Water-Centric Planning

banner

Tag:

Green Infrastructure Partnership

    YOUTUBE VIDEO — OUR LOSING BATTLE WITH NATURE-TRANSITION OR DESTINY: “The risks are greater than we were led to believe by government, industry and professionals” – a webinar featuring Younes Alila and moderated by Lori Daniels of the UBC Faculty of Forestry


    “Climate change has elevated the risk of extreme weather the world over,” stated UBC’s Dr. Lori Daniels, webinar moderator. “In British Columbia, a natural flood risk mitigator lies all around us in the water-absorbing power of trees. Research has shown that even a modest loss of forest cover due to wildfire, logging and disease can cause surprisingly large increases in the frequency of extreme floods. Will dykes, dams and levees be enough to protect against property loss and devastation from floods in the future?”

    Read Article

    YOUTUBE VIDEO — HYDROLOGY OF CONVENIENCE IN BC FORESTRY: “Powerful. Compelling. Younes Alila is passionate and engaging! This is a MUST WATCH video,” stated Kim Stephens, Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia


    “Through his research thrust over three decades, Younes Alila landed on a discovery that challenges mainstream practices and provides the foundation for a paradigm-shift in forest hydrology science and practice. In sharing his findings at a Community Town Hall event hosted at UBC Okanagan Campus in April 2024, Younes Alila laid out a compelling and powerful storyline that he titled Hydrology of Convenience in BC Forestry. He uses the term hydrology of convenience to frame the issue and thus capture attention,” stated Kim Stephens.

    Read Article

    LANDSCAPES AND WATERSHEDS IN BC ARE AT A HEIGHTENED RISK: “In 1982, John Hewlett urged use of the probabilistic framework. But this cue from the godfather of forest hydrology was completely missed,” stated stated Younes Alila, professional engineer and professor in the UBC Faculty of Forestry


    “Hydrologists have understandably been confused by the difficulties inherent in describing the nature and frequency of floods to laymen, who are apt to have little patience with probability statements. But among ourselves we must drop back to rigorous language in order to discuss and trade information about land-use causes and flood effects,” wrote John Hewlett, professor emeritus of forest resources at the University of Georgia. Many fundamental precepts of modern hydrology can be traced back to Hewlett’s work, including interflow and the use of stream buffers.

    Read Article

    LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “Those who forged their career on the basis of the old will never admit to the wrong precedent. These are the counter-revolutionary forces!” stated Dr. Younes Alila, professional engineer and professor in the UBC Faculty of Forestry


    For more than a century, Dr. Alila explains, scientists have clung to a “deterministic” analysis. To use a strategic board game analogy, this is like looking at each move in isolation and thinking, “If I move here, then I should win.” It fails to account for the roll of the dice, the cards you draw, and what your opponents might do—all of which can change the game. “The risks are greater than we were led to believe by government, industry, and professionals. But scholars in the philosophy of science will tell you that scientists will never admit to erroneous precedents,” stated Younes Alila.

    Read Article

    LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “The 2000s was a really exciting time around the regional table in Metro Vancouver,” stated Ray Fung, a retired Director of Engineering in local government, and former Chair of the Green Infrastructure Partnership


    A confluence of events and circumstances brought a mix of key players together in 2003. It was a teachable year because of the impact of drought, forest fires and floods on public consciousness. This was a once in a generation reachable moment because minds were open and receptive to the message, “we must do better”. Between 1996 and 2020, Ray Fung sat at several local government regional tables in Metro Vancouver. During this period, he followed in the footsteps of Chuck Gale and Paul Ham and served as chair of the Green Infrastructure Partnership from 2008 until 2010.

    Read Article

    LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “As one who has seen and done many things, I have learned that we must all be leaders who selflessly have a vision, and we must then act to make the vision a reality, because air, water and continents are interconnected and if you can dream it — you can do it,” stated Lois Jackson, former Board Chair, Metro Vancouver Regional District (February 2022)


    “At first I was not sure I understood what was meant when they talked about ‘green infrastructure’ and ‘celebrating successes’. And then the light went on. I remember saying ‘now I get it!’ – the point being that when you have examples of what can be done, and projects are being built, you can then wrap your mind around the green infrastructure vision and say to yourself: ‘what’s the big deal, this is really common sense…. if we can do this, then we can do more.’ And before you know it, the ball is rolling, and the landscape is changing for the better,” stated Lois Jackson.

    Read Article