Open to: All – BCIA Registrants and Public Welcome! (A BCIA account is required to register)

Join us for a detailed overview of the Aquatic Ecosystem value within British Columbia’s Cumulative Effects Framework (CEF). This session will explore the importance of assessing cumulative effects on aquatic systems, including how aquatic values are evaluated, reported, and applied to support sustainable resource management. Presenters will walk through the assessment methods, share available data and tools, and highlight how this information can inform your work in planning, regulation, restoration, and policy development.

Participants will gain a better understanding of:

• Why cumulative effects are significant for aquatic ecosystem health
• How data is gathered, analyzed, and reported under the CEF
• Practical uses of aquatic ecosystem data in decision-making
• Key indicators and pressures influencing aquatic systems across BC

This session is ideal for professionals involved in hydrology, fisheries, water management, environmental planning, and anyone working with or relying on aquatic ecosystem health for informed decision-making.

Presenters:
Patrick Little, MSc, P.Ag. – Patrick is a Professional Agrologist with BCIA’s Okanagan Branch and serves as the Aquatic Value Lead for the CEF team in the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. With over 15 years of experience in hydrology, Patrick has worked in both consulting and government roles focused on environmental flow needs, hydrologic assessments, and cumulative effects monitoring across the province.

Mark Ecker – Mark is a Resource Management Specialist with the CEF team and brings seven years of experience in water management, including four years as a statutory decision-maker under the Water Sustainability Act. His background as a fisheries biologist informs his current work developing guidance materials and decision-support tools to help integrate cumulative effects data into day-to-day resource management.