Bay West LLC’s Post

In an effort to aid local councils and community members, the Saanich Peninsula Environmental Coalition (SPEC) is launching Check-Up!, a three-year program to monitor the implementation of the environmental principles in each of the District of Central Saanich, Town of Sidney and District of North Saanich’s OCP’s. Using Check-Up! we plan to measure the progress of each municipality towards achieving stated outcomes. These outcomes will focus on such critical factors as sustainability, collaboration and public engagement and will be reported annually based on the results of public surveys. “Our goal,” says Bob Peart, SPEC’s Coordinator, “is to ensure that the health of the natural environment on the Saanich Peninsula remains vibrant”. This goal is best accomplished by fully engaging the public and by the three municipalities cooperating and aiding each other in managing important natural assets such as the forest canopy, coastal shoreline, watersheds and our agricultural lands. “Nature doesn’t recognize municipal boundaries so it is essential that the three municipalities collaborate with each other to ensure the future sustainability of our communities,” says Peart. In 2021, in partnership with a number of key organizations on the Saanich Peninsula - including the W̱ SÁNEĆ Leadership Council – SPEC developed a Bioregional Framework for the management of the Saanich Peninsula that described a holistic nature-based approach to achieve environmental and community health across the peninsula. SPEC then advocated for the adoption of its key principles into each of the Central Saanich, Sidney and North Saanich OCPs. “It’s now time to ensure that the key principles in these OCP’s are implemented in a cooperative style and publicly transparent manner to ensure the Saanich Peninsula remains a wonderful positive place to work, play and raise a family”, says Peart. SPEC is a collection of independent groups and organizations that have come together to advance a bioregional approach for the Saanich Peninsula and further the values associated with environmental protection and community health. SPEC has chosen to launch this initiative through PlaceSpeak.com because PlaceSpeak provides an authenticated civic engagement network. Participants can engage with confidence that the information provided is digitally secure and that they are engaging with other people within their community. https://lnkd.in/gPavC3ZC

Conference Highlights: New Track – Powering Rural Communities The Biden-Harris Administration is investing in increasing energy security and resilience throughout rural America. Join Rural Utility Service Administrator Andrew Berke and other Rural Development, state agency, and private capital thought partners for a series of discussions about the changing rural energy landscape and the state and federal programs available to support this transition. New Track – Brownfields A one-day track that will deliver an exceptional learning and networking environment for those working to make contaminated properties economically viable for reuse. Topics include brownfields funding, housing and redevelopment, environmental justice, and community partnerships. https://lnkd.in/gdAukrC

The San Diego Foundation and Environmental Health Coalition have secured a $22 million grant to support climate-resilient projects that will preserve, protect and strengthen San Diego's central historic barrios. Through the grant, the neighborhoods will experience unprecedented investment in green spaces, housing and transportation, community-led food production and distribution, community centers and other climate-resilient and community benefit projects. Learn more about the proposed projects: https://bit.ly/3SoJw5Y #sandiego #climatechange

If you're going to be at the business of conservation conference at ALU School of Wildlife Conservation in Rwanda next week, come along to my session based on 13 years of success at Carbon Tanzania for a lively discussion on ensuring communities are the shareholders in this #naturebasedsolutions opportunity. How we engage national governments like #tanzania and the importance of having a regulatory environment that protects #indigenouspeoples #landrights and #resources.

IVWF is highlighted in The Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group's new rural environmental justice case study: Building Funder Capacity to Work with Communities. IVWF's work in community through Learning Exchanges is mentioned: "While these Learning Exchanges do the work of traditional community capacity building and connecting — disconnected participants get to know decision-makers and learn how to navigate funding and power structures — they also facilitate capacity building for funders and decision-makers, who learn to work with the disconnected groups as equals, building a deeper understanding of their priorities and contexts." #capacitybuilding #healthequity #imperialvalley #lithiumvalley https://lnkd.in/dhcx6zxa

Exciting news in Menlo Park: The City is preparing their first #EnvironmentalJusticeElement with the help of M-Group! Environmental Justice Elements are a crucial part of a City’s General Plan to advance #equity and protect human health for all community members. While the Environmental Justice movement has traditionally focused on environmental contamination and degradation, the scope has broadened to include additional policy topics such as food access and physical activity. M-Group is collaborating with the City to meet the community where they are. By holding community meetings and workshops in both #Spanish and English, along with study sessions with the local Planning Commission and City Council, we aim to promote and foster meaningful community engagement. These efforts will help ensure the Environmental Justice Element reflects the current needs of the whole community. #EnvironmentalJusticeElement #MenloPark #CommunityOutreach #CommunityEngagement #CommunityNeeds #MGroup

At the #OceanKAN, we already have used "Impact Networking" practices and "Network Weaving" to build a trust-based network that spans 30 countries and more than 100 community members. Now, at Moonjelly Foundation, we are using a similar approach, plus Pay It Forward Scaling, to grow a Conservation Impact Network through trust-based conservation finance. David Ehrlichman June Holley Teriitutea QUESNOT Antony Vavia Liam Kokaua Kōrero o te `Ōrau Inc. #trustbasedphilanthropy #oceanconservation #Indigenousconservation

What would it take to further scale up forest sector actions on ecosystem restoration? Collectively we are already doing a lot but we need to challenge ourselves to think and act more boldly. The Forests Dialogue convened stakeholders to discuss this and other critical questions - Co-Chair Summary now out! Next steps? Let's continue the dialogue in real places with real restoration needs and think creatively about scaling long-term solutions for people & nature. #sappi #forests #restoration #naturebasedsolutions

At Moonjelly Foundation, we're pioneering a new era of conservation finance, inspired by the principles of trust and community. Our approach, reminiscent of the slow-food movement, focuses on building deep, personal relationships and reducing administrative burdens to empower grantees to focus on their crucial work. We're creating a Conservation Impact Network, connecting conservation organizations and community groups through trust-based relationships. This network is strengthened by our Pay It Forward Scaling, where partners support new members, enhancing our collective impact on conservation. Our efforts are already making waves in regions like the Cook Islands and Latin America, where traditional knowledge and conservation practices are being revitalized. We aim to grow an indigenously-led Conservation Impact Network, proving that trust and collaboration can lead to significant environmental progress. We invite you to be part of this transformative movement. Together, we can scale trust-based conservation to new heights. #ConservationFinance #Moonjelly #SustainableFuture #PayItForward

Get ready to write! The 2023 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 Brownfields Grant Writing Resources Workshop will be held on August 31st, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT. Gear up to craft winning Brownfields Proposals with insights from experts, including EPA Region 6, KSU, ADEQ, and successful AR grantees. This webinar is your golden opportunity to amplify your knowledge within grant writing. Don't miss out - check the attached flyer for details. Let's write the next chapter of impactful community development together! #EPARegion6 #Brownfields #GrantWriting #CommunityDevelopment