As tributaries come together to form a flowing stream, it is through the pooling of many efforts that our freshwater protection initiatives come to life. A student of the University of British Columbia’s Master of Land and Water Systems Program, Sabrina Hu joined Living Lakes in the summer of 2023 as a Climate Scenario Intern seconded to the Foreshore Integrated Management Planning (FIMP) program. Sabrina was asked to develop a climate scenario analysis framework for FIMP. The framework aims to increase the understanding of climate change uncertainties to help inform future lake management and support climate resiliency. Following an in-depth review of climate scenario analysis, along with past and present versions of the FIMP methodology, Sabrina developed a framework outlining the steps of applying scenario planning alongside FIMP to provide a methodology for collaborating and protecting the lake foreshore. The objective is to provide more information to various levels of government, Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, and stakeholders, for better informed and collaborative lake-related decision-making under the impacts of climate change. In this report, the scenario planning methodology from previous studies was reviewed and adopted to design a community-based FIMP scenario planning methodology.

Additionally, Sabrina supported research, planning, reconnaissance, and reporting processes for various FIMP projects. 

“This internship was an excellent experience that taught me a lot about how to apply my knowledge in solving real-world water issues,” said Sabrina. “I also learned how to build good relationships with people through effective communication with respect and humility. I sincerely thank Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions program and Living Lakes Canada for giving me the opportunity to gain valuable experience early in my career."

Sabrina completed her internship and returned to her Masters program at UBC, which she graduated from in the fall of 2023.