FLOW is currently working on drafting a blue communities resolution for the City of Traverse City with the idea that other local governments in the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed will adopt similar resolutions, which in turn will stimulate more collaborative efforts together. The key points of this resolution are to recognize that water is a… Read more »
Land Conservation Fish Restoration Meeting Aspect Competitors United Around A Common Goal Collaborative projects are not new to this area, such as the Kids Creek and Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Through interviews and analysis, we hoped to provide local evidence of collaboration theories and establish recommendations for improvement.
Blue Communities has its beginnings in the Grand Traverse Bay watershed. However, as a coastal community, there is not just one source of water you have to be concerned about, there are multiple. Here in Traverse City, there are two sources in particular that need our upmost attention, the watershed and the bay. The flow… Read more »
We need to use a resilient approach to solve the water problems caused by urbanization. This resilient approach is more commonly referred to as Green Infrastructure.
Water for all means that water is clean, sufficient in supply, and accessible to all economically, socially, and environmentally. Blue Communities aims to empower communities to protect these qualities of water for current and future generations. At the foundation of this effort are some basic principles for water management: valuing water for the diverse benefits… Read more »
With collective impact, we are all in the same boat, rowing in the same direction, thus reaching our goals faster.
Freshwater Facts Only freshwater will sustain human life. About 97% of the water on earth is salt water. Of the remaining fraction of approximately 3% that is freshwater, over 98% is locked in ice caps, glaciers and groundwater. Of the remaining fraction of about 1.2% of all freshwater, about .25% is found at the surface… Read more »
Above: A Summer day on western Lake Eire A lake, river, creek, parkland, wilderness, or canopy of redwoods or old sugar maples can’t walk to the courthouse to file lawsuits to protect their right to be free from harm, nor can they walk into a precinct and vote. Come to think of it, neither can… Read more »
Collaboration So what is collaboration, what about it makes it so great? Enhances Understanding As individuals we can only apprehend a portion of the problem, by pooling perceptions greater understanding of the context can be achieved. Effective Decision Making Leads to better decisions that are more likely to be implemented Broader Support for Needed… Read more »
This is the second installment in a series of essays by FLOW board member Rick Kane on the vital issues of risk management and the responsibilities of public officials under the public trust doctrine. Rick is the former Director of Security, Environment, Transportation Safety and Emergency Services for Rhodia, North America. He is certified in… Read more »
