CONVENING FOR ACTION ON FRESH WATER SUSTAINABILITY: “Change the way land is developed on Vancouver Island,” urged Eric Bonham at Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation in the Comox Valley (October 2007)

The CAVI Story

In October 2007, at the third and last in the Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation Series, Eric Bonham told the story behind CAVI and highlighted how the CAVI Partnership is translating a shared vision into action that is resulting in an expanding and inclusive partnership. He is a founding member of CAVI  who is described as the ‘heart and soul’ of CAVI.

The projected growth of Vancouver Island and resulting cumulative impacts are drivers for reassessing where and how land is developed, and water is used. To stimulate a new way-of-thinking related to infrastructure policies and practices, CAVI organized the 2007 Series in partnership with three regional districts and a number of their member municipalities.

Creating Our Future

At the showcasing event held in the Comox Valley, Eric Bonham explained that the strength of the CAVI approach on Vancouver Island is the engagement of its partners on a one on one basis who “buy in” to the vision of water-centric planning. The process is accumulative, as others from diverse backgrounds are drawn to the common goal of achieving water sustainability.

“The operative words are vision, partnerships, communications, ecological integrity, human well-being, sustainability, water-centric…and simply put …a desire to work together for Vancouver Island,” concluded Eric Bonham

In closing, he quoted Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a group of concerned citiizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever does. And that is where we are today with CAVI.”

To Learn More:

Read the complete story, click on CAVI – Convening for Action to Change the Way Land is Developed on Vancouver Island, posted on October 2007.