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The Parksville 2019 Symposium is a milestone event on a multi-year ‘convening for action’ journey. A decade of effort on Vancouver Island, by partnerships of local governments and community stewards, is demonstrating success on the ground where it matters. They are on a pathway to reconnect hydrology and ecology. Parksville 2019 will celebrate success stories that are characterized by three attributes: commitment, collaboration and the ‘hard work of hope’. “Vancouver Island success stories are beacons of hope. They demonstrate how a good strategy is the path to success,” stated Kim Stephens.

A 3rd party review determined that “the work of the program to date has been nothing less than remarkable and highly successful”. That is attributed in large part to the vital partnerships with other agencies, industry and not-for-profit sector, the sustainable funding model in place for the program and the unique and integrated nature of the program. “Looking forward, the Action Plan update in 2019 will serve to build on the foundational work completed and initiated to-date, and chart the course for the next decade of innovative and collaborative watershed protection activities in the region,” states Julie Pisani.

“It is the combination of diverse needs, ideas and solutions that will make the vision for the Center work,” stated Dr. Rowney. “That is one of the reasons we’re so pleased with the agreement just reached with the British Columbia Partnership for Water Sustainability. We have many needs in common, and many ideas to share. The leadership shown by the Partnership has led to a body of knowledge from which others can learn. BC’s Water Balance Model is an outstanding initiative, and I think it is clearly unique in the way it has delivered technology on-line dating back to 2003.”

“Parksville 2019 is a valuable initiative, and REFBC is pleased to help make it possible,” stated Jack Wong. “We’re particularly interested in the symposium’s focus on the connections between ‘land and water’. By supporting better land use decisions and educating leaders on restorative land development, the Symposium demonstrates leadership and innovation.” Financial support from the REFBC will substantially subsidize the registration for members of the stewardship sector. This would make Parksville 2019 financially accessible to a key audience.

“My presentation to the Utilities Committee alllowed me to make the first outreach announcement about the Parksville 2019 Symposium, even though the Organizing Committee was still in the early stages of program development. So, I decided to be bold and seize the moment in order to plant seeds about the vision for restorative development,” recalls Kim Stephens. “At the end of the day, it is essential to reconnect ecology and hydrology to bring the vision for restorative development to fruition. Only then would restorative development have a lasting beneficial impact.”

“Since 2007, the Beyond the Guidebook initiative has been building on the technical foundation created a decade ago when the Province and Environment Canada jointly released Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia,” stated Kim Stephens. “Beyond the Guidebook provides local governments and practitioners with tools, resources and understanding to integrate the Site with the Watershed and the Stream.”

“The BC Society of Landscape Architects encourages our Members and Associates to be Life-Long Learners. To maintain the objectives of the Society, the Continuing Education initiative and to strengthen the public’s confidence in the BCSLA, all Registered Landscape Architects, Landscape Architects, Inactive Landscape Architects and Interns are required to annually monitor their Continuing Education activities,” stated Tara Culham, Executive Director.

A key message for the Parksville 2019 Symposium is that ‘sustainable stream restoration results from restorative land development’. The latter is only achievable through the integrated efforts of planners, engineers, biologists and community volunteers. “The content and discussion is certainly relevant to the planning profession and the program looks really good. We are assigning 10.5 CPL Credits (for a full conference attendance) and 5 CPL Credits per day (if attending only one day),” stated Dave Crossley, PIBC Executive Director.

“Started in 2011, the long-term goal of the Community Watershed Monitoring Network is to identify trends in water quality to assist in regional land use planning and restoration decisions. The sampling is done by trained volunteers from 13 stewardship groups,” stated Julie Pisani. “For the years 2011-2017, statistical modelling of water quality in the summer and fall sampling periods indicated that land use types associated with human disturbance were important predictors of dissolved oxygen, temperature, turbidity and specific conductivity.”

“At the Parksville 2019 Symposium, you will learn how communities can apply science-based understanding to increase their restorative footprint and at the same time decrease their destructive footprint. You will also learn about local government initiatives that are ‘getting it right’ and are moving along pathways that lead to restorative development,” stated Peter Law, President, Mid Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society (MVIHES).