Identify Priorities in Your Community: Lessons Learned

 

  • Identifying and bringing together a broad group of local stakeholders who may have an interest in climate impacts and adaptation planning at the front end of the project was a really valuable exercise, especially via a workshop over 1.25 days. The initial workshop accomplished two important things for the project: 1) it enabled a “first-cut” identification of priority issues at the very beginning of the project, and 2) it created a general awareness of the project and its goals among a broad cross-section of community leaders and stakeholders.
  • In hindsight, radio was an under-utilized medium during the project. Setting up interviews for visiting experts or the local coordinator at key junctures of the project would have made for some good general coverage and community awareness of the project.
  • The community survey may have had a higher response rate if it had also been available online and published in the local newspaper. Having it available to residents in these two forms in addition to the direct mail route is recommended, even though it adds additional complexity in terms of collecting and tabulating results.
  • The most successful workshops are those that combine concise delivery of subject matter from visiting experts with interactive components designed to engage participants. In general, residents and local stakeholders are very receptive to activities that enable them to share information and provide input or guidance.
  • In Kimberley, the Mayor and several councillors attended all the workshops. This was very valuable in demonstrating the City’s commitment to the project to the community, and it also provided important opportunities for residents and stakeholders to interact with their elected officials in facilitated small group processes, which strengthens the local sense of community for all concerned.
  • Kimberley’s process relied significantly on Steering Committee members to assist with facilitation at workshops as well as some of the general house-keeping tasks. A better avenue would be to hire some local workshop assistants to ease the commitment level of volunteer Steering Committee members and free up the project coordinator from minor logistical details during the workshop.

Tips relating directly to using visualizations (i.e. Kimberley project) to determine priorities:

  • Data gathering requires considerable time and multiple data sources in order to produce a credible depth of GIS mapping.
  • Collaboration between CALP and the working groups was fruitful in connecting the CALP team with local experts and better local and regional data on current conditions and impacts such as fire and mountain pine beetle.
  • Working group recommendations were critical in developing the integrated visions and responses shown in the CALP material.
  • Localized climate modeling is still under development, and more committed funding is needed to continue snowpack modeling and calibration so that 3D snowpack visualizations can be generated.
  • Next-step projects could work on integrating fuel management options with mountain pine beetle responses and biomass-fuel production in order to plan and visualize integrated landscape responses.
  • Joint planning across jurisdictions (Municipal, Crown Land) may enhance community adaptation options.
  • Preliminary responses (prior to tabulating the research questionnaires) shows that using time sliders and layers in 3D virtual models enhances public understanding of risks.
  • Real opportunities exist for synergies across adaptation and mitigation.

Tips from CBT’s technical advisory committee (2008-2009):

  • Start broad and do a scan of potential impacts at the beginning to ensure a broad understanding. Then hone down on your focus.
  • Need to look at long and short term priorities as people will tend to go with the issues in vogue (i.e. fires) and may miss something less popular (i.e. drought).
  • Look at opportunities in addition to potential risks.
  • Wildfire is an issue for most communities however there are resources in place to address this. It’s suggested that communities highlight the issue of fire and the action plan can note where to go for more actions. (i.e. Engage in MoF and UBCM community protection process).