LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “Technical knowledge is not enough. You learn that technical competence alone is not going to get you there. That is what I want to pass on to people. If you have a technical problem, it is relationships that matter most,” stated Jody Watson, Past-Chair, when she reflected on the enduring success of the Bowker Creek Initiative in British Columbia’s Capital Region (September 2021)
Note to Reader:
The edition of Waterbucket eNews published on September 28, 2021 featured the Bowker Creek Blueprint, a 100-year action plan to peel back the pavement, daylight an historical creek, and restore nature within the Victoria urban region on Vancouver Island. The intergenerational commitment by so many players is inspirational.
Bowker Creek Initiative is a Beacon of Inspiration
“In a word, the Bowker Creek Blueprint and 100-Year Action Plan is a game-changer. Expressed another way, nobody anywhere has done what the Bowker Creek Urban Watershed Renewal Initiative (BCI) has done and continues to do. The Blueprint is in the second decade of implementation; and the idea of the intergenerational baton is relevant as a metaphor for the current process for passing on experience, knowledge, and wisdom,” states Kim Stephens, author of A Beacon of Inspiration, and Executive Director of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia.
“The Blueprint and the intergenerational commitment by so many players to implement the 100-year action plan to daylight the creek and retrofit a riparian corridor is truly remarkable. It is also precedent setting. The process to operationalize the Blueprint is now self-fulfilling. Embedded in three Official Community Plans, the Blueprint cascades down to the DNA and departmental work plans within each municipality.”
“Jody Watson is widely recognized as the ‘the face of the BCI’ because she served as BCI Chair for many years. Her tireless efforts in sharing the Bowker story in forums around British Columbia are a source of inspiration for others in local government. Jody’s core message is that bringing a degraded creek back to life is mission possible.”
To learn more, watch the video of Jody Watson on YouTube:
Why Relationships Matter Most
“Technical knowledge is not enough. You learn that technical competence alone is not going to get you there. That is what I want to pass on to people. If you have a technical problem, it is relationships that matter most. Strong relationships help make the BCI agile,” states Jody Watson.
“We need agility because we do not have the time and resources. At one level, all of us are too busy. At another level, and given the challenges posed by the issues of the day, we need to move on opportunities very quickly. Over a career, you do learn that it is all about understanding people. Technical knowledge is incidental sometimes.”
To Learn More:
Download a copy of “Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Bowker Creek Blueprint is a Beacon of Inspiration”
