CONVENING FOR ACTION AT ‘THE DIALOGUE IN NANAIMO’: “When it was released in 2002, British Columbia’s Stormwater Planning Guidebook advanced the premise that land development and watershed protection can be compatible. At the time, this was a new way of thinking,” stated John Finnie, Chair, CAVI-Convening for Action on Vancouver Island, when he launched the rollout of Beyond the Guidebook 2010 on behalf of the Partnership for Water Sustainability (June 2010)
NOTE TO READER:
The Dialogue in Nanaimo was structured around a water sustainability panel. Rather than talking heads, the panel engaged in a form of ‘improv theatre’ to feed off each other in spontaneously expressing key messages about water. This primed the audience for ‘small group’ dialogues in eight theme areas. The small groups dialogue were followed by a ‘big group’ dialogue. Watch John Finnie make the initial announcement for rollout of Beyond the Guidebook 2010: Implementing a New Culture for Urban Watershed Protection and Restoration in British Columbia (5:30 minutes):
Implementing a New Culture for Urban Watershed Protection and Restoration in British Columbia
“The move to where we are today started with the Stormwater Planning Guidebook in 2002. The Guidebook advanced the premise that land development and watershed protection can be compatible. In 2002, that was a new way of thinking,” stated John Finnie.
“That was almost a decade ago. At the time, that premise was viewed as extreme thinking. The key to this new way-of-thinking was the idea of ‘designing with nature’. By this we mean think of ways to design, enhance and protect the natural environment; and include the natural environment as part of the development strategy. The key to applying that thinking is mind-set. We really need to change the way we think about land use and development. The goal is to be water-centric.
“Beyond the Guidebook 2010 is really the story of convening for action for water sustainability. It is about what we are calling the ‘new business as usual’. We have the tools. We have the knowledge. We know what to do on the ground. It is just a matter of applying those things when we are talking about development opportunities.
To Learn More:
Download a copy of Beyond the Guidebook 2010: Implementing a New Culture for Urban Watershed Protection and Restoration in British Columbia
