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Project Rivershed
07/01/06
Introduction
The Rivershed Society of British Columbia (RSBC), a non-profit charitable
organization, formed in 1996, in the wake of Fin Donnelly’s first of two
epic 1,400 km Fraser River swims.
We believe respect for riversheds begins with individual awareness.
Using ecological carrying capacity as a guiding principle, we deliver
education and leadership programs, build stewardship capacity and
encourage sustainable solutions in B.C.’s riversheds.
Our Vision
Salmon flourishing in our rivers. People flourishing in our communities.
Our Mission
To discover sustainability through the appreciation and conservation of
salmon and water in B.C.’s riversheds.
Our Strategy
Healthy riversheds are key to sustainability. Historically, people lived
sustainably in B.C.’s riversheds. In other words, they lived within the
rivershed’s ecological limits, meaning their rate of resource extraction,
consumption and waste production was less than the renewal, pollution and
absorption rate of the rivershed’s ecosystem.
But today, with over 4 million people living in B.C.’s riversheds,
resources are being extracted, exported and consumed faster than they are
being replenished and waste is being produced quicker than it can be
absorbed. Put simply, we are living unsustainably.
There are eight major river basins within British Columbia, with
hundreds of riversheds within them. Working with our rivershed partners,
the RSBC developed the Healthy Riversheds Strategy, a values-based
approach to conservation, stewardship and sustainability.
Initially, our ten-year plan will focus on rivershed communities and
ecosystems within the Fraser, B.C.’s largest river basin, and the greatest
salmon system on Earth.
A Focus on the Fraser
Compared to other global river basins the Fraser is still relatively wild
and intact. However, overall biological capacity is diminishing due to
past damage and the rapid rate of natural resource depletion, increasing
consumerism, urban and industrial growth and other unsustainable land and
water use practices.
Disappearing salmon runs, loss of wetland and streamside habitat,
increasing silt, sewage and toxin levels are all indicators of
environmental stress.
Human activity is now the major factor contributing to the loss of
rivershed biodiversity; it is up to us to protect, conserve and restore
riversheds for present and future generations.
Project Rivershed A Strategic Initiative
Project Rivershed builds community capacity, educates the public, and
encourages conservation and stewardship of natural resources, especially
salmon and water. It encourages individuals and communities to reduce
their ecological footprint (e.g. energy & water use) in riversheds to
sustainable levels.
Over the next ten years, we aim to bring Project Rivershed to the
people, communities and riversheds of the Fraser River Basin.
Goals:
1. To protect and conserve rivershed
ecosystems in the Fraser River Basin,
2. To encourage individuals and communities
to reduce their ecological footprint within the Fraser River Basin’s
riversheds.
Objectives:
1. Prepare Fraser River Basin communities
to engage in Project Rivershed.
2. Work with Fraser River Basin communities
to develop Rivershed Profiles.
3. Work with Fraser River Basin communities
to develop their vision of Rivershed Sustainability.
4. Work with Fraser River Basin communities
to choose Rivershed Sustainability priorities, themes or indicators as a
way of
measuring
sustainability in their riversheds.
5. Work with Fraser River Basin communities
to develop and implement rivershed action and communication plans, based
on
results from
previous steps (i.e. using eco-footprint calculations and an assets
building approach to sustainability).
6. Engage people and communities in the
Fraser River Basin in behaviours that result in a reduction of negative
impacts to rivershed
ecology.
7. Periodically update rivershed profiles,
visions and action & communication plans.
Community Process
We have developed a five-step community process to help achieve project
goals and objectives including,
| Prep. |
Invite select members of
the community to sit on the Rivershed Advisory Group (AG). Work with
the AG to hire a Project Rivershed Coordinator.
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| Step 1: |
Rivershed Profile (i.e.
Coordinator prepares a socio-economic & environmental snapshot of the
rivershed).
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| Step 2: |
Rivershed Vision (i.e.
Community workshop to develop a vision statement of rivershed
sustainability for their rivershed, including goals and objectives).
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| Step 3: |
Rivershed Priorities (i.e.
Community workshop to determine rivershed sustainability priorities
that address rivershed health & sustainability.)
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| Step 4: |
Rivershed Communication &
Action Plan (i.e. Community workshop to develop an action and
communication plan for Rivershed Sustainability).
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| Step 5: |
Revise & Adjust (i.e.
Periodically check in with action groups to update rivershed profiles,
visions, priorities and communication & action plans).
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Community Partners
We have established a network of key partnerships; here is a sample of
those partners:
- Community Mapping Network Brad Mason
- Fisheries & Oceans Canada Maurice Coulter-Boisvert
- Fraser Basin Council Jessica Bratty
- City of Burnaby Planning Department Kimberly Flick
- BCIT Fish & Wildlife Program Bob Gunn
- Stoney Creek Environmental Enhancement Society Jennifer Atchison
- Burnaby Mountain Secondary Joan Parsonson
- 3 -
Work Plan
Preparation Phase In order for Project Rivershed to have maximum
impact in the community a number of key local individuals will be selected
to champion and advocate on behalf of Project Rivershed. Therefore, the
first step is to identify these key players who will form the interim
steering committee of the Rivershed Advisory Group. This group will not
only help broaden the Rivershed Advisory Group, it will assist in the
hiring of the Project Rivershed Coordinator. Once hired, the Coordinator
will work with the members of the Advisory Group to broaden representation
in the group. The Coordinator is then ready to engage the community in
step one of Project Rivershed.
Step 1: Develop a Rivershed Profile Organize natural &
socio-economic features of the target rivershed into a rivershed profile,
basically a
snapshot report including background information, maps and relevant
studies. Initially, the Project Rivershed
Coordinator
and Regional Advisory Group will target a rivershed within their region to
work on. An inventory of environmental,
social and
economic features of the rivershed is done (this may include rivershed
boundaries, forest cover, mountain ranges,
grasslands,
water courses, wildlife plant life and other natural features, population
demographics, number of schools,
businesses
and industries, and other key social and economic features within the
rivershed). Background information, studies
and base maps
are important components of report preparation. The Rivershed Profile is
then presented to the community at the
workshop in
the next step.
Output
à Rivershed Profile
Step 2: Develop a Rivershed Sustainability Vision - Organize
a community workshop with the goal of producing a Rivershed
Sustainability Vision. The Project Rivershed Coordinator, Regional
Advisory Group and community members come together to
develop this
vision (i.e. of what sustainable living in a healthy rivershed looks like
to them).
Output
à Rivershed Sustainability Vision
Statement
Step 3: Choose Rivershed Sustainability Priorities - A
community workshop is held with the goal of determining Rivershed
Sustainability priorities. The Project Rivershed Coordinator, Regional
Advisory Group and community members gather to set the
priorities
they will use to assess and monitor community sustainability and rivershed
health. Priorities are chosen based on their
relevance to
that particular rivershed and region.
Output
à List of Rivershed Sustainability
Priorities
Step 4: Develop & Implement a Rivershed Sustainability Action &
Communication Plan Organize a community workshop with
the goal of
developing a Rivershed Action & Communication Plan. With a Rivershed
Profile, Vision and set of priorities complete,
the Project
Rivershed Coordinator, Rivershed Advisory Group and community members are
now ready to address their priorities.
They
are invited to come together in a workshop to develop an action and
communication plan. Activities are brainstormed,
prioritized
and agreed upon. A timeline and responsibility task list is determined.
The group agrees upon a course of action.
The
Coordinator assists the group with the implementation of the Action &
Communication Plan.
Ecological footprint calculators and Rivershed Sustainability Assets
Approach are suggested tools that may be used to
encourage
people to reduce their impacts on their rivershed.
Examples of project activities include slide show presentations, field
trips/paddles, special events, classroom activities, mapping
workshops,
restoration projects, and further research.
A
community-based social marketing strategy is developed as part of the
action plan. Communication techniques may be used
to determine
what the community thinks is the problem, the barriers to the solution and
suggested behavioral changes (e.g.
through the
use of questionnaires and focus group sessions).
Output
à Rivershed Sustainability Action &
Communication Plan
Step 5:
Revise & Adjust - Organize a Regional Riversheds Forum: evaluate
and revise rivershed profiles, visions, indicator
priorities and
action & communication plans. The Project Rivershed Coordinator, Regional
Advisory Group and community
members come
together annually to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their
action and communication plan. Rivershed
Profiles, Visions
and Priorities are also periodically revised.
Outputs
à (Updated) Profile, Vision, Priorities,
Action & Communication Plan
Brunette Rivershed Demonstration Project
In the Fall of 2006 Project Rivershed will be
implemented as a pilot project in the Brunette Rivershed.
Products (produced to date)
1. Rivershed Maps
Map 1: B.C.’s river basins, highlighting the Fraser River Basin.
Map 2: Fraser River Basin, highlighting its 6 Regions
Map 3: Fraser River Basin, highlighting its 6 Regions & 34
Riversheds
Map 4: Fraser Headwaters Region (14 riversheds).
Map 5: Nechako Region (1 rivershed).
Map 6: Cariboo/Chilcotin Region (5 riversheds).
Map 7: Thompson Region (1 rivershed).
Map 8: Fraser Canyon Region (6 riversheds).
Map 9: Lower Fraser Region (7 riversheds).
Map 10: San Jose Rivershed in the Cariboo/Chilcotin
Region.
Map 11: Coquitlam Rivershed in the Lower Fraser Region.
2. Rivershed Sustainability Indicators Web Profiles
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1. Air Quality |
Particulate Matter, Ground Level Ozone |
| 2. Economy |
Average Income, Income Assistance |
| 3. Fish
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Pacific Salmon Abundance, Bull Trout Status |
| 4. Global Warming |
Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Air
Temperature, Annual Precipitation, Water Temperature and
Timing of Flow |
| 5. Population |
Population Status |
| 6. Waste Management |
Sewage Treatment, Garbage and Recycling |
| 7. Water Quality |
Water Quality Index, Boil Water
Advisories, Ground Water Contamination |
| 8. Water Usage |
Water Usage, Stream Licenses |
| 9. Wildlife |
Protected Areas, Species-at-Risk |
3. Project Rivershed User’s Guidebook
(on how to implement Project
Rivershed in your community)
4. Rivershed Profiles: San Jose Rivershed (Socio-economic &
environmental description)
Coquitlam Rivershed (Socio-economic & environmental
description)
WWW.RIVERSHED.COM
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