2012 Riversheds Forum

12th Annual Riversheds Forum

at Gavin Lake, BC (north of Williams Lake)
June 1 – 3, 2012

Since 2001, the Rivershed Society of British Columbia has hosted the Riversheds Forum as a gathering place for members, friends, supporters and partners of the Society to meet and share information and support each others’ environmental stewardship throughout the Fraser River Basin.

The goal of the Rivershed Society of BC remains to:

"Create a network of effective and supported leaders in every community throughout the Fraser River basin who will galvanize people to take responsibility for protecting, conserving and restoring the health of BC riversheds."

We aim to achieve this ambitious goal mainly through our flagship initiative, the Sustainable Living Leadership Program (SLLP). Throughout the forum we will meet some of the young leaders who have travelled the Fraser River, learn more about their experiences and how they have made a difference in their own communities since their trip. With your help we will develop a plan to strengthen and support the SLLP by extending its effectiveness in Fraser River Basin communities through your work.

This Forum is for YOU!

• For SLLP Alumni, the Forum is an opportunity to reunite with friends and a chance to share ideas and stories, and to help chart the program's future.  We need your help to learn how we can support your SLLP Alumni projects.
• For our fellow stewards, the Forum is an opportunity to meet SLLP alumni, learn how to get more people involved in your local activities, and a place to immerse yourself in hands-on activities that could be transferable to your own community within the Fraser River Basin.
• For our members and friends, the Forum is a chance to network and meet within the Fraser River Basin, and to assist in strengthening the SLLP program. We need your help to improve our programming.
  

Forum Agenda

Rivershed Stories

The Forum offers participants an opportunity to share information about their rivershed. Presenters tell "Rivershed Stories", making use of maps, posters and photographs. Rivershed Stories provide brief descriptions of the watershed and the work of an organization. The stories highlight the work of stewardship groups from around the Fraser River Basin.

Forum Registration

The registration fee is $110, and includes two nights accommodation at Gavin Lake and meals. A 50% discount is available for people with limited income. 

To register, download and print off a registration form and send it to us, along with your payment.

REGISTRATION FORM (download PDF)  2012 Forum Registration (PDF)

REGISTRATION FORM (download Word doc) 2012 Forum Registration Doc

About the Venue

The Gavin Lake Forestry Camp has several 12-bunk cabins with lots of privacy—each cabin has three separate sections. There is a central wash house with showers and flush toilets, and a communal hall and dining room. Plus, a sauna is ideally situated on the shore of the lake.

The lake has decent fishing. There is a swimming area for those hardy enough to jump in the water, and a fire pit area to warm up at afterwards. There's plenty of forested hiking trails on the surrounding crown land.

Getting to the Forum

The Gavin Lake Forestry Camp, adjacent to the UBC Alex Fraser Research Forest, is located 6.7 km off the paved Likely Road on good gravel, north of Williams Lake. Download driving directions (PDF).

What to Bring:

• Your passion for the Fraser River, the RSBC and stewardship programs
• An open mind and creative spirit
• Walking shoes 
• Sleeping bag & pillow
• Towel
  
• A note pad and writing material
• A camera - we'd love some awesome pictures!
• Rain gear (in case of rain during the field trip)
  

Forum Host

The Rivershed Society of British Columbia, a non-profit charitable organization formed in 1996, has a vision of salmon flourishing in our rivers, and people flourishing in our communities. We believe respect for riversheds begins with individual awareness. Using ecological carrying capacity as a guiding principle, we deliver education and leadership programs, build stewardship capacity and encourage sustainable solutions.

More about RSBC

Background

In 2001, the RSBC launched its Healthy Riversheds Strategy at the first Riversheds Forum. The idea of the strategy and the annual conference was to continue the work started with Fin Donnelly’s Fraser River millennium swim. Each year, the Riversheds Forum brings together Fraser River Basin community champions who share, learn and strategize on stewardship and sustainability issues affecting the health of their riversheds and their community’s sustainability.