2014 Living Waters Rally – Organizing for Impact!

WWF Canada

The 2014 Living Waters Rally will bring water leaders together from across Canada this weekend to share, connect and plan for next steps as a national water movement.
Led by the Canadian Freshwater Alliance with support from the RBC Blue Water Project and MEC, this year’s Living Waters Rally will promote and share the great water work happening on the ground across Canada to ensure our waters are healthy and protected.

WWF is assessing watersheds across Canada to determine the condition of our waters. © Mike Ambach / WWF-Canada
WWF is assessing watersheds across Canada to determine the condition of our waters. © Mike Ambach / WWF-Canada

So what happens at a Living Waters Rally?  It’s a chance to assess what is and isn’t working, identify opportunities for connections and collaborations, and develop a common water agenda – enabling our individual efforts to add up to something greater than the sum of its parts.  There will be discussion and networking on topical national and regional issues and policies. And an exciting range of workshops to help us all become stronger, more effective organizations, so we can better engage communities in our efforts to protect and restore freshwater.  With sessions on Addressing First Nations Water Rights and Access to Clean Drinking Water, WWF’s Freshwater Health Assessment and Urban Water Success Stories, there is more than something for everyone.
At an event like this it’s important to strike a balance between information, the sharing of ideas, conversation, and relaxation.  I, like many others, have found it is the informal time between keynotes, presentations, and panel discussions that are the most valuable.  Sharing lessons learned during activity time (on the water, if you’re really lucky), enjoying a meal, or during breaks can prove to be quite valuable – this is when the real learning happens, connections are re-established, successes are shared and future opportunities contemplated.
Sockeye Salmon depending on healthy river flow in the Adams River, BC © Paul Nicklen / National Geographic Stock / WWF-Canada
Sockeye Salmon depending on healthy river flow in the Adams River, BC © Paul Nicklen / National Geographic Stock / WWF-Canada

For WWF’s New Brunswick work, the 2014 Water Rally provides a valuable opportunity to share and discuss our work on the St. John River.  Gathering ideas and getting feedback and insight into key topics, like water governance, environmental flows, and river health are top of mind right now.
WWF congratulates the partners and participants who will make the 2014 Water Rally a success and is looking forward to being a part of what comes next for the water community nationally, regionally and locally.