PART 1
STRATEGIC LAND USE PLANNING
Strategic land use planning is the broadest level of planning undertaken in BC, usually at the initiative of the provincial government. It sets high level direction for the full range of land use activities that occur on public land, and generally ascribes priority uses to given areas. It is contrasted to "operational planning" which defines how and where site-specific land use activities, such as logging, mining or grazing, will occur. Operational planning for forest and range resources is discussed in Part 3 of this Guide.
The BC Commission on Resources and Environment, active in early land use processes in the mid 1990s, defined strategic land use planning as:
… a participatory style of planning for relatively extensive geographic areas (e.g. regions or subregions) that focuses on defining land and resource allocation and management goals/objectives and corresponding strategies for achieving those goals/objectives. Strategic land use planning is distinguished from operational forms of planning that identify the details of how specific activities will be undertaken.
Until recently, strategic land use planning did not occur on a systematic basis throughout British Columbia. It tended to take place on a relatively ad hoc basis for localized areas of competing land uses. Since the mid-1990s, the provincial government has undertaken more comprehensive strategic planning for most areas of the province in a manner which has attempted to be inclusive of the spectrum of interests across the province. The end result of these efforts is a series of strategic land use plans which guide or govern a range of activities on public land. The Commission on Resources and Environment made the following observation about strategic land use plans:
... as strategic plans predominantly reflect social value-based decisions, the planning processes used to develop strategic land use plans are typically highly participatory. Strategic land use plans guide/direct subsequent, more detailed and technical planning and administrative decision-making for the area in question.
As mentioned earlier, strategic plans provide guidance for the full range of land use activities occuring on public land. A strategic plan may contain land use objectives which relate specifically to forest practices (forest practices as defined in the Code include timber harvesting, road construction, road maintenance, road use, road deactivation, silviculture treatments, botanical forest product collecting, grazing, hay cutting, fire use, control and suppression and any other activity carried out on public land, and private land in a tree farm or woodlot licence, by persons holding agreements under the Forest Act and Range Act for commercial purposes). These objectives may be formally designated as "higher level plans" under the Forest Practices Code. "Higher level plan" is a legal term, brought in under the Code, which enables the objectives from a strategic land use plan to be legally binding on subsequent operational activities. Higher level plans are discussed in detail in Part 2 of the Guide.
Much has been written about the elements of successful strategic plans, both in terms of content and process. These aspects of strategic land use planning will not be addressed in this Guide; however, there are several useful publications available for those of you who want more information on them.
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For Further Reference
Strategic Land Use Planning: Source Book. Commission on Resources and Environment, March 1996.
Planning for Sustainability: Improving the Planning Delivery System for British Columbia. The Provincial Land Use Strategy, Volume 2. Commission on Resources and Environment, November 1994.
1.1 LEVELS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
In British Columbia, strategic land use planning has been primarily conducted on two levels in recent years: regional and subregional. As a result of regional planning, Regional Land Use Plans have been developed in four areas across the province: the Cariboo-Chilcotin, Vancouver Island, the East Kootenay and the West Kootenay-Boundary regions. These four plans are discussed in Part 1.4 of the Guide. Subregional planning generally results in the development of a Land and Resource Management Plan, the details of which are discussed in Part 1.5 of the Guide. Strategic planning may also occur on a smaller scale at the local level, through planning exercises known as Local Resource Use Plans. These plans are discussed in Part 1.7 of the Guide.
LEVELS OF STRATEGIC LAND USE PLANNING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Provincial Level Province-wide strategies, policies, and laws, such as: • Protected Areas Strategy
• Provincial Land Use Strategy
• First Nations treaty negotiations
• Agricultural land policy
• Wildlife strategies (e.g. Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy)
• Laws governing land and resource use, such as the Forest Act, Forest Practices Code Act, Mineral Tenure Act, Park Act, Wildlife Act, and regulations under these Acts
Regional Level Regionally-based land use strategies, such as: • Regional land use plans for Vancouver Island, Cariboo-Chilcotin, West Kootenay-Boundary, and East Kootenay
Subregional Level Subregional land use strategies, such as: • Land and Resource Management Plans
Local Level Locally-based land use strategies, such as: • Landscape Unit Plans
• Local Resource Use Plans
1.2 HISTORY OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
Prior to 1992, strategic land use planning occurred somewhat haphazardly across British Columbia, mainly in localized areas where land and resource use conflicts had arisen. These plans were known by several different names such as local resource use plans, integrated watershed management plans, folio plans, total resource plans, Crown land plans and integrated resource management plans. Many were multi-agency, multi-interest planning exercises conducted either by the Ministry of Forests, jointly with other agencies, the (then) Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing, or in some cases, a body known as the Environment and Land Use Committee (ELUC) Secretariat. Some of these planning exercises led to land use designations, while others were adopted less formally as agency policy for a local area, which lacked formal legal enforceability.
In 1992, in response to a growing number of land use conflicts, the Harcourt government established a land use commission to oversee strategic planning in three regions which were considered "hot spots" at the time, with the intention of moving to the remainder of the province in due course. The Commission on Resources and Environment (CORE) was established by legislation, and began developing principles and strategies to work towards regional land use plans for the Vancouver Island, Cariboo-Chilcotin and Kootenay regions. The intent was to try to reach consensus among many interests involved in the planning effort. Where no consensus among the stakeholders in each region could be reached, the Commission was empowered to recommend a land use plan to Cabinet. While the regional land use plans eventually approved by Cabinet were the product of negotiations subsequent to the Commission recommendations, CORE’s preparatory work nevertheless provided an important basis for the final outcomes.
The CORE planning process was considered to be the broadest level of strategic planning, addressing large regions of the province. The CORE outcomes typically recommended that a certain part of the region be given protected area status (such as provincial park), and recommended "zonation" of the remainder of the land base according to certain resource priority uses. For example, a certain portion would be recommended as special resource management zone (or low intensity area) in acknowledgement of values such as wildlife, tourism or recreation; a portion as intensive management zone (or high intensity area) for areas where resource extraction had foremost priority; and, the remainder as integrated management zone (or general management zone) reflecting a status quo integrated resource management regime.
Concurrently, subregional planning was being conducted in areas which were not undergoing regional land use planning, in a similar framework but sometimes on a smaller geographic scale. Subregional plans became known as Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMPs). The purpose and intent of LRMPs is set out in a 1993 policy document entitled Land and Resource Management Planning: A Statement of Principles and Process. The chosen scale for subregional planning was normally the timber supply area administrative unit. Where necessary, planning boundaries could include tree farm licence areas, which do not lie within timber supply area boundaries. Timber supply areas are land units for which an allowable annual cut (AAC) is determined by the province’s Chief Forester. The AAC for each timber supply area is apportioned between all parties holding a licence (tenure) to harvest timber from within that area. Tree farm licences are a form of tenure in BC under which a single licensee is granted the right to harvest timber from within the licence area. Both timber supply areas and tree farm licences are discussed in Appendix 6, which contains an overview of the provincial timber tenure system.
LRMPs began in many parts of the province before CORE concluded its work in other regions. In 1994, the government established the Land Use Coordination Office (LUCO), which reports directly to a Cabinet committee comprised of the Minister of Forests, the Minister of Energy and Mines, and the Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks. LUCO oversees issues concerning implementation of the regional land use plans and approved LRMPs, and coordinates LRMPs throughout the province. Often LUCO, working with Inter-Agency Management Committees, will appoint committees comprised of non-government representatives who have been involved in the land use planning to consult on implementation issues. In some areas regional resource boards have been established to perform this role. In 1996, the provincial government disbanded CORE, and strategic planning devolved to LRMP tables around the province, coordinated by LUCO and regional Inter-Agency Management Committees comprised of senior representatives from agencies with mandates related to land and resource use.
1.3 HOW STRATEGIC LAND USE PLANS RESULT IN CHANGES ON THE GROUND
1.4 REGIONAL LAND USE PLANSWhile most strategic land use plans address the range of protected areas and resource management zones discussed next, some plans are more detailed than others. For example, some plans are fairly generic and basic in their description of the management objectives for the resource management zones while others provide detailed objectives covering a broader array of land use activities. Some of the more detailed plans have introduced management strategies for natural features such as lakes, where visual quality objectives, water-based recreation choices (such as motorized vs. non-motorized boat access and horsepower restrictions), and fish management issues (such as stocking, bait use, catch and release, fly fish only) are addressed in considerable detail. As described in Part 1.5.4, one plan creates a special management zone which specifically allows activities such as mineral exploration but disallows logging and construction of roads.
Once approved by government, these land use plans become government policy. While there is a strong expectation that government policy will be followed by resource management agencies in their administration of land use activities, the land use planning effort can be frustrated if policy is not followed, or if the expectations of the parties who developed or agreed to the plan are not delivered on the ground. There are several ways in which government can deal with the implementation of land use plans.
Land Use Designations. The land use designations discussed in Part 4 of this Guide may be made following approval of the plan. There are varying degrees of enforceability to the designations, but generally those which are statute-based will have legal rules governing permissible land uses. Plans may therefore result in the designation of provincial parks, ecological reserves, forest reserve land, wildlife management areas, etc. In most of the province, land use designations have already been made in advance of strategic land use planning, such as for provincial forests, which have been designated across much of British Columbia. The issue in these cases will be whether the land use objectives can co-exist with the current designations, whether additional designations will achieve the objectives of the land use plan (such as a wildlife management area in a provincial forest), or whether a change in designation is required (such as from provincial forest to provincial park, or undesignated Crown land to provincial forest).
Land use activities addressed in a plan which fall outside of forest or range practices may be addressed by other means. If mineral exploration and development is to be prohibited, mineral reserves under the Mineral Tenure Act may be designated (see Part 4.1.5). Where other land uses are to be prohibited, section 66 of the Land Act may be used (see Part 4.1.4).
Higher Level Plans under the Forest Practices Code. With the introduction of the Forest Practices Code, the various resource management zones set out in a plan may be legally designated by the three ministers responsible for land use (i.e., the Minister of Forests, of Environment, Lands and Parks, and of Energy and Mines). The objectives established for these resource management zones are considered "higher level plans," and are legally binding on all operational plans under the Code. Further detail on higher level plans is provided in Part 2 of the Guide. While higher level plan designation addresses forest and range practices regulated under the Code, it does not deal with other land uses addressed in land use plans.
Contractual Obligations and Agency Policies. Where land uses are to be allowed only under certain conditions, they may be addressed through means such as the terms and conditions incorporated into licences or permits, letters of direction from senior officials such as ministers or deputy ministers, agency policy manuals, and, Memoranda of Understanding between agencies.
Federal Government Cooperation. Some land use activities may be matters of federal jurisdiction, and as such require the agreement of the federal government. For example, to achieve the desired management goals for fishing and boating, at provincial request the federal government could pass site-specific rules through the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations under the federal Fisheries Act, or the Boating Restriction Regulations under the federal Shipping Act.
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The best single source of information detailing the results of regional land use plans is the website of LUCO at
www.luco.gov.bc.ca. Regional land use plans are detailed documents that consider multiple land and resource values at the same time and provide goals and strategies for the allocation and use of those lands and resources. There are currently four regional land use plans in British Columbia: the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan, the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan, the West Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan, and the East Kootenay Land Use Plan. The development of further regional land use plans is not currently a priority in BC; focus has instead been shifted to the completion and implementation of subregional and local level plans, particularly Land and Resource Management Plans. As a result of the current direction to focus on subregional and local planning, the
Guide does not cover the detailed outcomes of approved regional land use plans, or issues relating to their implementation. However, it may be useful background information for you to have the following general descriptions of the results of the four regional land use plans facilitated by the Commission on Resources and Environment, and subsequently modified and approved by the provincial government.
1.4.1 CARIBOO-CHILCOTIN LAND USE PLAN
The Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan was approved by the provincial government in October 1994, following two years of strategic planning by the Commission on Resources and Environment and subsequent follow-up negotiations outside of the CORE process. The Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan resulted in the following regional land use categories by area:
Protected Areas: 12% Special Management: 26% Enhanced Resource Development: 40% Integrated Resource Management: 14% Other: 8% The plan doubled the area under protected areas status in the region, and resulted in seventeen new protected areas. Most of these were eventually designated as provincial parks under the Park Act; however, some designations were made under the Environment and Land Use Act as well.
The intent and objectives of the Special Resource Development Zone were described in government documents as:
… areas where significant fish, wildlife, ecosystem, backcountry recreation and tourism values exist. Timber harvesting, mining, and grazing will take place in this zone in a manner that respects these values.
The intent and objectives of the Enhanced Resource Development Zone were described as including:
… areas where economic benefits and jobs will be increased through intensive resource management and development. In this zone, the plan challenges all local resource users and government to set targets for increased sustainable resource development. In particular, forest productivity will be maintained and enhanced through intensive reforestation, spacing, pruning, thinning, and new harvest practices.
The Integrated Resource Management Zone was simply described as an "area that will be dedicated for sustained integrated resource use."
The Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan was the first regional land use plan to be formally designated as a higher level plan under the Forest Practices Code (i.e., those land use objectives from the plan which relate to forest practices were formally designated as a higher level plan). This was done in January 1996 by an order of the Ministers of Forests, of Environment, Lands and Parks, and of Energy and Mines pursuant to section 1(1) of the Forest Practices Code. The provisions for declaring higher level plans under the Code have been amended since then. Ongoing implementation of the land use plan is overseen by the Inter-Agency Management Committee and a multi-interest Regional Resource Board.
For Further Reference
The Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan. Commission on Resources and Environment, July 1994 (contains recommendations of CORE to provincial government).
The Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan. Government of British Columbia, October 1994 (material released at time of provincial government’s decision).
The Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan 90-Day Implementation Process Final Report. Government of British Columbia, February 1995.
Cariboo-Chilcotin Land-Use Plan Implementation Report. IAMC Implementation Committee, April 1998.
Business as Usual: The Failure to Implement the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan. Sierra Legal Defence Fund and Forest Policy Watch, April 1996.
1.4.2 VANCOUVER ISLAND LAND USE PLAN
1.4.3 WEST KOOTENAY-BOUNDARY LAND USE PLANThe Vancouver Island Land Use Plan was the first regional land use plan announced by the provincial government in June 1994, following two years of strategic planning by the Commission on Resources and Environment. The land use decision applied to Crown land on Vancouver Island, with the exception of Clayoquot Sound, which was subject to a separate planning process.
Under the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan, 23 new protected areas were established as provincial parks, bringing the total area to thirteen percent of the region. The plan specified that 81% of Vancouver Island would become part of the forest land reserve (see Part 4.1.2 of the Guide for a discussion of the forest land reserve), and that the forest land reserve areas would be divided into three resource management zones according to the intensity of their use: low intensity, high intensity and general forestry zones (now referred to as special management, enhanced management and general management zones).
Low intensity areas were established for eight percent of the plan area. These were described as areas "dedicated as part of the commercial forest but under special management standards through the Forest Practices Code that respect specific environmental and recreational values."
The remainder of the forest land reserve in the region was to be zoned for either "high intensity" or "general forestry" use. Unlike the Cariboo-Chilcotin plan, the breakdown and location of these two resource management zones were not provided at the time of the land use decision. This is still being worked out through a subsequent implementation process.
The management objectives for high intensity areas were:
… to allow companies to employ labour-intensive forest management to produce higher value and higher volumes of merchantable timber. This will provide greater harvests and more jobs on land appropriate for intensive reforestation, spacing, pruning, thinning, and new harvest practices . . .
General forestry areas were described as:
… the remaining commercial forest lands where the quality of land does not support high intensity use. This largest portion of the reserve will be protected for sustained integrated resource use.
Since the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan was announced there has been a considerable amount of implementation effort, but the resource management zones have not been finally determined. The Low Intensity Area Review Committee set out the objectives for resource management in low intensity areas in a report. Resource targets and delineation of general forestry and high intensity areas have been completed by a technical team known as the Vancouver Island Resource Targets Technical Team, and released by LUCO. Three reports were released for public comment in December 1997:
Resource Management Zones for Vancouver Island
Planning Framework Statements for Special Management Zones
Planning Framework Statements for Marine Units
Under the Vancouver Island Summary Land Use Plan, released in February 2000, the Vancouver Island land base has been zoned as follows:
Protected Areas: 13% Special Management: 8% Enhanced Resource Development: 24% General Management: 31% Other: 24% On December 1, 2000, the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan Higher Level Order came into force, formally designating resource management zones and objectives based on the Land Use Plan. It should be noted, however, that there are aspects of the original plan which are not implemented by the Order.
For Further Reference
The Vancouver Island Land Use Plan: Renewing Our Forests — Securing Our Future. Government of British Columbia, June 1994.
Completing the Protected Area System on Vancouver Island. Report of the Protected Areas Boundary Advisory Team, October 1994.
Low Intensity Areas for the Vancouver Island Region: Exploring a New Resource Management Vision. Report of the Low Intensity Area Review Committee, January 1995.
Resource Management Zones for Vancouver Island. Vancouver Island Resource Targets Project Interim Technical Report: A Discussion Paper. Vancouver Island Resource Targets Technical Team, April 1996.
Resource Management Zones for Vancouver Island. Land Use Coordination Office, December 1997.
Planning Framework Statements for Special Management Zones. Land Use Coordination Office, December 1997.
Planning Framework Statements for Marine Units. Land Use Coordination Office, December 1997.
Vancouver Island Summary Land Use Plan. Land Use Coordination Office, February 2000.
Vancouver Island Land Use Plan Higher Level Plan Order. December 1, 2000.
The West Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan was announced by the provincial government in March 1995, following two years of strategic planning by the Commission on Resources and Environment and regional participants. The plan resulted in the following regional land use categories by area:
Protected Areas: 11.3% Special Management: 17.6% Enhanced Resource Development: 10.8% Integrated Resource Management: 50.4% Other: 9.9% The plan resulted in the designation of nine new protected areas, increasing the land base dedicated to protected area status to just over eleven percent of the West Kootenay-Boundary region. These areas were designated as provincial parks under the Park Act.
The plan specified the areas that the stakeholders agreed would be designated as resource management zones. The management objectives for the Special Resource Management Zone lands indicated that:
… some areas within this zone contain concentrations of special values — such as critical fish or wildlife habitats, important viewscapes, conservation values, community watersheds, sensitive recreations sites and cultural heritage features — where there is a higher sensitivity to resource development. In these areas, all types of resource development and recreation activities can take place, but they will be managed so as to respect these sensitive values.
The management objectives for the Enhanced Resource Development Zone stated that:
… within this zone the primary emphasis is on enhancing or increasing the productive capability of natural resources for all uses, thereby maximizing jobs on these lands. These areas generally have a lower sensitivity to resource development, and their environmental quality will be maintained through application of regulations and standards, such as the Forest Practices Code.
The management objectives for the Integrated Resource Management Zone noted that:
… this zone ... will comprise areas which provide for a broad range of resource use and recreation activities, including forestry and mining exploration and development. In some areas within the zone, where sensitive values such as wildlife habitats or important viewscapes are minimal, resource development will be managed intensively with the goal of increasing production substantially. In other areas where sensitive values are higher, resource development will be managed in a way that respects those values.
One of the interesting features of the West Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan is that it led to the designation of two wildlife management areas, in areas that lie within a provincial forest (Midge Creek and Hamling Lakes), under the Wildlife Act. Wildlife management areas are managed by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and only allow resource extraction activities that are consistent with the habitat needs and the management plan for the area. These wildlife management areas were designated to maintain important wildlife habitat, such as key winter ranges and stopovers on waterfowl migration routes.
After the completion of the West Kootenay-Boundary Bay Land Use Plan, the Ministry of Forests, at the request of the Interior Lumber Manufacturer’s Association, examined (and recommended) the inclusion of an economic objective as part of the Land Use Plan.
On January 31, 2001, the Ministers of Forests, Environment, and Energy and Mines enacted the Kootenay-Boundary Bay Higher Level Plan Order which designated Resource Management Zones ,loosely based on both the West Kootenay-Boundary Bay and the East Kootenay Land Use Plans. This Higher Level Plan does not purport to implement all of the terms of the Land use Plan, and in addition guarantees a high level of timber supply in order to meet the “economic objective” recommended by the Ministry of Forests.
For Further Reference
The West Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan. Government of British Columbia, March 1995.
Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan Implementation Strategy. Land Use Coordination Office, Summer 1997.
Kootenay-Boundary Higher Level Plan Order. January 31, 2000.
1.4.4 EAST KOOTENAY LAND USE PLAN
The East Kootenay Land Use Plan was announced by the provincial government in March 1995. It resulted in the following land use categories by area:
Protected Areas: 16.5% Special Management: 11.3% Enhanced Resource Development: 7.7% Integrated Resource Management: 55% Other: 9.5% The land use plan resulted in the designation of seven new protected areas, increasing the land base dedicated to protected area status to 16.5% of the East Kootenay region. These areas were designated as provincial parks under the Park Act, except for one small corridor designated under the Environment and Land Use Act. Some existing wilderness areas under the Forest Act were upgraded to provincial park status, as was the Purcell Mountains Wilderness Conservancy which had been designated under the Environment and Land Use Act. At the time the land use plan was announced the provincial government deferred decision on one protected area candidate, the lower Cummins River. It has since been protected, bringing the protected areas total to about 16.8% of the region.
As in the West Kootenay plan, two wildlife management areas (Columbia Marshes and East Columbia Lake) were designated in the special resource management zone.
The management objectives for the special, enhanced and integrated resource management zones were the same as for the West Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan described above.
The Kootenay Boundary Higher Level Plan came into effect on January 31, 2001. It established Resource Management Zones for both the areas covered by the East Kootenay and West Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plans. Although apparently based upon the Land Use Plans, there is much in the two plans which are not implemented by the Higher Level Plan. In addition, the plans sets a guarantee of timber supply in order to meet an economic objective included in the plan.
For Further Reference
The East Kootenay Land Use Plan. Government of British Columbia, March 1995.
Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan Implementation Strategy. Land Use Coordination Office, Summer 1997.
Kootenay-Boundary Higher Level Plan Order. January 31, 2001.
1.5 LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS
Most of the strategic land use planning in British Columbia is now done under the subregional Land and Resource Management Planning process. The best single source of information detailing the process and status of Land and Resource Management Plans is the website of the Land Use Coordination Office (LUCO) at www.luco.gov.bc.ca.
1.5.1 WHAT IS A LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN
A Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) is a broad plan or vision for how the land and resources for a relatively large geographic area will be used in the future. An LRMP normally covers from one million hectares (about the size of Jasper National Park) to six million hectares (about the size of Nova Scotia). It is a form of "integrated" planning that attempts to balance environmental, economic and social objectives by considering multiple land and resource values at the same time — the goals and activities of one environmental or resource sector are coordinated with all others.
LRMPs are sponsored by the provincial government and are part of the planning framework for Crown land within British Columbia. This overview level of planning allows participants to identify regional or strategic resource interactions and ecological and socio-economic relationships that may span multiple watersheds. The planning scope and scale, however, still allows participants to retain a sense of place and community. From an information perspective, spatial land and resource information that is used in LRMPs is most usefully presented at a regional scale of 1:250 000. Information may have been collected at this scale or have been generalized from more detailed sources.
LRMPs describe resource management objectives and strategies for specific zones in the plan area. Future land and resource plans and activities, including timber harvesting, recreation, and range management should be consistent with the direction contained in an approved LRMP. LRMPs can cover provincial forests, Crown land outside provincial forests and aquatic Crown land. Private land is not generally part of an LRMP, unless it is managed as part of a timber tenure such as a tree farm licence.
1.5.2 WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF A LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN
The goals of an LRMP are to promote sustainable communities and resource use, reduce land use conflicts, provide certainty, and guide future land and resource decisions which benefit provincial, regional and community levels.
Promote Sustainable Resource Use and Communities. The LRMP process undertakes analyses that assist in the efficient use of scarce resources within the inherent productivity of ecosystems, and ensures that special-value lands and stocks of natural capital such as water and soil are maintained. This ensures the long-term health of individual resources, larger ecosystems, and the communities that depend on them. The process also identifies socio-economic and environmental objectives that can be achieved through land use zoning and management.
Prevent and Reduce Land Use Disputes. Disruptive and costly land use disputes can be prevented or minimized through the planning process. Interested parties come together to negotiate land use issues and develop planning products, which ensure a mutually agreeable balance of resource uses.
Provide Land Use Certainty and Stability. A collective commitment to a clear land use direction for a region provides long-term certainty and stability that is needed by both governments, communities and the private sector to rationalize economic and social investments in industry and communities.
Guide Future Land and Resource Decisions. The objectives and strategies contained in an LRMP provide important context and guidance for future land and resource planning and management decisions in the plan area. Local and operational level plans and day-to-day resource management decisions should be consistent with the strategic direction established by the LRMP process.
1.5.3 WHAT DOES A LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN CONTAIN
A Land and Resource Management Plan expresses land and resource management objectives and specific strategies for achieving those objectives for the resources that occur within the plan area. Objectives and strategies may be expressed at several levels.
Plan-wide level. At this level, objectives and strategies apply to the overall plan area. Region-wide objectives and strategies provide broad, corporate direction to agencies for managing the environmental, social and economic resources in the plan area, guide agencies in the development of their individual and inter-agency program priorities, and establish strategies to achieve local environmental social, economic and community objectives (including those of First Nations).
Resource management zone level. At this level, objectives and strategies apply to each of the resource management zones identified in the plan area. LRMPs generally use six main resource management zones as a means of communicating land and resource management direction for particular geographic areas within the plan.
Resource management subzone level. At this level, objectives and strategies apply to specific locations (e.g. watersheds) within a resource management zone. Resource management zone and subzone boundaries are normally communicated on a plan map.
Other products. Other products developed by the LRMP planning process include a transition strategy and report. The transition strategy identifies the ways that potential economic and social impacts (e.g. on employment) of land use change in the plan area will be addressed. The land use plan report, in most cases, will contain additional contextual and background information, documentation of the plan area issues, and methods for plan implementation, monitoring and amendment.
1.5.4 WHAT TYPES OF LAND USE CATEGORIES CAN A LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN HAVE
The basic premise of land and resource management planning is that it is a community-driven effort to resolve land use conflicts. Participants in the planning process are free to design whatever land use categories they determine are necessary to resolve land use conflicts and guide resource management.
Some of the first regional land use plans have set precedents which have led to certain standard expectations for planning outcomes, such as an expectation that a plan will recommend resource management zones similar to those found in the regional land use plans discussed above.
In order to guide those involved in LRMP planning, a model plan called the Diamond Land and Resource Management Plan was prepared in 1995. It is a useful example of what a completed LRMP could look like. Since it was prepared, several LRMPs have been completed and either approved or submitted for approval to the provincial Cabinet. The plans are available from the Land Use Coordination Office, and are found on LUCO’s website, at www.luco.gov.bc.ca.
The standard expectations for LRMP outcomes include the following land use categories:
Protected Areas. Areas protected for their natural (biophysical), cultural heritage, and/or recreational values. Logging, mining, hydroelectric dams, and oil and gas development are prohibited.
Special Resource Management Zones. Areas for which the conservation of one or more resource values — such as habitat, recreation, tourism, scenery and community watersheds — are a priority.
General Resource Management Zones. Areas to be managed for a wide array of resource values and permissible uses.
Enhanced Resource Development Zones. Areas suitable for relatively intensive development of resources such as timber, mineral, petroleum and natural gas, and for destination resorts.
Settlement and Private Lands. Areas reflecting existing community boundaries and anticipated growth areas. These areas are primarily planned and managed by local governments under the Municipal Act.
Agriculture. Lands in the agricultural land reserve and other lands, including foreshore and marine areas that are suitable for food production activities.
LRMPs which have been completed and approved by government to date suggest that there is flexibility to design zones and objectives to accomplish particular desired ends of the participants at planning tables. For example, the approved Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan created two classes of special management zones (SM1 and SM2) in order to meet the resource values of the area. One class does not allow roads or timber harvesting, while the second class does. The Plan notes that:
… [a]reas designated as SM1 Zones exclude all industrial activities except mineral exploration and mining. Timber harvesting is not allowed. Removal of trees is permitted only where required for approved mining exploration and development purposes, including access, and for other activities consistent with objectives and specific direction for management stated in each of the planning units and sub units.
This zone recognizes that because of the hidden nature of mineral resources, exploration requires a large landbase. It further recognizes that mineral exploration and mine development can occur in areas where wildlife, scenic, and recreation values are high. However, only fly-in access or use of existing roads is permitted for the early stages of exploration. All roads will be permanently deactivated when exploration or mining has been discontinued.
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1.5.5 FOUR BASIC STEPS IN LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANNING
The Land Use Coordination Office has identified the following four steps in Land and Resource Management Planning:
Scoping, Consultation and Process Design. This initial stage focuses on designing process, identifying issues, and developing the process terms-of-reference. An Inter-agency Planning Team, made up primarily of staff from provincial agencies, but also potentially including federal, local and First Nations representatives, is established to coordinate the process. Representatives from all key stakeholder groups are selected to participate in negotiating the issues and solutions at a "Planning Table." Orientation training is provided to Table participants on the LRMP process and products. The main result from this stage is an agreement among the parties to proceed with the LRMP according to agreed terms-of-reference that set out the specific process, roles and responsibilities and timing.
Plan Development. This LRMP stage involves information analysis, scenario development and building agreement to a final plan. "Base case" reports, describing what the future environmental and socio-economic condition of the region would be in the absence of a LRMP, are presented to provide a comparison to various plan scenarios that are subsequently developed. Negotiation among Table participants, subject to government policy direction and supported with technical analyses, produces one or more land use scenarios for the region, showing resource management zones and associated objectives and strategies. Scenarios are evaluated, with public input, to determine their environmental, economic or social implications. These steps provide a basis for participants to attempt to develop a final land use plan. Spatial land and resource information is used extensively during the planning stage for a number of tasks.
Approval. The consensus plan is reviewed by government agencies, as a basis for approval by senior staff at the regional level, prior to approval-in-principle by Cabinet. If Cabinet requires some changes to a LRMP, these are incorporated for final review and endorsement of the plan by the Table. The LRMP is then final and ready for implementation.
Implementation and Monitoring. LRMP implementation may include legal designation of portions of the plan under the Forest Practices Code (for example, making the objectives for its resource management zone higher level plans), as well as statutory designation of other areas such as protected areas, or the forest land reserve. The plan is provided to all resource management agencies that are responsible for implementing the plan’s objectives and strategies that are relevant to their mandates. Implementation provisions in the plan will normally describe the process for handling disputes over plan interpretation. Implementation efforts are monitored to ensure conformance with the plan direction; a monitoring committee may be set-up for this purpose. LRMPs will contain language to describe the process for plan amendment, with a major plan review scheduled to begin at the eighth year following plan approval. LUCO recently released a working draft of a Provincial Monitoring Framework for Strategic Land Use Plans to assist government agencies in developing a consistent approach to implementation and effectiveness monitoring procedures for approved strategic land use plans.
For Further Reference
The following publications are available from the Land Use Coordination Office at www.luco.gov.bc.ca.
Diamond Land and Resource Management Plan — A Model Report. January 1995.
Guide to Spatial Land and Resource Management in Land and Resource Management Planning. 1997.
Integrated Land Use Planning for Public Lands in British Columbia. February 1997.
Land and Resource Management Planning: A Statement of Principles and Process, Edition No.1. October 1996.
Policy for Local Government Involvement in Land and Resource Management Plans. November 1996.
Provincial Monitoring Framework for Strategic Land Use Plans — Working Draft. July 1999.
Public Participation Guidelines. November 1993.
Resource Analysis Guidelines. February 1995.
Social and Economic Impact Assessment for Land and Resource Management Planning in British Columbia. August 1993.
Strategic Land Use Monitoring Procedures Working Draft. May 2000.
The Land Use Coordination Office website also contains information about training and publications for LRMP participants.
1.6 STATUS OF STRATEGIC LAND USE PLANNING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Strategic land use planning is underway throughout much of British Columbia, and Cabinet has already approved many plans. Up to date status reports are available from LUCO’s website, at www.luco.gov.bc.ca. Some of the LRMP tables have their own web pages, where results from past meetings are available through posted minutes.
The following tables show the status of strategic land use planning throughout the province.
OUTCOME SUMMARY FOR STRATEGIC LAND USE PLANS
PLAN TITLE |
DATE APPROVED |
DESIGNATED HIGHER LEVEL PLAN |
% PROTECTED AREA |
% SPECIAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ZONE |
% ENHANCED RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ZONE |
% GENERAL FORESTRY ZONE |
OTHER (E.G. PRIVATE LAND, SETTLEMENT, AGRICULTURAL, INDIAN RESERVE) |
| Cariboo-Chilcotin Regional Land Use Plan | October 1994 | YES | 12 | 26 | 40 | 14 | 8 |
| East Kootenay Regional Land Use Plan | July 1997 | YES | 16.5 | 11.3 | 7.7 | 55 | 9.5 |
| West Kootenay Regional Land Use Plan | July 1997 | YES | 11.3 | 17.6 | 10.8 | 50.4 | 9.9 |
| Vancouver Island Land Use Plan | June 1994 | YES | 13 | 8 | 24 | 31 (1) | 24 |
| Bulkley LRMP | March 1998 | YES | 5 | 21 | 0 | 64 | 10 |
| Cassiar-Iskut-Stikine LRMP | October 2000 | NO | 26.2 | 30.6 | 0 | 43.2 | 0 |
| Dawson Creek LRMP | March 1999 | NO | 6.75 | 13 | 22 | 45 | 13 |
| Fort Nelson LRMP | October 1997 | NO | 13 | 28 (4) | 37 | 23 | 0 |
| Fort St. James LRMP | March 1999 | NO | 6 | 16 | 32 | 45 | 1 |
| Fort St. John LRMP | October 1997 | NO | 4 | 13 (4) | 15 | 54 | 13 |
| Kamloops LRMP | July 1995 | YES | 5 | 24 | 0 | 61 | 10 |
| Kispiox LRMP | September 1996 | YES | 8 (2) | 17 | 0 (3) | 70 | 3 |
| Lakes District LRMP | August 1999(1) | YES | 33.6 | 24 | 0 | 34.1 | 8.3 |
| MacKenzie LRMP | November 2000 | NO | 13.9 | 21 | 29 | 16 | 18.4 |
| Okanagan-Shuswap | January 2001 | NO | 7.9 | 72.1 | 0 | 5.4 | 14.6 |
| Prince George LRMP | January 1999 | NO | 7 | 21 | 36 | 23 | 11 |
| Robson Valley LRMP | April 1999 | NO | 19.98 | 25.4 (5) | 30.8 | 19 | 4.8 |
| Vanderhoof LRMP | February 1997 | NO | 7 | 4 | 56 | 18 | 15 |
(1) The Muskwa-Kechika Special Management Zone has been implemented through specific legislation — the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area Act.
(2) Major portions of Seven Sisters & Upper Kispiox have been approved as protected.
(3) Some enhanced zones have been identified through landscape unit plans.
(4) The Lakes District LRMP was approved in principle August 1999. The final plan and accompanying documents were not completed until May 2000.
(5) Includes community watersheds for McBride and Valemount.
STATUS OF LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS IN OTHER AREAS
| Areas where no LRMP is currently under way |
Areas where LRMPs are
currently in the planning stage |
| Chilliwack
Merritt District Kalum North District (Nass) Morice District Atlin-Taku Dease-Liard |
Kalum
Central Coast Lillooet Queen Charlottes/ Sunshine Coast Squamish Forest District (Sea-to-Sky) North Coast District |
1.7 LOCAL PLANS
Local resource use plans (LRUPs) are the smallest scale of strategic planning, usually used for areas comprising watersheds or valleys. They tend to be done on an ad hoc basis for areas within provincial forests, rather than systematically across the province as is the policy for LRMPs. It may be expected that LRUPs will be undertaken in key areas with resource management conflicts within a regional land use plan or LRMP planning unit. Because they are local in scale, LRUPs may be expected to provide relatively specific management direction for forestry and range operations. Some LRUPs predate the Code and the provincial government’s Land Use Strategy. LRUPs are defined by the Ministry of Forests as:
… [a] plan approved by the district manager for a portion of the provincial forest that provides area-specific resource management objectives for integrating resource use in the area. These plans are prepared pursuant to section 4(c) of the Ministry of Forests Act. Also referred to as local plans.
There are many LRUPs in existence across British Columbia. Most were conducted prior to the 1990s, before the provincial government introduced its Land Use Strategy and the Forest Practices Code, which shifted the planning focus to more systematic regional land use plans and subregional Land and Resource Management Plans across the province.
Historically, local resource use plans have been known by several different names, and have been quite varied in scope, according to the issues that gave rise to the need for the plan. Some examples are set out below.
1.7.1 RESOURCE FOLIO PLANS
This planning system was adopted in 1973 in an attempt to integrate non-timber forest uses into resource extraction, and continued in use until the 1980s when timber supply area planning began to address integrated resource management goals. Folio plans normally encompassed entire watersheds, depending on size. Planning was normally done from the 1:50 000 to the 1:10 000 scale (map "scale" refers to the proportions between the map dimensions and the actual ground dimensions; for example, a scale of 1: 50 000 indicates that one unit on the map is equal to 50 000 units on the ground). The planning exercise was usually restricted to government agencies such as the BC Forest Service (as the lead agency), Fish and Wildlife Branch, Federal Fisheries and Marine Service and Water Investigation Branch. Public involvement was not common.
1.7.2 COORDINATED ACCESS MANAGEMENT PLANS (CAMPs)
CAMPs were early attempts to deal with a number of resource management issues arising from road access from industrial development. They began around 1980 in response to resource management impacts associated with extensive road development for pine beetle salvage programs, but had much broader application ultimately. CAMPs addressed issues such as road density, location, decommissioning, hunting pressure on wildlife, and access for outdoor recreation. CAMPs were conducted at the 1:50 000 or 1:100 000 scale, with the BC Forest Service as the lead and decision-making agency. Other agencies were involved in the planning, with participation from the forest industry and public.
1.7.3 INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANS (IWMPs)
IWMPs were conceived in the early 1970s in response to concerns over industrial impacts in community water supply areas. A provincial Task Force was struck, and in 1980 released a document entitled Guidelines for Watershed Management of Crown Lands used as Community Water Supplies. An appendix entitled Policy and Procedures for Community Watershed Planning was added in 1984, when other amendments were made. As management of community watersheds was seen to involve two primary regulators — the Forest Service for timber harvesting and Water Management Branch for water licences — joint preparation and approval was required. Other agencies participated, such as local governments, federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the provincial Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Petroleum Resources and the Ministry of Health and Agriculture. Licensed resource users were also invited to participate, whether they were logging companies or the holders of water permits. In the absence of a Forest Practices Code, implementation of IWMPs was to occur through terms and conditions in road permits and cutting permits. Planning was done at the community watershed level.
1.7.4 COORDINATED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS (CRMPs)
CRMPs were developed in British Columbia from the mid 1970s to 1980s. There are 87 in the province, mostly in the Kootenays and Okanagan, where the compatibility of forestry, livestock, grazing, wildlife, hunting and outdoor recreation was an issue. The authority for CRMPs was a 1976 Memorandum of Understanding between the agencies responsible for forests, environment, lands and parks, and agriculture. They were developed by the agencies, landowners, resource licensees, and public users of the planning areas. An inter-agency task group assumed joint responsibility for implementation of CRMPs.
1.7.5 LOCAL RESOURCE USE PLANS (LRUPs)
The term "Local Resource Use Plan" has been used since the early 1980s, both generically to describe a localized level of strategic land use planning, and specifically as a type of integrated resource management plan. The planning policy for LRUPs was described in the Ministry of Forests’ Resource Planning Manual. LRUPs were only conducted in "hot spot" areas that had complex and competing resource issues. They were commonly done on a watershed level. LRUPs were usually conducted with the BC Forest Service as the lead agency, and plans were approved by district or regional managers. A Forest Service planning team normally conducted the actual planning, with input from other agencies and licensees. At a minimum, the public had to be informed that an LRUP was being initiated, and concerns, issues and information sought, with an opportunity for review and comment on the ultimate plan. The perception of a "timber bias" in these past planning exercises is seen by some as one of the main reasons that the Commission on Resources and Environment was created in order to provide more neutral facilitation of the planning process. Prior to the Code, LRUPs were to be implemented through tenure management plans, and the terms and conditions for road permits and cutting permits.
1.7.6 CURRENT POLICY RESPECTING LOCAL RESOURCE USE PLANS
Provincial land use planning policy respecting LRUPs is in a state of flux at the present time. While some may be currently under way, it is thought that there is an overlap between the LRUP exercise and landscape unit planning under the Code. As discussed in Part 2.3 of the Guide, at the present time landscape unit planning is primarily focusing on implementation of certain portions of the Biodiversity Guidebook. Eventually, however, it is anticipated that landscape unit planning will address all of the forest resources broadly defined in the Code, such as fisheries, water, wildlife, and outdoor recreation. Thus, local resource use planning may become folded into landscape unit planning.
For Further Reference
Resource Planning in the Ministry of Forests: A Glossary of Past and Present Plans. Ministry of Forests, June 1992.
Landscape Unit Planning Guide. Ministry of Forests and Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, March 1999.
1.8 FIRST NATIONS TREATY NEGOTIATIONS AND LAND USE PLANNING
At the same time as the provincial government is conducting strategic land use planning throughout much of the province, treaty negotiations are under way between the federal government, the provincial government, and many First Nations over the settlement of land claims arising from underlying aboriginal title. It is clear that land use planning and treaty negotiation share many related issues, as both deal with rights to land and resources within defined planning areas or traditional territories.
The policy of the provincial government has been to encourage First Nations to participate in land use planning processes. However, participation has been sporadic for many reasons. Treaty negotiations are seen as government-to-government discussions of matters such as legal rights, which have been interpreted by Canadian courts through cases such as Delgamuukw v. British Columbia. Some First Nations may decide that treaty negotiations provide a better venue for resolving their land use issues. For example, immediate land use concerns might be adequately dealt with through Interim Measures Agreements, which address issues during the period in which treaties are being negotiated. Some may feel that treaty negotiations could be compromised by involvement in land use planning discussions. Some First Nations who have participated in land use planning have signed Memoranda of Understanding with the government affirming that their participation is without prejudice to treaty negotiations.
From the government’s perspective, there are several practical reasons why First Nations have not significantly participated in land use planning to date. Problems cited in government reports include:
a lack of involvement in the pre-planning phase with First Nations;
a lack of framework agreements/protocols to guide First Nations participation;
the status afforded to First Nations (they do not wish to be seen as just another stakeholder in the process);
a lack of capacity and resources to fully engage in land use planning processes;
a lack of knowledge about the land use planning processes;
competing demands for First Nations’ staff time when treaty negotiations are a priority; and,
different perspectives and desired outcomes.
Where land use plans have been concluded and approved, the provincial government has stated that they will form the basis for its position in treaty negotiations. The plans could be modified where change is necessary to obtain a fair treaty settlement.
To date, one modern treaty has been ratified by the respective governments which negotiated it: the Nisga’a treaty. One other other First Nations has signed an agreement in principle with the provincial government – the last major step before finalizing an agreement. Other First Nations are nearing the final stages of the Treaty Process. It is likely that further modern treaties will soon become law in B.C.
It is beyond the purposes of this guide to detail the possible implications of treaties in B.C. Each treaty will bring with it different agreements and will have a different impact on land use planning. The Nisga’a treaty, however, does transfer significant amounts of forest land to the Nisga’a people and confirms their ability to legislate in respect of other forest lands in a manner consistent with provincial forest laws.
When the Treaty process is complete, the government expects that treaties will result in about five percent of the provincial land base being owned and managed by First Nations. For the settlement lands, it is expected that provincial laws of general application will continue to apply, and that access for transportation, utilities, communications and reasonable recreation uses will be maintained.
It should be noted that many First Nations have rejected this “land selection” model which would result in the extinguishment of aboriginal title over the rest of their territories. Some treaties may address the role and participation of First Nations in the planning, development and management of resources on their territories. Clearly the ratification of a treaty will have a major impact on forest planning and land use in the area covered by the treaty.
1.9 SUMMARY OF STRATEGIC LAND USE PLANNING
Strategic land use planning is the broadest level of planning undertaken in British Columbia. It is a highly participatory process that enables a relatively large group of stakeholders to assess and address diverse environmental, social and economic interests. Through strategic planning exercises, stakeholders are able to set priorities for land use activities for a region and to allocate natural resources to various priority uses. Strategic plans provide guidance and direction for land use activities on public land; stakeholders are able to define objectives and develop corresponding strategies to achieve these objectives.
Strategic planning is done on both regional and subregional levels: to date, regional planning has resulted in the completion of the Cariboo-Chilcotin, Vancouver Island, East Kootenay and West Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plans. The current policy on land use planning is to move away from regional land use plans and focus instead on the completion and implementation of subregional Land and Resource Management Plans, several of which have already been completed. Multi-stakeholder planning tables are continuing to develop LRMPs in many regions of the province, while in certain areas the planning process is not yet underway. The smallest scale of strategic planning in BC involves the development of local resource use plans, which provide relatively specific management direction for forestry and range operations.
In order for the policies and goals set out in strategic land use plans to become legally binding on forestry operations, the objectives from these plans must be formally designated as higher level plans under the Forest Practices Code. Part 2 of the Guide is dedicated to a discussion of the content, structure and intent of higher level plans, as well as the legislation and policy governing such plans.
09.29.2006