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At the Parksville 2019 Symposium, DFO’s Nick Leone drew audience attention to the fact that 2019 is the International Year of the Salmon. This initiative has the potential to be a catalyst for outreach and research that inspires a new generation to ensure the resilience of salmon and people throughout the Northern Hemisphere, he said. “The International Year of the Salmon is not just about the fish. It is about us and our ability to adapt to change and resiliency,” stated Nick Leone. “Bring people together, share and develop knowledge, raise awareness and take action.”

“Has engineered stormwater doomed BC’s waterways? As population growth continues unrestrained and subsequent urban development expands the dimension of impervious surfaces, an increasing volume of polluted stormwater runoff will poison British Columbia’s waters, local species and natural ecosystems. It sounds like a doomsday prediction, and according to the keynote speaker at a recent provincial conference on water stewardship it’s going to take a major change in local government thinking to avert this disaster,” wrote George Le Masurier.

“In embarking on the year-long journey to plan and deliver Parksville 2019, our vision and mission was to demonstrate the power of collaboration between the stewardship sector and local governments, and give folks hope that good things would flow from such collaboration,” stated Kim Stephens. “Hence, our main focus was on showcasing success stories that would be inspirational. At the same time, we had to bring to life the phrase ‘improve where we live through restorative development’. This meant that we had to connect the dots between the two ideas in order to demonstrate that some communities are moving beyond rhetoric.”

“The Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia recently showed itself to be on the leading edge of watershed restoration by focusing a significant portion of their recent symposium on regional revitalization. I was asked to deliver most of that content to an audience that largely comprised Streamkeepers and other technical experts who do the on-the-ground work of restoring watersheds,” stated Storm Cunningham. Afterwards, he reflected on the connection between their work and community revitalization, and how making that connection could benefit their work.

Attract an audience balanced across sectors. Demonstrate the power of collaboration between the stewardship sector and local governments. Create an environment for sharing and cross-fertilizing experiences. Those were the objectives. “I just wanted to say thanks to you and everyone behind the great symposium! Great job!! It was an exciting few days, and I left feeling inspired and even somewhat empowered about finding ways to protect water. The importance of ecological services really hit home for me. There is lots of great work happening out there – thanks to all the organizers for bringing it all together,” said Laura Beckett,

“Parksville 2019 demonstrated that a group of 200 biologists, planners, engineers, streamkeepers, politicians, administrators, students and others, all with different backgrounds and responsibilities, can share a common learning experience and agree on strategies for water and land stewardship, and stream restoration. Truly a magical experience. The stage has been set for more and better things to come. Stay tuned,” concluded John Finnie, Chair of the Parksville Symposium Organizing Committee.

“Thank you so much for the immense amount of work you do to protect ecosystem services and teach us all about taking responsibility. The Vancouver Island symposium on water stewardship was so inspiring and informative. It was a wonderful experience. I left Parksville feeling hopeful,” stated Councillor Laura Dupont, City of Port Coquitlam. This article provides a re-cap and a synopsis of the modules comprising the symposium program, and features three “stories behind the stories”.

“Collaboration, teamwork and a recognition that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts is the energy that stokes creativity and determination. When this combination of citizen talent is aligned with a local government that is both visionary and focused, outstanding achievements are not only possible, but realistic,” stated Eric Bonham. “The core message is the power of thoughtful and constructive collaboration. It is one thing getting together to share ideas. It is quite another when there is a genuine desire to truly listen to each other, and through commitment, reach for the common good. “

“Last year’s symposium, held in Nanaimo, explained how land development using drainage systems that send rainfall straight off the land into creeks and rivers disrupts the natural flow and infiltration patterns of water on our landscape. The consequences of this disruption are more erosion and flooding, very low water levels in summer, and loss of aquatic habitat. The problem will worsen with climate change,” wrote Barb Riordan. “This year, delegates learned about local government initiatives that are ‘getting it right’ and moving along pathways that lead to restorative land development.”