WATER STEWARDSHIP IN A CHANGING CLIMATE: North Vancouver District’s Richard Boase returns as the moderator for the Parksville 2019 Symposium

Note to Reader:

At the first annual Symposium on Water Stewardship in a Changing Climate, and held in Nanaimo in April 2018, Richard Boase of the District of North Vancouver was the symposium moderator. He is back, by popular demand, to host the Parksville 2019 Symposium.

Below, Richard is flanked by Bob Sandford and Kim Stephens at the Nanaimo 2018 Symposium. Bob Sandford, representing the United Nations, delivered a public lecture the evening before the symposium, as well as providing Closing Reflections on the day of the symposium. Kim Stephens, Executive Director with the Partnership for Water Sustainability, gave the keynote address.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Bob Sandford, Richard Boase, Kim Stephens

Richard Boase will energize the audience!

“Richard Boase brings three ingredients to the role of Symposium moderator: passion, enthusiasm and a sense of humour,” states Kim Stephens. “The Parksville 2019 Organizing Committee is indeed pleased that Richard agreed to reprise the significant role that he played in the success of the Nanaimo 2018 Symposium. He sure had an impact. He was in his element and clearly having fun.

“I overheard folks commenting on the energy that Richard brought to the day as he kept the program moving. He was especially effective in facilitating the town-hall session and engaging delegates in a conversation. A good moderator helps create a good mood in the room and energize the crowd. Richard did that in spades. As we look ahead, the Organizing Committee is excited to have Richard be the glue that will hold the program together on April 3rd and 4th at Parksville.”

Quotable Quotes

“As the Moderator of the 2018 Symposium in Nanaimo, Richard was, in a word, dynamic,” adds John Finnie, Chair of the Organizing Committee for the Nanaimo and Parksville symposia. “He excelled in keeping the audience engaged and the sessions prompt and interactive.  We are pleased and excited to welcome Richard back to skillfully tack us through the waters of Parksville 2019.”

“As Moderator, Richard not only managed to smoothly transition between the 2018 presentations with a succinct summation and audience input, but he also identified the need and theme for the 2019 Parksville Water Stewardship Symposium while doing it. I look forward to seeing where we all get to with Richard’s deft guidance,” continues Paul Chapman, Executive Director, Nanaimo & Area Land Trust.

Richard’s Perspective

“I am very excited to have been asked to continue my moderator role at Parksville 2019.  The momentum and excitement gained in Nanaimo last year has produced results.  I expect to hear from many of our delegates who have been embracing the Hard Work of Hope this past year.  From citizen science to innovative stream restoration methods and hydrology, Parksville 2019 is the highlight of my year,” states Richard Boase.

About Richard Boase

Over a period of more than 30 years, Richard Boase has practiced environmental and urban geoscience. His project work and passion during this time has involved watershed restoration, community and stakeholder engagement, environmental impacts assessment and land use planning.

For 22 years, Richard Boase was the Environmental Protection Officer with the District of North Vancouver, he has specialized in integrated and natural resource management. His focus is on environmental impact assessment and watershed restoration. Since 2015, he has been the Section Manager Environmental Sustainability (Operations).

Teaching, researching and working with bright, innovative people has resulted in collaborative efforts involving numerous post-graduate research projects investigating a wide variety of topics, including heavy metal contamination and mitigation in urban runoff to hydrological quantification of urban tree canopies.

Richard Boase introducing the Town-Hall Panel at the Nanaimo 2018 Symposium