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The following is a chronology of the Central Coast and North Coast Land and Resource Management Plan’s progress over the past year:
February 7, 2006
· Announcement of agreement – carried by over 350 media outlets around the world.
· The combined Central Coast and North Coast Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) areas are approximately 6.4 million hectares, or more than twice the size of Belgium. The total combined protected areas (of which there are 107) for these regions will be approximately 1.8 million hectares, or more than three times the size of Prince Edward Island.
· They include more than 200,000 hectares of the Spirit Bear’s habitat, including the 103,000-hectare Kitasoo Spirit Bear Conservancy.
· Commitment to a new system of sustainable resource management outside of the protected areas, known as Ecosystem-based Management (EBM), by March 2009.
· Commitment to ongoing collaboration, including the development of a governance structure to oversee the implementation and monitoring of the LRMP:
o To establish a North Coast Plan Implementation and Monitoring Committee (NC PIMC), and a Central Coast Plan Implementation and Monitoring Committee (CC PIMC).
o Commitment to create a technical Ecosystem-based Management (EBM) Working group to advise on the full implementation of EBM by March 2009.
· Commitment to continue to work with First Nations on land use plan implementation.
· Leverage funds in the existing Coast Sustainability Trust to achieve “no net job loses” in communities within the agreement areas. A special fund is also planned for First Nations economic opportunities.
March 23, 2006
· Land Use Signing ceremony with Coastal First Nations of the Turning Point Initiative in Vancouver
March 27, 2006
· Land Use Signing ceremony with KNT FN group in Alert Bay
April 4, 2006
· Premier Campbell announced the selection of the Spirit Bear as the official mammal of the Province.
April 2006
· Spirit Bear website went online (www.bcspiritbear.ca/) NOTE: THIS URL WAS DE-ACTIVATED AS A GOVERNMENT-OWNED WEBSITE IN FEBRUARY 2008. FOR INFORMATION ON THE SPIRIT BEAR PLEASE VISIT: www.corporate.gov.bc.ca/bcspiritbear/.
April 24, 2006 – May 18, 2006
· Bill 28, The Park (Conservancy Enabling) Amendment Act, 2006 was introduced on April 24 and received Royal Assent on May 18.
· Total hectares in all 24 new conservancies: approximately 541,000
o Adding this to the approximately 600,000 hectares already protected at the time of the February announcement, 1,141,000 out of the planned 1.8 million hectares are now legally protected through legislation. This represents 63 per cent of our overall target (1.8 million) and 45 per cent (541,000 out of 1.2 million) of the new areas announced in February 2006.
The act announces the following 24 conservancies:
o Banks Nii ?uutiksm Conservancy (19,121 hectares – 15,585 hectares of upland and 3,536 hectares of foreshore)
o Bishop Bay Conservancy 2,699 Hectares (2,291 hectares of upland and 408 hectares of foreshore)
o Calvert Island Conservancy (18,558 hectares)
o Crab Lake Conservancy (12,789 hectares)
o Fiordland Conservancy (84,417 hectares – 76,825 hectares of upland and 7,592 hectares of foreshore)
o Gitxaa?a Nii ?uutiksm/Kitkatla Conservancy (28,029 hectares – 12,245 hectares of upland and 15,784 hectares of foreshore)
o Hunwadi/Ahnuhati -- Bald Conservancy (34,532 hectares)
o Kitasoo Spirit Bear Conservancy (102,875 hectares)
o K'lgaan/Klekane Conservancy (18,272 hectares)
o K'mooda/Lowe-Gamble Conservancy (14,454 hectares)
o K'nabiyaaxl/Ashdown Conservancy (727 hectares - 454 hectares of upland and 273 hectares of foreshore)
o Koeye Conservancy (18,752 hectares)
o K'ootz/Khutze Conservancy (34,168 hectares)
o Ksi Xtx'at'kw/Stagoo Conservancy (11,555 hectares – 11,430 hectares of upland and 125 hectares of foreshore)
o Lax Ka'gaas/Campania Conservancy (20,504 hectares – 17,075 hectares of upland and 3,429 hectares of foreshore)
o Lax Kul Nii ?uutiksm/Bonilla Conservancy (1,584 hectares - 741 hectares of upland and 843 hectares of foreshore)
o Lax Kwil Dziidz/Fin Conservancy (1,902 hectares – 1,234 hectares of upland and 668 hectares of foreshore)
o Mahpahkum-Ah?wuná/Deserters-Walker Conservancy (931 hectares)
o Moksgm'oll/Chapple -- Cornwall Conservancy (29,116 hectares)
o Monckton Nii ?uutiksm Conservancy (24,775 hectares – 22,251 hectares of upland and 2,524 hectares of foreshore)
o Pooley Conservancy (3,269 hectares)
o Q'altanaas/Aaltanhash Conservancy (18,767 hectares)
o ?sa-Lat?/Smokehouse Conservancy (37,891 hectares)
o Kt'ii/Racey Conservancy (1,261 hectares)
June 6, 2006
· “Spirit Bears in the City” – Spirit Bears unveiled as part of Tourism Week celebrations
June 19 – 23, 2006
· ILMB Central Coast/North Coast display at B.C. Pavilion at the World Urban Forum
September 2006 –
ongoing
· Sept. 20/21: Central Coast Plan Implementation and Monitoring Committee (PIMC) held first meeting.
· Sept. 20/21: North Coast PIMC held first meeting.
o Membership of both PIMCs consists of industry, small business, recreation, conservation, local government and tourism representatives.
o Initial activities of both PIMCs include developing workplans, establishing research priorities, and securing staffing support and funding mechanisms.
· Sept. 29: EBM Working Group Terms of Reference finalized following collaborative development in government to government forums with First Nations.
October 2006 -
ongoing
· Oct. 30/31: First meetings of the EBM Working Group held. Terms of Reference were approved. The work-plan and director subcommittees were established.
o The purpose of the EBM WG is to develop recommendations on EBM research priorities and on the application of research results to the implementation of EBM, oversee research related to uncertainties or knowledge gaps in EBM implementation and oversee the coordination and management of related data.
o EBM is defined as “an adaptive approach to managing human activities that seeks to ensure the coexistence of health, fully functioning ecosystems and human communities.”
o The group is initially recommending projects to: establish a baseline for socio-economic objectives, develop an Adaptive Management Framework, run workshops and address inventory requirements.
November – December
2006
· A first suite of proposed Land Use Legal Objectives for EBM relating to the South Central Coast of B.C. posted for 60 day review and comment by December 6, 2006. The draft legal objectives under the Land Act Regulation went for public review as part of the land use agreement with the KNT First Nations group.
· The objectives included: initial resource management direction for cultural and heritage values, cedar, high value fish habitat; sensitive watersheds and upland water quality; ecological biodiversity, red and blue list ecosystems, stand level retention, and critical grizzly bear habitat.
January 21, 2007
· The federal government, provincial government and private non-profit organizations partnered to commit $120 million to support the Conservation Investments and Incentives Initiative Fund (CIII). The fund is aimed at preserving the integrity of the Great Bear Rainforest for generations to come and at promoting economic development opportunities for First Nations.
· The combined federal-provincial contribution ($60 million) to the CIII will be directed toward economic development opportunities for First Nations businesses involved in sustainable ventures such as tourism and non-timber forest products. The matching private funding ($60 million) will provide an endowment fund for conservation management and research projects in the region in perpetuity.
January 24, 2007
· Ads for the public review process for a first suite of proposed Land Use Legal Objectives for EBM relating to the North and Central Coast of B.C. and the Turning Point First Nations posted from January 24 to Feb. 2 after which the 60 day review and comment period will begin, to be completed on April 3, 2007.
Moving Forward to
2009
· A critical component of the agreements for the Central and North Coasts is the full implementation of EBM by March 31st, 2009. Collaborative discussions are underway to solidify a transition and implementation plan to ensure we reach this goal.
· Further land conservancies will be formalized by the Ministry of Environment later in 2007. The number of conservancies to be established this year will be determined later this spring.
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Communications Director Ministry of Agriculture and Lands 250 356-2862 250 213-3072 (cell) |
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