March 19, 2007 |
Over 100 delegates attend Innovative Monitoring Conference
NEWS RELEASE
March 2007
Hot on the heels of its Complex Stands Conference, the Bulkley Valley Research Centre held the Innovative Monitoring and its Influence on Resource Decision Making Conference, which was an overwhelming success.
The event, held March 13 and 14 at the at the Dze L K’ant Friendship Centre in Smithers, not only attracted 29 notable speakers, but also saw 103 delegates pass through its doors. Presenters and participants discussed how challenges in the art and science of monitoring are being met, opportunities for efficiencies and collaboration, and how to use monitoring to improve decisions.
Speakers included BVRC past president Jim Pojar, current president Sybille Haeussler and deputy chief forester Henry Benskin. Agriculture and Lands deputy minister Larry Pedersen was keynote speaker, presenting during an evening reception, poster session and dinner catered by local award-winning chef Andrew George Jr.
A Word From the Keynote Speaker
It was a real pleasure for me to be back in the Bulkley Valley and see so many past acquaintances (and make a few new ones as well). It was a lot of fun being there, tracking the discussion, adding my voice into it and, in general, being part of what I thought was an incredibly well organized and relevant workshop.
Upon entering the standing-room only hall, I was first of all struck by the incredible depth of talent represented by those in the room. As I entered, Dr. Jim Pojar was waxing eloquent from the podium about the need to bring the community of players into closer collaboration and dialogue as we seek to strike the elusive balance between conservation objectives, development objectives and community needs. Always a pleasure to listen to the thoughtful observations of our friend Jim.
And while I was struck by the relevance of all of the presenters’ topics, I also found myself pondering the forces that brought such a diverse range of interests under the same roof. It would be easy to say because of the common bond we all share around our interests in resource management, and while there’s a truth to that, I think the answer lies in something more organic and unique to the Bulkley Valley (and some, but not all, other areas of the province).
This unique and high quality collaborative dialogue speaks volumes about the maturing of relationships, as people with sometimes different interests in resource management have learned to speak to one another in a respectful manner, with the aim of improving how and why certain things are done in resource management. There’s little doubt in my mind that if one were to go back one or two decades that the discussion would not have gone as smoothly and thoughtfully as what I witnessed during my short visit.
I would like to congratulate the organizers, the presenters and the participants for being part of what I would describe as one of the most timely and relevant resource conferences that I have attended in recent years — and I've been involved in quite a large number of events. Way to go, keep it up… nothing but good will come from an accord of civility and common interest!
- Larry Pedersen,
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Lands