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This report describes the biodiversity conservation plan for the White Landscape Unit (LU) and includes the associated legal objectives for old growth retention and wildlife tree retention. A description of the planning unit, discussion on significant resource values, and an Old Growth Management Area (OGMA) summary are provided.
Biological diversity is defined as: ?the diversity of plants, animals and other living organisms in all their forms and levels of organisation, and includes the diversity of genes, species and ecosystems as well as the evolutionary and functional processes that link them?1. British Columbia is the most biologically diverse province in Canada. In British Columbia, 115 species or subspecies of known vertebrates and 364 vascular plants are listed for legal designation as threatened or endangered2. The continuing loss of biological diversity will have a major impact on the health and functions of ecosystems and the quality of life in the province (Resources Inventory Committee, 1998). Planning to maintain biodiversity occurs at a variety of levels, all of which are linked hierarchically. The provincial level includes parks and the Protected Area Strategy, while at the regional level, the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan gives guidance and legal direction to finer levels of strategic planning, in this case, landscape and stand level conservation of old growth forests.
Planning for OGMA and wildlife tree patch (WTP) biodiversity values is recognized as a high priority for the province. LU planning is supported by the Forest Practices Code of BC Act (FPC) and provides for the legal establishment of objectives to address landscape level biodiversity values.
Implementation of this strategic planning initiative is intended to help sustain certain biodiversity values. Managing for biodiversity through retention of old growth forests is not only important for wildlife, but can also provide important benefits to ecosystem management, protection of water quality and preservation of other natural forest resources. Although not all elements of biodiversity can be, or need to be, maintained on every hectare, a broad geographic distribution of old growth ecosystems is intended to help sustain the genetic and functional diversity of native species across their historic ranges.
The Campbell River Forest District has completed LU boundaries for Vancouver Island and established Biodiversity Emphasis Options (BEOs) in accordance with the direction provided by government. Current government direction requires that priority biodiversity provisions, including the delineation of OGMAs and specification of Wildlife Tree Patch 1 FPC Biodiversity Guidebook, September 1995
2BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer. 2003. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Available: http://srmapps.gov.bc.ca/apps/eswp/ (September 15, 2003).
(WTP) requirements be undertaken immediately. This work was initiated by the former Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (now incorporated into the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands) in conjunction with Weyerhaeuser Company Limited (now Cascadia Forest Products).
McDougall, Ian, Deal, John A.; Tanner, David (Buck). 2009. Biodiversity Report with proposed legal objectives. Forest Investment Account (FIA) - Forest Science Program. Forest Investment Account Report. FIA2009MR198
Topic: FLNRORD Research Program
Keywords: Forest, Investment, Account, (FIA), British, Columbia
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