2nd Annual Renfrew County Stewardship ForumThe second Renfrew County Stewardship Forum was held on February 7th, 2013 at the Marguerite Centre in Pembroke. Discussion focused on the Centre for Sustainable Watersheds (CSW) 2012 shoreline survey, Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) Changing Climate Implications, and proposed community collaboration on Renfrew environmental issues. The forum was a partnership of The Bonnechere River Watershed Project, Centre for Sustainable Watershed, Sustainable Eastern Ontario and the Renfrew County Stewardship Council. Report available here.Renfrew County Stewardship Forum Approaches to Watershed Management: Pros and Cons of Conservation Authorities vs. Grass-Roots Approaches Four Carleton University Environmental Science students demonstrate a watershed model, and discuss the pros and cons of Conservation Authorities vs. Grass-Roots Approaches to Watershed Management. Waterlution 2011In November of 2011, the Bonnechere River Watershed project participated in the Waterlution youth leaders workshop with Ottawa River Keeper, among others. The final report is available here. Sustainability Network: 2011 Environment & Diversity Mini-Grant and WebinarIn 2011, the BRWP was awarded an Environment and Diversity mini grant from the Sustainability Network The purpose of Environment & Diversity mini grant was to enhance the engagement between the BRWP and the Algonquins of the Pikwakanagan First Nation community within the Bonnechere River watershed to help raise awareness of environmental issues of mutual interest and concern and to address environmental degradation. The final report is downloadable below. As part of this project, Kathy Lindsay, Chair of the BRWP presented a webinar on May 16, 2012 for the Sustainability Network, reporting on the activities and outcomes of the Sustainability Network Diversity mini-grant. The webinar can be found as a download below. Work with Bonnechere River Watershed Project featured in PhD Thesis organizational levels to govern a suite of Ecosystem Services. Allyson will be receiving her degree on Friday June 8, 2012. Congratulations Allyson! A copy of Allyson’s thesis is posted below. Engaging YouthCommunity Engagement Workshops In 2009-10, the BRWP hosted a series of community engagement workshops with local residents to share perspectives on what they value most about their rural landscape. Discussion focused on key issues and concerns as well as what participants saw as important drivers of change in the watershed. Social,
economic, and environmental aspects of the watershed were discussed by residents who represented a variety of sectors including: forestry, agriculture, tourism, cottages, and industry.
The information gathered during the workshops was then used to collaboratively draft four future scenarios for the watershed. The Bonnechere 2050 scenarios are creative stories that describe what the future could be like in 2050, under certain conditions, and in response to key decisions and actions taken or not taken. None of the scenarios attempt to accurately predict the future or to represent an ideal vision. The overall aim of the scenarios is to stimulate discussions among residents of the watershed about the future of the area and to reflect on the policies, events, and processes that will ensure that what is valued today can be sustained
into the future.
Follow-up meetings with local artists and youth groups added new perspectives that were incorporated into the scenarios and a series of paintings by local artist Jerome Coulas that represent the four future scenarios were commissioned by the BRWP. These paintings will be unveiled at a community forum and arts exhibition taking place on April 15, 2011. Selected excerpts from the finished paintings are included the Community Engagement Series report and will be replaced in a subsequent version of the report with the complete images of the paintings. Naturalizing Your Shorelineposted Jan 6, 2011 4:09 PM by Admin BRWP [ updated Jan 6, 2011 4:16 PM ]
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organizations to the day long event. The forum featured guest speakers Al Douglas, Director of the Ontario Centre for Climate Impacts and Adaptation Resources and Judi Brouse, Director of the Watershed Programs from the Muskoka Watershed Council Working Groups. Participant group breakout sessions developed creative and collaborative approaches to potential project scenarios. The report, including the two guest speaker presentations can be viewed here.
