‘Living Rivers’ and ‘Partnership for Water Sustainability’ align efforts on Vancouver Island

Joint initiative is called ‘Convening for Action in the Mid-Island Region’

Established by the Provincial Government in 2006, the vision of the Living Rivers Trust Fund (LRTF) is to create a legacy for British Columbia based on healthy watersheds, sustainable ecosystems and thriving communities. To advance a shared vision for settlement change in balance with natural ecosystems, Living Rivers and the Partnership for Water Sustainability will align efforts on Vancouver Island. This collaboration will be under the umbrella of CAVI, Convening for Action on Vancouver Island.

“Initially, Living Rivers and the Partnership will collaborate with local governments and others within the boundaries of the Nanaimo Regional District and Cowichan Valley Regional District to advance Convening for Action in the Mid-Island Region,” states Alan Lill, Program Manager, Living Rivers - Georgia Basin / Vancouver Island.

“Since 2006, the LRTF has granted our program $7.7 Million for watershed planning, water supply augmentation and fish habitat restoration work. We have leveraged this to secure over $17 Million in additional investments from a wide range of partner organizations. We are hopeful that the legacy fund will be extended so that this important work can be continued in 2012 and beyond, including our new initiatives under the CAVI umbrella.”

“Integration of the Living Rivers and CAVI stories, with the later addition of the agriculture component, will provide for a comprehensive vision and action plan designed to achieve long-term water sustainability, starting in the Mid-Island region," states Eric Bonham, a founding member of the  CAVI Leadership Team.

“Living Rivers supports First Nations’ capacity building and introduces the critical habitat component into the picture thereby complementing CAVI’s current involvement with regional and local government people-centric activities, i.e. settlement patterns. This will broaden the ‘convening for action’ network and strengthen the overall  vision by integrating the various facets  of water sustainability on Vancouver Island."

TO LEARN MORE: To read the complete story posted on the Water Bucket website, click on  ‘Living Rivers’ and ‘Partnership for Water Sustainability’ align efforts on Vancouver Island.

The two Mid-Island regional districts (i.e. Nanaimo and Cowichan Valley) have developed provincially significant plans, namely; the Cowichan Basin Water Management Plan; and the Regional District of Nanaimo’s Drinking Water & Watershed Protection Plan. These plans provide the springboard for action that integrates land and water management.

News Release #2011-52 
October 18, 2011