document also presents a framework for establishing watershed-specific performance targets and implementing green infrastructure through an ISMP-type process.
Lessons Learned
There is now a decade of ISMP and comparable experience from which to extract 'lessons learned' about how to move from awareness (interest) to action (practice). Beyond the Guidebook 2010 draws on BC case study experience to illustrate how success will follow when local government elected representatives, administrators and practitioners apply these guiding principles:
- Choose to be enabled.
- Establish high expectations.
- Embrace a shared vision.
- Collaborate as a ‘regional team’.
- Align and integrate efforts.
- Celebrate innovation.
- Connect with community advocates.
- Develop local government talent.
- Promote shared responsibility.
- Change the land ethic for the better.
The Bowker Creek Blueprint is a prominent example of a plan that embodies all ten guiding principles, and is precedent-setting in advancing an outcome-oriented approach. The Bowker Creek Blueprint is about systematically restoring the urban heartland of the Capital Regional District as it redevelops over the decades. The Bowker experience illustrates how major breakthroughs happen when decision makers in government collaborate with grass-roots visionaries in the community to create desired outcomes.
Rainwater Management is Landscape-Based
Beyond the Guidebook 2010 states that the time has now come to make the change to 'IRMP' from 'ISMP' to reflect the paradigm-shift to landscape-based ‘RAINwater’ from pipe-and-convey ‘stormwater’.
A holistic IRMP is a potentially powerful tool to achieve a vision for 'green' infrastructure, one that protects stream health and fish habitat, and also anticipates climate change,
To Learn More:
To access stories in the 'ISMP Course Correction Series', click on Water Bucket publishes excerpts from “Beyond the Guidebook 2010” about why and how to re-focus ISMPs on outcomes — Outcome-oriented planning is a problem-solving PROCESS. It is not a procedure. It is not a matter of applying a regulation or a checklist. Participants have to be committed to the outcome.
Posted November 2010