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“Absorb, communicate. and refine the communication. I am very focused on the 3-year transition strategy because Year One was just trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible. And so, in Year Two I think it is time to begin that communication process. And Year Three will be refining that communication process. In Year One, it was a juggling process with many moving parts and trying to keep them all in balance. And so, we look forward to sharing our EAP experience at the BC Land Summit,” stated Anna Lawrence.

“The story behind the story is about the importance of embedding knowledge of EAP into the youth who are going to be the future of our local governments. The framework that we have set up ensures this will happen. There are lots of partnerships that exist for selfish reasons. But the EAP Partnership is selfless, and from all angles. It is a leap of faith for member local governments. Partnership for Water Sustainability commitment to passing the baton is unwavering,” stated Graham Sakaki when he spoke about the 3-year transition strategy to embed EAP at Vancouver Island University.

“It is really heartening to observe the recent renewed interest in what I think of as ecosystem-based planning and is now often called green and blue systems in cities,” stated Susan Haid. “It sounds simple, but it is heartening because this has NOT really been a key theme in the public dialogue for some time. The pandemic has reminded us of the importance of green space and access to nature. It is even more important now because in 1997 we did not have the kind of weather extremes such as atmospheric rivers and heat domes that we are now regularly experiencing.”

“Zoe Norcross-Nu’u, a marine scientist who previously taught at the University of Hawaii Maui College, is in her second decade with Comox Valley Regional District after joining in 2012. Her responsibilities revolve around the Comox Lake Watershed Protection Plan. At the end of our conversation, Zoe connected her reflections about Hawaii and interweaving Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science to Blue Ecology, the water-first approach that bridges cultures. Zoe represents the Comox Valley Regional District on the Partnership’s Watershed Moments Team,” stated Km Stephens.

“When the regional districts on the east coast of Vancouver Island present a united front, it is so much stronger than us trying to speak as an individual local government, especially for a small one within a larger provincial context when you are one among many. In a provincial context, we are just one tiny voice. Coming together as neighbouring regional governments has strengthened our relationships and increased inter-regional communication and sharing of methodologies, ideas, strategies and information–all our communities are benefitting!” stated Zoe Norcross-Nu’u.

“We are implementers. Blue Ecology reinforces the attitude change that is necessary to support widespread use of tools and resources that the Partnership has been pioneering for more than two decades to help local governments design with nature. We have both been at this a long time. From experience, we have seen and know why the situation on the land has not been changing for the better. Our call for restorative action is this: design in concert with nature and make better decisions around our landscapes,” stated Richard Boase.

“The network emerges around a common goal, rather than a particular program or organizational model. The community mobilizes the resources from throughout the networ based on existing relationships Once a network is up and running and proves itself to be effective, it becomes the primary vehicle for change, rather than the individual organizations themselves. Once you put committed people in a room together and build trust amongst them, and allow them to experiment and learn, that is when amazing and wonderful things happen,” stated Jane Wei-Skillern.

Ray Fung, a founding director of the Partnership, captured the mood of the summit with this summation: “The Partnership is seen as a resource that is stable, that is there, and that people can draw upon. I liked the comment that THIS IS A MOVEMENT. I find that is really inspiring to not see ourselves just as a network. We leave the summit inspired to figure out how the FORM of the Partnership will follow the FUNCTION. We can learn things from expanding our perspective. Part of that holistic approach includes the SPIRITUAL as well as the physical connection to the land.”

“Growing a network breaks all the rules of conventional thinking. It is the antithesis of building an organization that has staff. Instead, the network aligns individuals and organizations to deliver results across organizational boundaries. However, a network does require a nucleus for legal and organizational continuity,” stated Kim Stephens. “One ambassador described the Summit at the Bastion in Nanaimo as a turning point in our convening for action story. In fact, it will be the springboard to creating a future which so many of us desire, one which coalesces around a shared vision for Water Reconciliation.”