BACKGROUNDER
2009AL0007-000588 March 31, 2009	Ministry of Agriculture and Lands
HIGHLIGHTS - ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT

Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) is an adaptive approach to managing human activities that seeks to ensure the coexistence of healthy, fully functioning ecosystems and human communities. An adaptive management approach means that EBM will be monitored and tested with the goal of improving land and resource management policies, objectives and practices over time.

 

Another major component of the EBM framework is a strong government-to-government relationship with First Nations, establishing the recognition and management of important First Nations cultural and heritage resources, including monumental cedar and culturally modified trees.

 

The Province is committed to balancing its responsibilities for ecological integrity and human well-being. EBM implementation highlights include:

•                   Creation of an EBM Working Group with representation from First Nations, the Province, conservation groups and the forest industry, that developed  recommendations on EBM research priorities and on the application of research results.

•                   Amended legal orders to guide EBM implementation and improve ecological values by managing to a moderate level of risk across the plan area.

•                   Establishment of 114 conservancies across the Central Coast and North Coast planning regions.

•                   Low-impact logging regulations that set aside 50% of the natural range of old growth forests.

•                   An adaptive management framework that will continually test and improve the EBM system.

 

The plan also includes the designation of 21 Biodiversity, Tourism and Mining Areas (BMTAs) encompassing 300,000 hectares.  BMTAs are designed to:

•                   Exist as one of three land use zones for the region that make up an innovative system of collaborative governance involving the Province and First Nations.  The other two zones are Protected Areas and EBM Operating Areas.

•                   Exclude commercial forestry and hydro-electric generation linked to the power grid. 

•                   Conserve ecological values and contribute to the maintenance of species, ecosystems, diversity and ecosystem function.

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Media contact:	Liz Bicknell Communications Director Ministry of Agriculture and Lands 250 356-2862 250 213-3072 cell
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