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2016 posts

Sustainable Watershed Systems: "As understanding grows of a whole-system approach, local governments will progress incrementally along the Asset Management Continuum," Kim Stephens informs an Okanagan audience at the FLOWnGROW Workshop (Nov 2016)


“Over the past year, we have begun to frame where we want to get to in British Columbia in terms of sustainable watershed systems. We are saying it is a three-step process, If you don’t already have an asset management plan, then you cannot make that leap all the way to Step Three,” stated Kim Stephens. “What the Partnership is trying to do right now is to get them ready in terms of where they need to be a couple of years down the road.”

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Sustainable Watershed Systems: "What happens on the land matters. Restore the water balance in urban areas," states Kim Stephens in guest lecture for Capilano University's Local Government Administration Certificate Program (Nov 2016)


“Kim Stephens was able to communicate concepts in a way that made sense to the class. They understood him perfectly,” observed Todd Pugh, sessional instructor for Capilano’s Local Government Administration Certificate program. “It is such a mix of people – there were some who would have liked to hear more about the science behind what he presented, and for others it was more science than they’ve experienced since elementary school. So on the whole, I think he hit the right mix.”

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Sustainable Watershed Systems: "Restoration of hydrologic function in urban areas starts with an understanding of how water gets to a stream, and how long it takes," explained Kim Stephens in a lecture to landscape architect students at UBC (Nov 2016)


North Vancouver City is a case study for a UBC design course on integration of landscape architecture into urban rainwater management strategies. “The lecture by Kim Stephens was excellent and well-paced,” stated Daniel Roehr, Associate Professor. “He provided clarity regarding a course objective, which is to design at different scales, using the reverse design strategy, site and details first before urban and regional scale.”

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Sustainable Watershed Systems: “The BC Framework sets a strategic direction that would refocus business processes to properly manage the water balance within the built environment,” stated Kim Stephens at a meeting of Metro Vancouver's Stormwater Interagency Liaison Group (Nov 2016)


“My objective in meeting with SILG was to plant seeds. Six months from now we will see whether and/or how the seeds have taken root,” stated Kim Stephens. “Basically, the Partnership’s mission is to prepare local governments for Step Three on the Asset Management Continuum. Within two years, our goal is that local governments will understand WHY they need to transition to Sustainable Watershed Systems, and HOW they can accomplish this through asset management.”

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Sustainable Watershed Systems: "A rain garden program would be a foundation piece for a long-term vision for restoring the water balance in a fully urbanized city," stated Kim Stephens in his presentation to municipal engineers at the Annual APEGBC Conference (Oct 2016)


The Municipal Engineering Division invited Kim Stephens to make a presentation on Sustainable Watershed Systems at the 2016 APEGBC Annual Conference. “We then invited Kim Stephens to write an article for Innovation magazine that would help spread word about his presentation, as well as provide a sneak peek for conference attendees,” states Monique Kieran. “The article serves as a proceedings article for the conference presentation.”

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Sustainable Watershed Systems: CBC’s Bob McDonald headlines an all-star team of presenters in Kelowna at "FLOWnGROW Workshop" (Nov 2016)


Bob McDonald is loved by radio and TV audiences across Canada for making complex scientific issues understandable, meaningful, and fun. “There is an emerging global sense that protecting fresh water has the potential of being a catalyst for cooperation rather than conflict, a level of cooperation that seeks solutions for the common good and survival,” says Bob McDonald.

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NEWSPAPER OP-ED: Sustainable Watershed Systems: Communities urged to integrate “water balance solutions” into land use decisions (Oct 2016)


“Work needs to be done today to ensure we see a secure water future. Benefits are long-term,” wrote Kim Stephens. “Successful programs that are politically supported would ensure we restore the water balance and have sustainable watershed systems. This approach has the potential to re-set the ecological baseline along the east coast of Vancouver Island and in the Lower Mainland. Success would be abundant salmon in urban streams.”

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ARTICLE: "Sustainable Watershed Systems, through Asset Management" introduced to BC professional engineers (Oct 2016)


Communities are starting to recognize the value of natural assets and their role in local government service delivery, and include natural assets in their asset management programs. “The BC Framework links local government services, the infrastructure that supports service delivery, and watershed health,” states Brian Bedford. “It is a powerful tool for local governments to focus community planning and infrastructure decision-making.”

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PRESS RELEASE: Partnership for Water Sustainability publishes guidance document on how to achieve "Sustainable Watershed Systems" (Sept 2016)


“Local governments are starting to recognize that watersheds are natural assets that have value, ecosystem services have a role in municipal service delivery, and so they need to be integrated into their asset management programs. Watershed systems are infrastructure assets. They need to be managed and protected as such,” states Kim Stephens.

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EVENT OF RECORD: "Sustainable Watershed Systems: Primer on Application of Ecosystem-based Understanding in the Georgia Basin" – released at AGM, Mid Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society (Sept 2016)


“Stream health and what happens on the land are connected. In the early 1990’s, the ‘Coho Salmon crisis’ raised the alarm that changes in hydrology caused by land development were resulting in small stream salmon demise. The stewardship sector was the catalyst for restorative action in BC,” stated Peter Law. “Today, community organizations partner with local governments to monitor and restore local watershed health.”

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