BEYOND THE GUIDEBOOK SERIES: “Looking ahead to 2022, the Partnership will showcase parallel streams of effort by our local government partners in five sub-regions over the past two decades when we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Stormwater Planning Guidebook. This is a milestone in a science-based approach,” stated Ted van der Gulik, President of the British Columbia Partnership for Water Sustainability
NOTE TO READER:
Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the vision for Living Water Smart in British Columbia to build greener communities and adapt to a changing climate; and embrace “design with nature” approaches to reconnect people, land, fish, and water in altered landscapes.
The edition of Waterbucket eNews published on November 23, 2021 featured the Partnership for Water Sustainability’s Annual Report 2021. Written as a communication tool to present a big picture look at the work of The Partnership, the document comprises a set of “30-second takeaways” that illustrate the breadth and depth of initiatives and programs.
2021-An Extraordinary Year
Reflections by Ted van der Gulik, Partnership President
Looking back, 2021 is an extraordinary year of accomplishment for the Partnership. We continued to elevate our game and in so doing demonstrated what is possible. We provided leadership for a range of initiatives of provincial importance. These four stand out:
- Groundwater Licensing is a cornerstone of the Water Sustainability Act. It is the biggest endeavour the Province of BC has taken on in its water management history.
- EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process, is game-changing. It provides local governments with a methodology and metrics to integrate stream corridor systems within Asset Management Budgets.
- BC Landscape Water Calculator is aligned with the next iteration of the provincial government’s Water Conservation Condition. This is the contractual mechanism for infrastructure grants.
- Blue Ecology is an ecological philosophy whose time has come. Interweaving Indigenous knowledge and Western science would be the foundation for a whole-system approach to Water Reconciliation.
These successes were achieved through the power of collaborative leadership. The process involves bringing the right people together in constructive ways with good information, such that they create authentic visions and strategies for addressing the shared concerns of their organizations and communities.
Looking ahead to 2022, the Partnership and our partners in the Living Water Smart Network are poised to build on these breakthrough initiatives. We will also be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columba. The Partnership is the steward for the Guidebook.
In 2022, the Partnership will publish the fourth in the Beyond the Guidebook series of guidance documents. Tentatively titled Flowing Towards “Water Reconciliation” within the Georgia Basin/Salish Sea, Beyond the Guidebook 2022 will showcase parallel streams of effort by our local government partners in five sub-regions over the past two decades. This work is ongoing under the umbrella of the Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Education Initiative, launched in 2012.
TO LEARN MORE:
To read the complete story published on November 23rd 2021, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Growing the Network through Collaborative Leadership.
To explore the Annual Report 2021, which comprises a series of 30-second takeaways, download a PDF copy of Growing the Living Water Smart Network through the Power of Collaborative Leadership.
