Implementation, Monitoring and Amendment
Implementation of the West Branch Valley Land and Resource Management Plan is primarily the responsibility of provincial regulatory agencies. LRMPs are implemented through resource management decisions made by provincial statutory decision-makers. Aspects of the plan are also implemented through activities, projects and partnerships with licensees, tenure holders and area users.
The rate of plan implementation by provincial agencies depends on staffing levels, budgets and legislated priorities. Successful implementation depends on regulatory agencies and project proponents incorporating appropriate, available and up-to-date information into project proposals and resource management decisions.
This plan is intended to be a living document. It will need to respond to new scientific information and provincial policies (e.g., new inventories, changing legislation or regulations).
Minor amendments will be made from time to time during plan implementation. If major changes are needed, government will provide appropriate opportunities for review and comment by interested groups and individuals.
Publication of the plan coincides with ongoing discussions with First Nations concerning their interests in the plan area. These discussions will conclude before land use objectives and protected areas are legally established.
An implementation strategy will be developed setting out the tasks and responsibilities of regulatory agencies and others involved in implementing the plan. Table 1 highlights priority actions. Many of these are also listed in the body of the plan.
Funding has been arranged to support a plan monitoring committee for the first year of plan implementation.
Monitoring will help the plan keep on track and achieve its goals. A monitoring framework will be developed that defines roles and responsibilities, consistent with legislation and policy.
Table 1:
Implementation Tasks and Responsibilities
Note: Implementation tasks are subject to agency staff, budgets, and legislated priorities.
| Task | Lead Agency | Other Participants | Comments | Target Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conclude discussions with First Nations to identify and address their interests in the LRMP, commencing with proposed protected areas | MSRM | First Nations, WLAP (BC Parks) for protected areas | To be concluded before legally establishing protected areas or land use objectives | Complete by 2007 for proposed protected areas |
| Develop implementation strategy | MSRM | Plan Monitoring Committee | Indicates priorities for improving information and assigns responsibilities | Ongoing |
| Develop monitoring framework | MSRM | Plan Monitoring Committee | Includes tracking of improvements in information | Ongoing |
| Initiate discussions with First Nations on their involvement in plan implementation and related projects | MSRM | First Nations | Desired outcomes are written agreements that will foster information sharing and resource management | Ongoing |
| Establish legal land use objectives as required | MSRM | Regulatory agencies; timber licencees; First Nations | Ongoing | |
| Prepare information products to support statutory decision makers, where appropriate | MSRM | Regulatory and tenure issuing agencies | Ongoing | |
| Develop process for tracking the allocation of timber harvesting planning allowances | MSRM | MOF; WLAP; timber licencees | Should be in place before plan implementation | Ongoing |
| Ensure LRMP document is consistent with resultsbased regulations and land use policies (e.g., Forest and Range Practices Act; working forest policy) | MSRM | MOF; MEM; WLAP; LWBC | To incorporate regulatory and policy changes affecting resource development | Ongoing |
| Designate Scenic Areas; establish visual quality objectives | MOF | MSRM | To commence within one year of confirmation of Zone A and Zone B boundaries. | |
| Design and initiate plans for spotted owl management, including inventory | WLAP | MOF; timber licencees; mineral industry | Ongoing | |
| Design and initiate a grizzly bear recovery plan | WLAP | MOF; LWBC; timber licencees; tourism and mineral industries | Ongoing | |
| Conduct a tailed frog inventory | WLAP | MOF; timber licencees | Ongoing | |
| Develop mule deer planning cells within winter ranges | WLAP | MOF; timber licensees, MSRM | Ongoing | |
| Establish a wildlife management area in Cayoosh Range | WLAP | First Nations; MOF/td> | For managing mountain goat herds and habitat | |
| Prepare public information or education materials, where appropriate | WLAP | Can include signs, brochures, etc. | Ongoing | |
| Legally establish new protected areas (formally define boundaries; draft orders in council or legislative materials) | WLAP (BC Parks, Victoria) | MSRM; LWBC; MEM; MOF; First Nations | Boundaries to be consistent with Surveyor General guidelines; need to address land status, legal encumbrances, and future access corridors. | Timeline is contingent on concluding consultations with First Nations. |
| Prepare management direction statements for new protected areas | WLAP (BC Parks) | User groups; tenure holders | Needs to wait on legal establishment of protected area | Ongoing |
| Manage, monitor and enforce new protected areas | WLAP | Ongoing | ||
| Complete priority access Initiate in 2004 management measures, listed below: Texas Creek road, downstream of junction with Molybdenite road: close road to public motor vehicle use in spring (May 1 to June 30); Texas Creek watershed: close watershed to offroad, public motor vehicle use in spring (May 1 to June 30); Van Horlick Creek road, at bridge at 8 kilometres: close road to public motor vehicle use in spring (May 1 to June 30); Davey Jones Creek road: close road to public motor vehicle use in spring (May 1 to June 30); Red Mountain road: close road to public motor vehicle use in spring (May 1 to June 30) | WLAP; MOF | MSRM; MEM; timber licensees; tenure holders; general public | Temporary or regulatory control measures preferred | Ongoing |
| Prepare a management plan for designated mining/tourism areas in South Chilcotin Range | Mineral and tourism industries | Local government; MSRM; MEM; WLAP; MOF | Plan should be guided by the intent of the Mining / Tourism Memorandum of Understanding, and include input from industry, business, local communities, public recreation, and conservation interests | Ongoing |
| Design and initiate a mineral resource study in the plan area to support mineral exploration and development | Mineral industry | MEM; MSRM | Study is contingent on partnership support | Ongoing |
| Continue work to improve land and resource information to support sound, scientificallybased and integrated management | All agencies | Contingent on agency staff, budgets and legislated priorities Updated information (e.g. habitat maps) can be added to the plan without formal amendment, provide overall balance of plan is maintained | Ongoing | |
| Monitor commercial and public recreational use throughout the plan area to identify potential problems for grizzly bears and develop feasible solutions | To be determined | To be determined | Monitoring will be included in grizzly bear recovery and park management. Commercial recreation (resource-based tourism) operators have played a role in data collection and stewardship and it is expected that this will continue in the future. Design and implement a monitoring system for commercial and recreation uses to assess levels of use in grizzly bear habitats |