Water is the foundation of the social, economic and environmental well-being of the Columbia River Basin. CBT supports the efforts of Basin residents to help create a stewardship ethic in which citizens care for and understand the water resources of the Basin, enabling them to actively participate in and make informed decisions around how water is managed.
Water Stewardship Projects
The Columbia Basin Watershed Network (the Network) is a network of 23 watershed groups, agencies and individuals in the Canadian portion of the Columbia Basin working on water stewardship. The Network is an opportunity for those working in watershed management to share experiences and resources, and build knowledge and expertise. CBT supports the Network by acting as a facilitator and convener that is helping each watershed group achieve their own goals, and helping all 23 groups to work cooperatively around water issues in the Basin. CBT also provides direct funding support to the Network and the Watershed Network volunteer steering committee.
CBT recognizes the importance of actively engaging youth in water issues in the Canadian Columbia Basin. As an initial step to meet this objective CBT will host a series of Youth Water Forums with the goal of building youth capacity and understanding on water issues in the Basin so they can begin to decide how they can effectively play a role in addressing current and future water issues.
Youth Water Forums are designed to engage youth in current water issues in the Columbia Basin, raise their awareness, and improve their understanding of water related issues. It's a chance for Basin youth to get together, learn about important water issues and have fun! It is also a way for youth to begin to understand how they can get their voices heard in major water-related decisions being made in the Basin.
Water related decisions that are made today will affect the future of the Basin and youth that are engaged in water issues can participate in these decisions and provide an informed youth perspective. Basin youth are leaders in our communities and will be instrumental in future water related decisions, therefore it is essential that youth are involved in water related issues to improve and protect water values in the Basin.
CURRENTS: Columbia Basin Trust Youth Water Forum 2009
Get your feet wet Basin youth!
On September 25-27, CBT is hosting its first Youth Water Forum, CURRENTS: Columbia Basin Trust Youth Water Forum 2009. CURRENTS is an experiential field-based weekend where, instead of listening to lectures and watching presentations, you will hit the river and participate in hands-on activities to learn about water in the Basin.
Taking place at Kicking Horse River Lodge in Golden, CURRENTS is free and open to all Basin youth aged 15-29 who want to learn more about water and how to take action to improve and protect water in the Basin.
At CURRENTS we will be discussing the Columbia River Treaty and water rights. We'll head out into the field to learn about water quality, conservation, and aquatic wildlife habitats, and you will have the opportunity to start a project on one of these topics in your community.
By attending this event you will learn new skills, network with peers and water experts, and have the opportunity to initiate a water-related project in your community. Following the forum CBT resources will be available for youth water projects in the Basin.
Space is limited to forty participants, so sign up today to reserve your spot at www.cbt.org/currents. For more information contact Heather Mitchell, CBT Program Manager, Water Initiatives at 1.800.505.8998 or hmitchell@cbt.org.
