Ecosystem-based management in British Columbia, Canada's coastal temperate rainforests. Andy MacKinnon BC Ministry of Forests and Range Victoria, BC

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1 Ecosystem-based management in British Columbia, Canada's coastal temperate rainforests Andy MacKinnon BC Ministry of Forests and Range Victoria, BC

2 original distribution, coastal temperate rainforest (ecotrust)

3 coastal temperate rainforests climates are moderate and wet

4 subpolar rainforest perhumid rainforest seasonal rainforest warm temperate rainforest

5 at European contact, 68 distinct languages were spoken by peoples living between the Kodiak Archipelago of Alaska and San Francisco Bay today, 26 of these languages are extinct, 18 are spoken by <10, 12 are spoken by , 8 spoken by >100, and 4 status unknown

6 Current distribution in western North America, coastal temperate rainforest

7 BC s coastal LRMPs and LUP Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Islands LUP, 1.0 million hectares North Coast LRMP, 1.7 million hectares Central Coast LRMP, 4.6 million hectares

8 First Nations Province of BC Land and Resource Foums EBMWG Dec 2003 March 2006 March 2009 CCLRMP and NCLRMP planning tables G2G First Nations A-i-Ps Full EBM

9 What is ecosystem management? Ecosystem management integrates scientific knowledge of ecological relationships within a complex sociopolitical and values framework toward the general goal of protecting native ecosystem integrity over the long term. (Grumbine 1997)

10 What is ecosystem-based management? Ecosystem-based Management is an adaptive approach to managing human activities that seeks to ensure the coexistence of healthy, fully functioning ecosystems and human communities. The intent is to maintain those spatial and temporal characteristics of ecosystems such that component species and ecological processes can be sustained, and human well-being supported and improved.

11 Managing human activities to maintain healthy ecosystems and healthy communities

12 Coast Information Team structure

13 The EBM Handbook

14 EBM Handbook Developed by Coast Information Team (CIT) CIT was managed by team of reps from First Nations, Provincial Government, Industry, Environmental Groups, Communities Provided independent, scientific info and analyses for Ecosystem-Based Management Products were peer reviewed and completed by 2004

15 EBM Handbook: CIT EBM products Scientific Background reports (20+, including 7 hydroriparian background reports) Hydroriparian expert panels Extensive literature review Scientific Basis of EBM Hydroriparian Planning Guide EBM Planning Handbook

16 Managing human activities to maintain healthy ecosystems and healthy communities

17 Managing human activities to maintain healthy ecosystems and healthy communities

18 CENTRAL THEMES Protect old-growth forests Maintain forest structure at the stand level Protect threatened and endangered species and ecosystems Protect wetlands Adaptive management

19 RONV and ecological risk

20 CENTRAL THEMES Protect old-growth forests Maintain forest structure at the stand level Protect threatened and endangered species and ecosystems Protect wetlands Adaptive management

21 How much old forest is enough? 70% of Natural 30% of Natural Source: Scientific Basis of EBM (see

22 BEC variant Estimated natural disturbance return interval (years) Predicted range of old forest abundance Low risk threshold for old forest represent -ation High risk threshold for old forest representation CWHvh ± % 59-65% 25-28% CWHws 900 ± % 50-55% 22-24% MHmm1 850 ± % 49-53% 21-23% MHmm ± % 60-64% 25-28% CWHvm 900 ± % 50-54% 22-24%

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24 Ecosystem Representation

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28 CENTRAL THEMES Protect old-growth forests Maintain forest structure at the stand level Protect threatened and endangered species and ecosystems Protect wetlands Adaptive management

29 15% minimum retention within cutblocks.

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31 CENTRAL THEMES Protect old-growth forests Maintain forest structure at the stand level Protect threatened and endangered species and ecosystems Protect wetlands Adaptive management

32 Reserve 100% of CDC red-listed ecosystems.

33 CENTRAL THEMES Protect old-growth forests Maintain forest structure at the stand level Protect threatened and endangered species and ecosystems Protect wetlands Adaptive management

34 Estuaries (watershed scale) - Maintain >90% of the natural riparian forest next to estuaries. Swamps and Gullies - Maintain >50% of the natural riparian forest next to fans, forested swamps and small steep streams/gullies with unique microclimate.

35 CENTRAL THEMES Protect old-growth forests Maintain forest structure at the stand level Protect threatened and endangered species and ecosystems Protect wetlands Social, economic and cultural factors Adaptive management

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37 Lesson #1 More work up-front means less work later (or, the consensus through vagueness principle)

38 Lesson #2 We need more social scientists and economists

39 Lesson #3 We need more local science

40 Lesson #4 We need new partnerships (CFCI, RSP, JSP)

41 Lesson #5 It has to work for communities

42 Lesson #6 Many of our management recommendations are based on limited information and require testing and verification