LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “In 2019, the provincial government’s Neil Goeller had an idea for building stewardship capacity. Within three years, he successfully brought the idea to fruition as a provincial program,” stated Kim Stephens when lauding this milestone accomplishment
“Building stewardship sector capacity to support local and provincial planning and resource management processes would enhance the effectiveness of stream stewards as champions for reconnecting hydrology and ecology in settled areas. It would also fill a gap in small creek systems where flow data are sparse to non-existent. Stream stewards can collaborate with governments and resource managers to support a science-based approach that interweaves Indigenous knowledge to educate the population writ large about the fragile nature of the ‘water balance’ in local creeksheds,” stated Kim Stephens.