One of our members who keenly follows new developments in thinking about environmental issues recently brought to our attention a Globe and Mail article by Katherine Blaze Baum. The article, The business case for leaving ecosystems alone, talks about creating “natural capital”, and recognizing natural assets alongside traditional capital assets. It also mentions leading work being done in Gibsons, one of our neighbouring communities.
The member also forwarded the article to Mayor Karen Elliott. She responded: “For your interest, the District’s upcoming asset management plan update will include natural assets for the first time, although perhaps not as extensively as West Vancouver or Gibsons. The Loggers East Neighbourhood Plan considered the natural stormwater management functions of the land there, providing for more open space than one might expect for a neighbourhood so close to downtown. The CERP* project also produced a study on natural assets provided by the central estuary.
This is an exciting and important direction, especially since we will continue to experience plenty of pressure to expand beyond our existing growth management boundaries. It would be great to see the SES host some information and information sessions to further deepen community understanding of this opportunity.”
We have Mayor Elliott’s permission to share her comments in this post, and we will watch for opportunities to highlight this developing perspective.
*The Central Estuary Restoration Project (CERP) is now known as ‘Restore the Shore‘. The report is available on the Squamish River Watershed Society website. The Squamish Chief published an article following the release of the report.
Photo above by Delle Booth: view of the Squamish Estuary .