Vision

Our vision is a healthy, resilient watershed where people, wildlife, and habitat thrive.

Mission

The Oldman Watershed Council (OWC) is a collaborative forum for all voices, working for watershed health through education, action, and stewardship.

Goals

Long Term Overarching Goals

The Oldman Watershed Council has developed a set of goals outlining an iterative process to understand, inform, and engage residents in the watershed while seeking out and achieving key environmental outcomes.

The goals outline a long-term vision in clear, achievable steps. Overall, cumulative effects must be minimized and more conscious decisions made about development so that watershed quality and functionality are maintained for the future. A healthy watershed benefits all of us. It is the key to a vibrant economy, enables society to maintain a high standard of living, and ensures a healthy aquatic ecosystem with good water quality, healthy riparian vegetation and fish habitat, healthy river flows, and functional wetlands and aquifers.

All residents in the watershed have an invested interest in the health of the Oldman watershed. The OWC provides a neutral forum where issues can be discussed and ideas shared on how best to maintaining and improve it. This kind of participation allows residents to take active ownership in creating a healthy, functioning watershed - and be proud of it.

There are many areas to improve, and it is agreed by most that a careful path that supports economic development and environmental preservation takes precedence in managing the watershed.

Our five long-term overarching goals are:

We understand our watershed.
Residents are well informed and actively engaged.
Basin stakeholders have defined the desired outcomes for the Oldman Watershed that will form the basis for the Integrated Watershed Management Plan (IWMP).
The Oldman Watershed Council and stakeholders put into action the capacity and commitment to achieve defined outcomes.
Practices that are beneficial to the health and function of the watershed are adopted.

Three Year Goals (2013-2016)

The OWC earns recognition for its expertise and leadership in the Oldman watershed.
The OWC is filling important knowledge gaps.
The OWC optimizes resources to carry out its mission.
Actions and activities of the board, staff and working teams are aligned in addressing the OWC’s priorities.
The OWC is addressing the 8 priorities set for the Oldman watershed.