| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
This bibliography was completed to provide an information base to the Babine Watershed Monitoring Group. This group is being established to coordinate monitoring of resource management plans and activities in the Babine River watershed, in North Central BC. The Babine River watershed is recognized internationally for its high value natural resources. The Babine River itself is known for its superb steelhead fishery, and is a substantial producer of other fish species. The Babine sockeye salmon run supports a commercial fishery at the mouth of the Skeena River. The area sustains wildlife species including a large grizzly bear population. The Babine watershed has extensive areas of commercially important forests, and is also valued for its non_timber forest products. High quality recreational opportunities and important cultural heritage values are present in the area. When timber extraction began in the area, potential for resource use conflicts became apparent. Research and planning projects were designed to inventory the resources and develop strategies for sustaining values while providing land and resource use opportunities. Many of the reports and publications resulting from these projects are included in this bibliography. Strategic land use planning processes, usually initiatives of the BC provincial government, have evolved over the years. Initial planning was concerned with potential access routes on the north and east side of the Babine River. The first formal planning process resulted in the Local Resource Use Plan (LRUP), which encompassed a corridor along the length of the Babine River. This was followed by the Kispiox and Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMPs), and the Babine and Nilkitkwa Landscape Unit Plans (LUPs). In 2004, the West Babine Sustainable Resource Management Plan (SRMP) was finalized. Descriptions of these systematic planning processes are available on the Internet or through related government ministries. Many of the resultant planning documents are cited in this bibliography. |
