Open Space Toolkit for Southeastern BC
Overview
Many communities in southeastern BC are currently experiencing the rapid population growth associated with the phenomenon of “amenity migration” – defined as people moving to places offering ready access to natural landscapes and a rural, small-town lifestyle. While welcoming the economic boost of new residents and visitors, the affected communities are also feeling the impacts of rapid, unplanned growth, including loss of community character, social cohesion, and rural values; fragmentation of landscapes and wildlife habitat; and degradation of environmental quality.
The Open Space Toolkit for Southeastern BC is a community educational workshop series that helps rural residents to better understand and practice sustainable land use and conservation of open, natural landscapes. The workshops engage community residents, along with municipal officials and land management and development professionals, in a dialogue-based learning process that provides an understanding of the nature of the current growth and its impacts, imparts an appreciation of the ecological and cultural values of natural landscapes, and offers strategies and tools that help participants identify, anticipate and address local land use issues. The long-term intended outcome is the establishment of collaborative, community-based initiatives that result in natural landscape conservation and the preservation of community assets.
Curriculum
The Open Space Toolkit for Southeastern BC program includes four separate workshop sessions, with accompanying resource materials. Through discussion and small group work, the content is applied to the specific community issues and situation. The four workshop modules cover the following topics:
The Natural Amenities Rush – The socio-economic and demographic trends shaping land use and landscape changes in southeastern BC, with analysis of two SE BC communities in terms of growth and residential development, and their responses to change.
The Value of Open Space - The ecological, social and economic values of open natural space, impacts of community growth-related trends, and research highlighting the amenities SE BC rural home buyers are seeking.
Tools for Conserving Natural Landscapes - An inventory of conservation tools and community building processes available for open space conservation and sustainable land use in SE British Columbia including:
- Voluntary landowner tools
- Municipal and development planning tools
- Fiscal and economic tools
- Community building processes
- Technical Tools
Delivery
The Chinook Institute will deliver Open Space Toolkit for Southeastern BC workshops in collaboration with partner organizations, local government agencies, community associations, stewardship groups and educational institutions. Each Toolkit workshop will be adapted to the needs of the host community or group and their specific geography and issues. Workshop participants may access follow-up assistance from the Chinook Institute or other partners to help them apply new land conservation strategies or tools in their area.
The Chinook Institute is seeking opportunities to partner with community-based groups or local agencies to implement the Alberta Toolkit workshops, and can offer coordination, facilitation and evaluation services.
Publications - Coming Soon
The Natural Amenities Rush
The socio-economic and demographic trends shaping land use and landscape changes in southeastern BC, with analysis of two SE BC communities in terms of growth and residential development, and their responses to change.
2007 C. McLaren
The Value of Open Space
The ecological, social and economic values of open natural space, impacts of community growth-related trends, and research highlighting the amenities SE BC rural home buyers are seeking.
2007 C. McLaren
Community-based Conservation Tools and Processes
An inventory of conservation tools and community building processes available for open space conservation and sustainable land use in BC, including: voluntary landowner tools, regulatory or planning tools, fiscal and economic tools, technical tools, and community-building processes.
2007 C. McLaren