Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC connnects water, land....and people

Convening for Action in British Columbia

Commencing in 2010, BC Hydro Power Smart has published a monthly newsletter to celebrate the accomplishments of the champions in the Conservation Community of Practice - these are the individuals and groups who are leading change on the ground, and making a significant difference. The February 2012 newsletter featured the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC. The following is an extract from the article written by Nina Winham.

Our Land Ethic and Water

It falls freely from the sky. It runs across the land, soaks into any open crack. It even flows right through our bodies. Water connects communities to landscape, people to each other.

But in the development of communities, we’ve come to view water as a distinct resource management issue. Which is a problem, according to Kim Stephens. In his quest to improve water management and conservation, he’s learned that connecting people is key.

“I’m a water guy, in terms of my professional training,” says Kim Stephens, a water resources engineer-planner and now the Executive Director of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in B.C. “And you always see this tendency to silo the two: land and water. But it’s your land ethic that determines what happens in the condition of your water.”

CREATE NEUTRAL FORUMS: Kim’s solution is to draw people together to collaborate - and get them out of the usual conversation frame. “We don’t talk only about water,” he says. “We challenge our audiences, ‘What do we want this place to look like in 50 years?’ Because the decisions we make now about land development will ripple through time."

The Partnership has successfully engaged communities in water-related initiatives on Vancouver Island, in Metro Vancouver, and in the South Okanagan. The group focuses on how to move people from awareness to action to achieve water sustainability through implementation of green infrastructure policies and practices.

“You have to create forums for the conversations that otherwise would not happen,” he says. “You can call a meeting and have people sit around the table, but if they’ve all got their official hats on, you don’t get very far. Creating a situation where you can have a candid conversation is important.” 

TO LEARN MORE: The Conservation Community-of-Practice newsletter story is posted on the Water Bucket website. To access it, click on Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC Connects Water, Land and People.

BC Hydro’s Conservation Community of Practice demonstrates a “top-down & bottom-up” approach to leading change

 Connecting Water, Land....and People 

In 2009, BC Hydro Power Smart recognized the need for collaboration among organizations and individuals within the province; and embarked upon an initiative known as the Conservation Community of Practice.

“We define conservation quite broadly, to include more than just conserving energy or reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” states Pia Nagpal, BC Hydro Program Manager for Community Planning.  “Our long-term goal is build connections between and within communities that result in advancing existing and creating new community-based commitments to actions that support the creation of a conservation culture, and ultimately, conservation itself.”

“The Conservation Community of Practice, supported by BC Hydro, but in existence because of its members, was created in 2010 to bring together like minded conservation champions across BC to collaborate and share best practices on community based conservation initiatives. Organizations such as the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia have participated in discussions on how to engage communities and municipalities in order to increase education and achieve action.”

“Inspired by members’ innovation and passion to create change, the Conservation Community of Practice publishes a monthly newsletter that features a member organization and/or story to share with others. In February 2012, we were pleased to draw attention to the great work of the Partnership for Water Sustainability. The Partnership connects water, land and people. It is demonstrating the effectiveness of a top-down and bottom-up approach to leading change in the local government setting,” concludes Pia Nagpal.

TO LEARN MORE: The Community-of-Practice newsletter story is posted on the Water Bucket website. To access it, click on Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC Connects Water, Land and People.

E-Blast #2012-08

February 28, 2012

BC Hydro Power Smart initiates 'A Conservation Dialogue - Creating a Community of Practice'

Share - Learn - Network - Engage

In May 2010, the BC Hydro Power Smart team convened a select group of community leaders from across the province for a one-day dialogue. 

"BC Hydro Power Smart recognizes the need for collaboration among organizations and individuals within the province," emphasized Jeff Chiu, Manager, Community Network of Power Smart Specialists, in his remarks to the group. "As such, we have coordinated efforts with the Climate Action Secretariat’s office to build this provincial community network that can and will support regional based activities." 

"We feel there is an opportunity to support and strengthen the work of local leaders; we are convinced of this based on our extensive experience in communities across the province. Our long-term goal is build connections between and within communities that result in advancing existing and creating new community-based commitments to actions that support the creation of a conservation culture, and ultimately, conservation itself." 

TO LEARN MORE: To read the complete story posted on the Water Bucket website, click on BC Hydro Power Smart initiates 'A Conservation Dialogue - Creating a Community of Practice'

Reflections on a 'Bottom Up Top Down' Approach that is emerging in British Columbia

 Convening for Action on Vancouver Island

In May 2010, the BC Hydro Power Smart team convened a select group of community leaders from across the province for a one-day dialogue.

"Our objective is for participants to work together to co-create a conservation community of practice that connects you and your networks with other like-minded leaders throughout BC to share your successes and challenges in engaging communities." stated Pia Nagpal, BC Hydro Program Manager for Community Engagement.

"I believe this to be an excellent initiative," observes Eric Bonham, Past-Chair of the Highlands Stewardship Foundation and a former Director in two BC provincial ministries (Environment, and Municipal Affairs). He is also a founding member of Convening for Action on Vancouver Island, known by the acronym CAVI.

"I have always maintained that without community 'buy-in' the usual 'top down' approach will not result in the long term changes necessary to achieve the goal of sustainablity; hence my passion for community engagement through stewardship, etc and the adoption of a 'bottom-up top down involvement' approach." 

"The CAVI vision is that we will build and/or rebuild our communities in a way that achieves water sustainability over time. How we get there relies on a change in mind-set. The CAVI role is to facilitate that change."

"I would suggest that any gains we may have made in the CAVI initiative has been due to this appreciation of listening to the community and letting them 'drive the bus'."

TO LEARN MORE: To read the complete story posted on the Water Bucket website, click on BC Hydro Power Smart initiates 'A Conservation Dialogue - Creating a Community of Practice'

How Green Does Your Garden Grow?

click on image

Gardening Turns Out to be Very Eco-Unfriendly

"Gardening: surely few things could be more eco-friendly? Not so, it seems. Scientists have produced new research which suggests that, far from doing their bit to save the planet, Britain's green-fingered army may be damaging it," write Roger Dobson and Jonathan Owen in an article published in the Independent, a British newspaper.

"The very staples of modern gardening, from mowing and watering the lawn to the use of peat and pesticides, have a harmful effect on the environment, claim experts from the University of Reading, the University of Sheffield, and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Their paper, The Domestic Garden: Its Contribution to Urban Green Infrastructure, questions the widespread assumption that gardening is eco-friendly."

TO LEARN MORE: To read the complete article as published in the Indepedent, click here. To view the image above, click on How Green Does Your Garden Grow?

Sustainable Rainwater Management on Vancouver Island: What Does It Look Like?

Cowichan Valley Regional Team hosts 

Water Balance Model Forum on March 28 

Land development practices and actions at the site scale can result in either impacts or benefits at the local and watershed scales. The “Water Balance Methodology” holds the key to protecting stream health because it accounts for all the rainfall-days in a year. This methodology is a foundation block for those tasked with developing an Integrated Stormwater Management Plan (ISMP).

 

The web-based Water Balance Model for British Columbia (WBM) is a scenario comparison tool. Launched by an inter-governmental partnership in 2003, the tool quantifies the effectiveness of green infrastructure in accomplishing two inter-connected goals: reduce a community’s ‘water footprint’; and protect stream health.

In 2011, the Water Balance Model was rebuilt on a new platform. It is quicker and cleaner to use; and it now has launch buttons at three scales of investigation; SITE, NEIGHBOURHOOD and WATERSHED. 

Water Balance Model Outreach 

In conjunction with the re-build, the WBM Partnership is implementing an outreach, education and training program.

“In 2008, the Cowichan Valley was the first demonstration region for the initial rollout of Living Water Smart, British Columbia’s Water Plan, and also hosted the inaugural Vancouver Island Water Balance Model Forum. On March 28^th, the Cowichan Valley will again host a WBM Forum. Our venue is a LEED facility on the Duncan campus of Vancouver Island University,” reports Kate Miller of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. Kate is Manager of the Regional Environmental Policy Division; and is currently integrating rain, storm and stream management at multiple scales in the region using a ‘design with nature’ approach to infrastructure.

“The Forum is the kick-off for an Inter-Regional Education Initiative to be implemented in four regions over several years. Sharing of experiences, collaboration, alignment and a consistent approach on Vancouver Island will allow everyone to go farther, more efficiently and effectively.”

“Five local governments comprising the Cowichan Valley Regional Team will report out on how each has progressed since 2008. Our emphasis will be on “targets and criteria”, lessons learned, and practices necessary to protect stream health. Regulatory agencies and other local governments will also be sharing their insights at the WBM Forum.”

"WBM Partners understand that the water balance methodology links rainfall to streams, and this is how we will protect our streams. It is all about maintaining the natural balance and speed of water in (or on) and out at the site level and for the watershed.  This means properties, streams and the watershed are protected from unnatural runoff volumes and erosive forces. This also means that the community’s infrastructure, whether man-made or natural, can accommodate the volumes it was designed for without causing damage," concludes Kate Miller.

TO LEARN MORE: To register for the Water Balance Model Forum, click on this link: http://www.civicinfo.bc.ca/event/WBMForum.asp. To download an AGENDA PREVIEW, click here.

E-Blast #2012-07

February 21, 2012

Water Balance Model recognized with Premier's Award for Innovation and Excellence

2-minute video tells the 

"Story of the Water Balance Model"

The Lower Mainland’s exceptional B.C. public service employees were the focus of a ceremony in February 2009 hosted by former Premier Gordon Campbell, where the recipients of regional Premier’s Innovation and Excellence Awards acknowledging their creativity and dedication were announced. The Water Balance Model for British Columbia was one of the award winners.

Award finalists told their stories in a series of professionally made videos. Each 2-minute video was built around a visual metaphor. The Water Balance Model video features:

• Ted van der Gulik, Chair of the Inter-Governmental Partnership that developed the web-based tool; and 
• Kim Stephens, Program Coordinator for the Water Sustainability Action Plan, who created the vision for the Water Balance Model in 2000.

"The Water Balance Model is a means to an end," stated Ted van der Gulik, in explaining what the visual metaphor meant to him and Kim Stephens. "The challenge that we have been posing since 2002 is this: What do we want this province to look like in 50 years and beyond?"

"The Water Balance Model is a tool that will help us create our future," added Kim Stephens. "To get to the big picture, it starts with the smallest pieces. The Water Balance Model links the site to the stream to the watershed."

To view the video, click on this link to the story of the Water Balance Model.  

TO LEARN MORE: To read the complete story posted on the Water Bucket website, click on Premier Gordon Campbell recognizes the Water Balance Model for its innovation and excellence.