LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “Water brings people together. It is a natural starting point for any conversation about common interests, and by extension, our shared future. Stories unite us,” stated Kim Stephens, Executive Director, Partnership for Water Sustainability
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. Storylines accommodate a range of reader attention spans. Read the headline and move on, or take the time to delve deeper – it is your choice! Downloadable versions are available at Living Water Smart in British Columbia: The Series.
The edition published on December 5, 2023 brought to a close the current season (September through December 2023) of the weekly newsletter series. During the past 3-month period, the Partnership for Water Sustainability has published 11 feature stories. This finale edition constitutes our “season in review”. We have kept it simple. To refresh reader memories about the topics and how much ground we have covered, we have brought forward the headline plus defining quotable quote from each of the 11 storylines.
To see ahead one must learn to look back
Every edition of Waterbucket eNews is built around a conversational interview. We celebrate the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision
We start with a compelling quotable quote and delve into the “story behind the story” because that is what is interesting. And relevant. We all learn through stories. During the past 3-month period, the Partnership has published 11 feature stories.
This edition constitutes our “season in review”. We have kept it simple. To refresh reader memories about the topics and how much ground we have covered, we have brought forward the headline plus defining quotable quote from each of the 11 storylines.
We resume publication in mid-January. There are so many stories still to share!
EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE / CONTEXT FOR BUSY READER
“Those who know me well say that I am an eternal optimist. And they are correct. Not only is the glass half-full, the water level is rising. In my role as Executive Director of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC, I have many conversations and conduct numerous interviews. What I am learning through these interactions gives me hope,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“In these challenging and unsettling times, it is imperative that we offer hope. Over the past year, I have observed signs that a window of opportunity is opening. Minds are increasingly receptive to oral history and learning from elders. I believe there is growing awareness that passing on knowledge, experience and wisdom is essential to a sustainable future.”
“We describe this process as passing and embracing the intergenerational baton. LOOK BACK TO SEE AHEAD. Use the best of what we know. Know how to find it. Adapt and evolve.”
Why not accept the intergenerational baton when it is offered
“Water is life. Water brings people together. It is a natural starting point for any conversation about common interests, and by extension, our shared future. Stories unite us. Water does it,” continues Kim Stephens.
“It is no surprise, then, that the terms water sustainability and water reconciliation are comparatively powerful. Addition of one word, WATER, can make or break whether minds open or close when an idea is introduced to an audience.”
Look back to see ahead:
SEASON IN REVIEW: Headlines and Defining Quotable Quotes
SEPTEMBER 19, 2023: Forest fires and mass excavations. History repeated itself in the Kelowna region. Now what do we do?
To read the story published on September 19th 2023, click on https://waterbucket.ca/wscblog/2023/09/19/forest-fires-and-mass-evacuations-in-2023-history-repeated-itself-in-the-kelowna-region/
SEPTEMBER 26, 2023: Blue Ecology is a pathway to Water Reconciliation
To read the story published on September 26th 2023, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia; Blue Ecology offers HOPE and removes the FEAR.
OCTOBER 3, 2023: British Columbia is falling behind the USA in protecting streams
To read the story published on October 3rd 2023, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: A window into the green infrastructure journey in the Metro Vancouver region.
OCTOBER 10, 2023: Why aquatic scientists look at systems in an integrative way
To read the story published on October 10th 2023, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Why aquatic scientists look at things in an integrative way.
OCTOBER 17, 2023: Championing water resources has no political downside!
To read the story published on October 17th 2023, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Green Infrastructure is the Pathway to Water Sustainability.
OCTOBER 24, 2023: Our land ethic has consequences for water!
To read the story published on October 24th 2023, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Our land ethic has consequences for water.
OCTOBER 31, 2023: Overwhelmed communities are losing sight of the goal
To read the story published on October 31st 2023, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: A message of hope is paramount in these times of droughts, forest fires and floods.
NOVEMBER 7, 2023: Green infrastructure genesis in British Columbia
To read the story published on November 7th 2023, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Surrey’s green infrastructure evolution – from pilot projects to watershed-based actions.
NOVEMBER 14, 2023: Shifting the ecological baseline requires boldness
To read the story published on November 14th 2023, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Shifting the ecological baseline to replicate a healthy watershed requires boldness.
NOVEMBER 21, 2023: Enhancing biodiversity thru green infrastructure solutions
To read the story published on November 21st 2023, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Enhancing biodiversity through green infrastructure solutions in Surrey.
To read the story published on November 21st 2023, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Enhancing biodiversity through green infrastructure solutions in Surrey.
To read the story published on November 28th 2023, download a PDF copy of
https://waterbucket.ca/wcp/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/PWSBC_Living-Water-Smart_Jody-Watson_vision-and-task_2023.pdf
About the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC
Technical knowledge alone is not enough to resolve water challenges facing BC. Making things happen in the real world requires an appreciation and understanding of human behaviour, combined with a knowledge of how decisions are made. It takes a career to figure this out.
The Partnership has a primary goal, to build bridges of understanding and pass the baton from the past to the present and future. To achieve the goal, the Partnership is growing a network in the local government setting. This network embraces collaborative leadership and inter-generational collaboration.
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT: https://waterbucket.ca/about-us/
DOWNLOAD: https://waterbucket.ca/atp/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/02/PWSBC_Annual-Report-2022_as-published.pdf