1. CMC Planning -  Here is a CMC Backgrounder we are working on to create a cohesive development strategy and longer term plan for 2017 and beyond. This year we will also be celebrating 20 years since we started the community mapping community-campus work.

2. Dean's- UVic Community Mapping and Innovation Showcase -  We had a great turnout for the January 23rd Showcase. Check out the presentations here.

3. UVic Connections and One Planet - UVic in the Anthropocene January-March 2017 - We are happy to support and collaborate with UVic and the broader community on this One Planet Series (attached) and the March 11th IdeasFest event.  The UVic CMC is also involved with upcoming student courses and continuing to populate the CRD Community Green map website with new stories and sites. A related Housing and Sustainability workshop looking at mapping rental housing stock and affordability issues (esp for seniors, students and families) is being planned for Feb 16th at New Horizons in James bay.  The UVic CMC is also partnering with the Department of Biology and Faculty of Science – (Academic lead is John  Taylor, Professor of Biology), Oak Bay and Esquimalt High Schools and the Songhees Nation to start the Living Lab Project this Sprig 2017 focused on engaging and connecting indigenous and settler youth in ecological cultural restoration and place based curriculum development.

4. UVic CMC and IdeasFest - As part of Ideasfest March 6-12th, we are organizing a Community Mapping Fair  on Wednesday March 8th here in the Geography Department from  3-6 PM. Stay tuned….

5. UVic Storytelling and Interactive Media Project - The UVic CMC has received funding to be involved in community engagement, partnership and capacity building for the Department of Writing's Storytelling and Interactive Media Project which runs from October 2016-August 2017.  With a Centre for Community Based Economy grant, David Leach, the head of UVic Writing and PI for the project is looking at how narrative and peoples experiential and place-based knowledge can be used  to support their empower and give voice to individuals and communities. The other goal is to pilot the use of new technologies in gaming, app development and digital storytelling and supporting community-based training and development needs of both students and local non-profits and groups. The UVic Community Story Project will compliment the work of the UVic CMC and directly engage local groups such as the Intercultural Association and the Songhees Nation. There will be community and campus training and learning workshops on storytelling methods and approaches from January-April.

6. C2UExpo 2017 in Vancouver May 1-5th, 2017! -

http://www.c2uexpo.ca The UVic CMC is actively involved as part of our larger national-global effort and Common Ground Network http://cgcmc.geog.uvic.ca  in offering workshops  and support for the bi-annual community campus engagement gathering coming up May1-5th, 2017.  Workshops on community mapping  and  placemaking methods and projects (e.g. Sandown Food Security, Intercultural Assoc newcomers, WSANEC  education)  have been submitted.  Check out this exciting event! They want equal community and academic participation.

Maeve Lydon