HUMAN-TO-HUMAN CONNECTION IS BEING LOST: “Our world seems to be getting more wobbly, more unstable, more uncertain, and for all sorts of reasons,” stated Michael Blackstock, independent Indigenous scholar and co-founder of the Blue Ecology Institute
Note to Reader:
The April 2026 edition of Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine featured an article co-authored by Derek Richmond and Kim Stephens of the Partnership for Water Sustainability. They share the story behind of the story of the 2026 Ambassadors of the Partnership Forum. The team comprised of Rémi Dubé (team leader and moderator), Michael Blackstock (inspirational keynote speaker), and Dr. Jane Wei-Skillern (facilitator) delivered the Forum program.
Human-to-Human Connection is Being Lost
“When we are part of a network, everyone goes further,” is the headline for a co-authored article by Derek Richmond and Kim Stephens in the April 2026 issue of Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine.
“The Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia is the hub for the Living Water Smart Network. Our mission is to foster inter-generational collaboration within and among participating local governments,” says Derek Richmond, Chair of the Partnership’s Ambassadors Program.
“A milestone in an ongoing process is the recent Ambassadors of the Partnership Forum. This was an inter-regional gathering with folks from Vancouver Island, Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Okanagan and East Kootenays.”
When we are part of a network, everyone goes further
“Ensuring that the decisions we make are sound, inclusive, and knowledge-based means looking beyond our often-self-imposed boundaries. Our first initiative should be to look for history, what has or has not worked and why, and to search out others with similar experience.”
“Oral history sharing, a proven powerful indigenous tool, is a much-overlooked asset that can often lead to efficiency, cost-savings, and richer outcomes. Network leadership principles align with Indigenous wisdom and expertise.”
“The Partnership modus operandi for passing on knowledge in the local government setting is precedent-setting. We operate within a constellation of networks. The storyline for our article is about the power of collaboration when it is grounded in a network-based approach,” says Derek Richmond in summary.
To Learn More:
To delve into the story behind the story of the Ambassadors of the Partnership Forum, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: When we are part of a network, everyone goes further.
Network leadership principles align with Indigenous wisdom and expertise
Michael Blackstock, Independent Indigenous Scholar, is a retired professional forester and provincial civil servant. He is a member of the Gitxsan Nation, founder of the Blue Ecology Institute, and former member of the UNESCO Expert Advisory Panel on Water.
“Blue Ecology came from my experience as a negotiator and mediator, first with the provincial government and then with BC Hydro. My work in the frontline meant navigating the intersection between resource development and First Nations interests on an issue-by-issue basis. My research on water and sharing the message of the Elders turned from a curiosity to a mission and led me to develop the Blue Ecology ecological philosophy,” explains Michael Blackstock.
To Learn More:
To read the complete article as published in Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine, click on this link to download a copy of When we are part of a network, everyone goes further.
To view Michael Blackstock’s inspirational presentation, click on Blue Ecology and Natural Intelligence as a Counterbalance to AI.
