| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
The North Coast Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) covers approximately 1.7 million hectares of land. The LRMP represents the consensus reached by the participants of the North Coast LRMP Planning Table. The Table met for 29 months from February 2002 to June 2004. The Table consisted of representatives of nine public sectors, eight First Nations, local governments and the provincial government. The LRMP contains seven chapters which are described below. 1. Introduction: This chapter gives a physical, social and economic description of the North Coast LRMP area and its communities. It also describes the planning process, including an overview of the process, participants in the process, the participation of the Nisga’a Nation (which has a treaty with the governments of British Columbia and Canada), the participation of other First Nations (which do not yet have treaties), decisionmaking and consensus, the relationship to coast-wide planning, and communications. 2. First Nations Planning and Participation: This chapter was prepared by First Nations participants in the North Coast LRMP. It describes their perspective on matters relating to the North Coast LRMP. This chapter has not been formally reviewed, endorsed, agreed to, or ratified by the Table and does not form part of the LRMP recommendations from the Table. 3. Ecosystem-Based Management: The Terms of Reference for the North Coast LRMP Process, and the General Protocol Agreement on Land Use Planning and Interim Measures signed in 2001 between the Provincial Government and signatory First Nations, both provide that the North Coast LRMP be developed and based on the principles of ecosystem-based management (EBM). The introduction to this chapter describes the general features of EBM, the importance of traditional ecological knowledge, the relationship between maintaining ecological integrity and providing human well-being, and documents how the North Coast LRMP meets the requirements of an EBM plan. The second section in this chapter provides more detailed descriptions of an EBM system for the North Coast. The Table recommends adoption of the EBM Framework developed by the Coast Information Team. It also recommends adoption and use of the EBM Planning Handbook (also produced by the Coast Information Team) as guidance in the development of EBM plans, forest development plans and forest stewardship plans. There are also recommendations for: applying the targets from the EBM Planning Handbook to the North Coast LRMP area (including refinement of ecosystem representation targets); making social choices about the targets; and transitional targets that should be revisited by the North Coast Monitoring Team by March 31, 2005. This section also describes the relationship between the EBM Planning Handbook and the General Management Direction presented in Chapter 5 of the LRMP recommendations. The EBM Planning Handbook is considered to provide the primary management direction for those topics covered by the Handbook. The General Management Direction provides incremental management direction for topics covered by the Handbook, and primary management direction for those topics not covered by the Handbook. Any conflicts between the Handbook and the General Management Direction are to be addressed by the North Coast Monitoring Team and the EBM Council. Some of the work on developing General Management Direction was not completed prior to the deadline for completing LRMP recommendations. The Table provides recommendations for how that work should be completed. The Table also recommends: the use of adaptive management to update the plan; a process for establishing legal objectives; and a transition process for achieving EBM. Additional recommendations address the reallocation of operating areas for forest license holders and the establishment of a community forest licence for the City of Prince Rupert. 4. Land Use Designations and Direction: The Table recommends four different land use designations: Protection Areas, Biodiversity Areas, Special Forest Management Areas, and EBM Operating Areas. Together, the existing Protected Areas, recommended Protection Areas, Biodiversity Areas and Special Forest Management Areas comprise approximately 603,000 hectares, or 35% of the land base. The Table also recommends a flexibility principle, an equivalency provision, and community priorities to be considered as land use designations are finalized through government-to-government discussions. 4.1 Protection Areas: The primary purpose of Protection Areas is habitat conservation, maintenance of bio-diversity, ecosystem representation and function, protection of key habitats for wildlife, including rare and threatened species, seral stage diversity, and/or the protection of special landscape, recreation and cultural heritage features. In Protection Areas: a) commercial forestry, mineral exploration and development, and hydro-electric development are prohibited; b) First Nations sustenance traditional and cultural uses are permitted provided that they are carried out within ecological limits; and c) other permitted uses, and the levels of such permitted uses (e.g. tourism, recreation, etc.) are to be determined in a manner that respects and recognizes the primary purpose of Protection Areas. The Table recommends the establishment of 18 Protection Areas larger than 4,000 hectares in addition to the existing Protected Areas: Banks North; KsiX’anmas (Kwinamass); Sparkling; Campania; Khyex; Stagoo South; Crab Lake; Lowe-Gamble-Alty; Stephens Island Group; Dundas-Melville; Lower Ecstall; Tuck-Woodworth Lakes; Europa Lake; Monkton; Union Lake; Khtada Lake; Porcher West; Upper Ecstall. The Table also recommends the establishment of 37 smaller Protection Areas, five of which are included within the larger Protection Areas: Aristazabal North; Gunboat Harbour; Shearwater Hotsprings; Aristazabal West; Kitkiata Inlet; Skeena River Estuary Sites; Ashdown Island; Kitsault Estuary; Stair Creek Eco Reserve; Bishop Bay; Larcom Lagoon; Thulme Falls; Bonilla Island; Lower Skeena River Sites; Turtle Bay; Captain Cove; Lucy Islands; Union Passage; Crow Lagoon; MacDonald Inlet; Wales Harbour; Dudevoir Passage; Manzanita Cove; Weeteeam Bay; East Simpson Lake; Maple Bay; Winter Inlet; Ethelda Bay; North Danger Rocks; Zumtela Bay; Fin Island; Quottoon Narrows. Three additional areas will be addressed in government-to-government discussions. Together, existing Protected and recommended Protection Areas comprise approximately 408,000 hectares, or 24% of the land base. The Table recommends that the North Coast Monitoring Team finalize the list of values and develop strategic management direction for each Protection Area. 4.2 Biodiversity Areas: Biodiversity Areas are defined as areas where commercial forestry and major hydro-electric development are prohibited but mineral exploration and development are permitted. These areas are considered part of the Mineral Zone of the Two-Zone system for mineral exploration and mining in BC, in accordance with EBM. The primary role of the Biodiversity Areas is conservation and the contribution to the maintenance of species, ecosystems and seral stage diversity and ecosystem function. Biodiversity Areas contribute to strategic level conservation values by being located adjacent to Protection Areas or existing parks, resulting in large aggregations of lands managed for biological diversity. The specific purpose of individual Biodiversity Areas will vary depending upon the specific resource values and attributes found within that area. Biodiversity Areas can contribute to increasing knowledge by serving as control sites for research (e.g. benthic monitoring). Biodiversity areas may also contribute significantly to recreational, cultural heritage and tourism economic objectives provided they are consistent with EBM, Biodiversity Area objectives and final management plans drafted by the North Coast Monitoring Team. In Biodiversity Areas: a) commercial forestry and major hydro-electric development are prohibited. b) First Nations traditional uses are permitted provided that they are carried out within ecological limits. The Table recommends the establishment of five Biodiversity Areas: Alwyn Lake; Kingkown; Porcher Island; Johnston-Quaal; Pa’aat. These areas comprise approximately 96,000 hectares. The Table recommends that the North Coast Monitoring Team finalize the list of values and develop strategic management direction for each Biodiversity Area. 4.3 Special Forest Management Areas: Special Forest Management Areas are areas where: a) commercial forestry and major hydro-electric development are prohibited. b) First Nations traditional uses, mineral exploration and development, tourism, recreation and other activities are permitted and shall take place as if in EBM Operating Areas. The Table recommends the establishment of two Special Forest Management Areas: Kitsault-Stagoo and Kshwan. These areas comprise approximately 99,000 hectares. The Table recommends that the North Coast Monitoring Team finalize the list of values for each Special Forest Management Area. 4.4 EBM Operating Areas: The areas not designated as existing Protected Areas, recommended Protection Areas, Biodiversity Areas, or Special Forest Management Areas are recommended as EBM Operating Areas. These areas are available for the full range of economic uses, provided that such uses are consistent with the application of EBM principles described in Chapter 3 and the general management direction described in Chapter 5. These areas comprise approximately 1.1 million hectares, or 65% of the land base. 5. General Management Direction: This chapter contains the recommended General Management Direction to be applied on Provincial Crown land in the LRMP area. General Management Direction includes: • Management Intent – a broad goal statement describing the desired outcome of management • Objectives, Indicators and Targets – detailed descriptions of desired outcomes of management • Management Considerations – additional considerations provided as advice to developers General Management Direction applies to all parts of the LRMP, provided that it is consistent with the values and land use designations described in Chapter 4. General Management Direction is provided for the following resources or values: Access Management; Grizzly Bears; Timber; Aquatic and Riparian Ecosystems; Marbled Murrelets; Tourism; Black/Kermode Bears; Mineral and Energy Resources; Ungulates; Coarse Filter Biodiversity; Non-commercial Recreation; Visual Management; Cultural Heritage Resources; Northern Goshawk. The Table agreed on Management Intent for all resources and values. The Table agreed on all Objectives for all resources and values, except for one Objective for Coarse Filter Biodiversity. Indicators or targets were still under development at the LRMP deadline for the following resources or values: Aquatic and Riparian Ecosystems; Marbled Murrelets; Timber; Coarse Filter Biodiversity; Non-commercial Recreation; Ungulates; Grizzly Bears; Northern Goshawk. 6. Community Stability and Economic Development: This chapter describes the Table’s community and economic development interests for the LRMP area. It includes an agreement on “No net job loss or better” as well as economic and social goals for the area. 7. Implementation, Monitoring and Amendment: The Table recommends a structure to implement the LRMP that involves a local North Coast Monitoring Team (with representation from stakeholders and First Nations), an EBM Council and a Science Team. The recommendations describe the relationships between these bodies and local government, provincial government, and First Nations. The Table recommends that the North Coast Monitoring Team receive information and advice from the EBM council and Science team, but maintain the responsibility for making social choice recommendations on the North Coast LRMP. They also recommend a seamless transition from the planning into a Monitoring Team, and require appropriate levels of funding to support monitoring and amendment activities. Monitoring and amendment processes are also described. |
