Integrated Watershed Management (IWM) is the process
of managing
human activities and natural resources on a watershed
basis. This approach
allows us to protect important water resources
while at the same time,
addressing multiple critical issues such as
the current and future impacts
of rapid growth and climate change.
Effective Integrated Watershed Management ultimately leads to better decision-making, smarter priority setting, opportunities to pool existing resources and increased efficiency between a variety of stakeholders such as government, residents, agencies and businesses – especially important in today’s economic and environmental climate.
In partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Environment and Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Conservation Ontario hosted a two-day symposium in May 2009 which brought practitioners, policy makers and nonprofit agencies together to look at global advances within the field of integrated watershed management and exploring how we can navigate our way to a ‘made-in-Ontario’ approach that ensures we have a safe, sustainable supply of water today and into a challenging future.
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Presentations
Click here for the presentations.
Symposium Summary Report
Click here to view the Symposium Summary Report.
Evaluation Survey Report
Click here to view the Evaluation Survey Report.
- International speakers showcased global initiatives using Integrated Watershed Management approaches;
- Symposium participants explored key shifts that need to be made in Ontario in order to implement IWM more effectively;
- Discussed how to build the IWM tools such as management instruments and institutional frameworks that are needed for effective Integrated Watershed Management;
- Explored the Science behind Integrated Watershed Management;
- Showcased local initiatives and programs already underway in Ontario that enable sustainable watershed planning.
