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“The Water-Wise Guide can be viewed as a communication tool,” stated Nancy Gothard, City of Courtenay environmental planner. “But more than that, it is both a call to action (for the community, but also for us) as well as a road map for that action. So, our goal is to begin to brand the story and depict visually that we are developing a consistency in expectations as to how development would address environmental concerns. Having the Water-Wise Guide available on every front counter and every website is a first step.”

“Retrofiting at multiple scales and multiple levels is really key. But, so many people in local government are just too busy these days to even contemplate what needs to be done to repair and restore at multiple scales and levels. As a result, and especially in the big urban cities, it is just too difficult for local government staff to work concurrently at multiple scales,” stated Dr. Chris May. “Kitsap is at a manageable scale. The County is big enough to effect change and make things better. That is our goal – have a positive impact on the community!”

“Financial support from the Real Estate Foundation will substantially subsidize the registration for the stewardship sector. Many community volunteers are on fixed or modest incomes. So, reducing the cost for them to attend a 2-day symposium has been a governing consideration for the Parksville 2019 Organizing Committee. The Parksville 2019 program has relevance and applicability to settled areas throughout BC,” stated Ted van der Gulik, President of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC.

“Through 150-plus workshops in the last 8 years I have taught over 8,000 individuals the philosophy, methods, and concepts of river design and fluvial geomorphology. Over the course of my career as a research hydraulic engineer with the US Army Corps of Engineers, I have been an educator, facilitator, designer, reviewer, and constructor of almost every type of river and stream stabilization/restoration project imaginable,” stated Dave Derrick.

In the 1990s, Dr. Chris May’s seminal research defined the relationship between land use change and stream impacts. To protect and/or or restore stream ecology, and thereby achieve the goal of Sustainable Stream Restoration, communities must address the root causes of ‘changes in hydrology’ (water quantity). Chris May is both an environmental scientist and an engineer. He will open Parksville 2019 with a presentation titled The Science Behind the Whole-System, Water Balance Approach.

In his first book, titled The Restoration Economy (2002), Storm Cunningham included a working definition of restorative development as follows: “the process of adding new value to natural or built assets, ideally in a manner that detracts neither from their other preexisting values, nor from the value of other assets”. His books are meant to launch a new dialogue about the “whole” created by the myriad activities that are already restoring our built and natural environments worldwide.

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.