Land-Based Investment Strategy 2018-19, Annual Report · Land Base Investment Program) were...

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RESOURCE

PLANNING &

ASSESSMENT

BRANCH

LAND-BASED INVESTMENT STRATEGY 2018-19, ANNUAL REPORT

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Table of Contents

LBIS Overview ................................................................................................................ 1

Administration of LBIS ..................................................................................................... 1

Annual Plan ................................................................................................................. 2

Prioritization Process ................................................................................................... 2

Flexibility ...................................................................................................................... 5

1. Office of the Chief Forester Categories ....................................................................... 6

1.1 Forests for Tomorrow - Reforestation .................................................................... 7

1.2 FFT – Timber Supply Mitigation ............................................................................. 7

1.3 Forest Health ....................................................................................................... 11

1.4 Tree Improvement ............................................................................................... 13

1.5 Forest Inventory ................................................................................................... 15

1.6 Visual Resource Management ............................................................................. 17

1.7 Water Quality ....................................................................................................... 18

2. Stewardship Categories ............................................................................................ 19

2.1 Inventory – Ecosystem-Based Management ....................................................... 20

2.2 Fish Passage Remediation .................................................................................. 21

2.3 Fish Inventory ...................................................................................................... 22

2.4 Range – Ecosystem Restoration ......................................................................... 23

2.5 Range – Enhancement ........................................................................................ 24

2.6 Invasive Species .................................................................................................. 25

2.7 Wildlife Inventory ................................................................................................. 26

2.8 Wildlife – Species at Risk (SAR) .......................................................................... 30

2.9 Wildlife – Habitat (GAR) ....................................................................................... 32

2.10 Recreation Sites & Trails ................................................................................... 34

2.11 MOE Data Warehouse ....................................................................................... 35

2.12 LBIS Stewardship .............................................................................................. 36

Appendix ....................................................................................................................... 39

Appendix 1 - FLNRORD Road Map ........................................................................... 39

Appendix 2 - The 2018/19 Allocation ......................................................................... 40

1

LBIS Overview

By 2010/11, most of the funding

opportunities for stewardship (through

various programs and allocations of the

Land Base Investment Program) were

consolidated into a single program, the

Land-Based Investment Strategy (LBIS).

Initial allocations were directed towards

twelve investment categories, with timber

supply and forest health as the primary

focus. To address emerging priorities on

the land base, additional investment

categories were integrated over

subsequent years.

Administration of LBIS

Administration of the LBIS program is directed through the Resource Planning and

Assessment Branch (RPAB) within the Resource Stewardship Division of the Ministry of

Forests, Lands, Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD).

The program is managed collaboratively by the Office of the Chief Forester (OCF),

Regional Operations, Resource Stewardship Division; and supported by the Corporate

Services for the Natural Resource Sector, serving the North, South and Coastal areas.

Program delivery also involves the Environmental Sustainability and Strategic Policy

Division (from the Ministry of the Environment); Recreation, Sites and Trails; Species at

Risk Recovery, Fish and Aquatic Habitat Branch; Wildlife and Habitat Branch; Resource

Practices Branch; and the Range and Resource Planning and Assessment Branch. The

LBIS adheres to the following draft principles for the budget process design:

Draft Principles Guiding Budget Process Design

Strategically-directed funding to highest

priorities among broad range of options

Stable yet flexible process to proactively manage opportunities

over time

“Team government” cooperation on

(re)allocation decisions for greatest provincial

outcomes

Transparent, consistent flow of information

Funds managed by those with the most direct accountability

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Annual Plan The annual investment-planning process prioritizes

allocation of funds to support targeted investments in

natural resource stewardship activities. Priorities for

LBIS expenditures are related to those activities that

demonstrate the highest need, while supporting the

mandate of FLNRORD. Those activities can be direct,

such as mitigating timber supply through tree planting

in wildfire-affected areas, or indirect, such as

resolving resource stewardship issues to enable

sustainable resource development.

Prioritization Process Project priorities are determined annually using the strategic direction provided from

existing Ministry commitments, including the ministry’s service plan goals and

objectives, FLNRORD Road Map (see Appendix 1), and other specific government

commitments.

Certain commitments may be predetermined by branch strategic goals: silviculture,

forest health and tree improvement; objectives for provincial forest inventories; quantity

of priority fish-passage remediation project; invasive species targets for forest and

range resources; ungulate protection measures; and other resource stewardship

activities.

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Allocation Process

ForestryWater

QualityFish

Species at Risk

Habitat Wildlife RangeInvasive Species

Data/ Monitor

Rec Sites & Trails

RPAB ADM & Support Team Rate as Tier 1 or 2 and Make Recommendations

ADM’s Provide Input for Project

Selection & Funding Allocation

Funding Provided to Category Leads for Projects

Monitoring of Projects by RED’s,

ED’s and OCF

Projects Chosen by Investment Category Leads with Regional Exec Director

and Working Group Endorsement

LAND-BASED INVESTMENT STRATEGY POTENTIAL PROJECTS

Projects Categorized and Allocations Reviewed by RSD ADM

FLNORD Executive Reviews, Makes

Recommendations, Deputy Minister

Approves Allocation

Results Reported Back to LBIS Team

Final Report Prepared by LBIS Team for DM

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STAGES ACTIONS TAKEN

PRE-PLANNING

Before the fiscal year begins, investment category teams develop proposals outlining specific projects for funding. This list of proposals typically exceeds the anticipated allocation. In many cases, allocated LBIS funds are not expected to be the sole funding source for candidate projects. Category leads are encouraged to leverage base funding through other available programs.

DEPUTY MINISTER LBIS DECISION

The ADM for Resource Stewardship Division works in conjunction with the Director of Resource Planning and Assessment Branch to collate requests, ensure alignment with LBIS core principles, and works with Ministry Executive to make funding recommendations to the Deputy Minister . Working with Executive, the Deputy Minister apportions funds and prioritizes the investment categories.

ADM PROJECT APPROVALS

Highest-priority projects are funded first, and funding is only provided to well-defined projects with clear deliverables. At the time of allocations, the respective divisions and branches are given clear direction that includes expectations around reporting requirements and implementation of budget transfers. It is emphasized that funds may only be used to support government stewardship activities, and cannot be used to offset any legal obligations.

ALLOCATION MONITORING and ASSESSMENT

Project management and contract administration is in place to ensure projects are optimally managed. The process is evolving to provide data and feedback that will help inform decision making. Currently, responsibility centres are to follow financial procedures including STOB (Standard Object of Expenditure) controls as directed by the annual ministry budget-allocation letters. The reporting structure includes:

• Quarterly expenditure reporting

• Quarterly performance reporting required for the second quarter (early September), third quarter (late November) and at year-end (February)

• Declaration by project managers quarterly (no later than the third quarter performance report) of any unused funds (to allow these to be used for other priority projects in the queue)

Following the third quarter performance report, projects with significant amounts remaining in the “planned” expenditure category will be reviewed by the LBIS Leadership Team (RED’s and Branch Leads) for possible redirection to other LBIS pressures.

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Flexibility Within the allocation, an operational variance of up to 10 percent is allowed between

targeted activities within the investment category, if total funding levels do not exceed

total investment category allocation. This variance allows operational flexibility in the

delivery of primarily field-based activities. Reporting is required to ensure transparency.

Unspent project funds project are referred to as ‘unallocated’ and must be reported

quarterly to Corporate Services for Natural Resources (CSNR) and the FLNRORD LBIS

Program Lead. Primary contacts are Category Leads, regional Executive Directors, and

Branch Directors.

Any unspent funds are moved into a separate project line, referred to as “pressures”, to

be reallocated as appropriate to other stewardship priorities. Timely reallocation of any

unspent funds allows additional priorities to be addressed. Regular communication

between Ministry Executive, the RPAB Director, LBIS Administrators, and the Resource

Working Group helps to identify pressures that may be considered if funding becomes

available. LBIS administrative oversight falls to the ADM for Resource Stewardship

division.

2018/19 Accomplishments

For the 2018/19 fiscal year, LBIS was able to

support the natural resource sector in numerous

stewardship categories. The following sections

represent the various initiatives undertaken. The

total amount of funds for all projects was $74.84

million (see Appendix 2). Primary day-to-day

funding oversight was provided by two teams:

the Office of the Chief Forester (OCF) Team,

and The Resource Planning and Assessment

Branch (RPAB) Team (Resource Stewardship

Division).

2017/2018 Forest Fire Recovery

Forest fires are a natural part of forest ecosystems and are important in many parts of

the province for maintaining the health and diversity of forests. They may also result in

costly economic and environmental losses and public health and safety concerns,

directly threatening communities and infrastructure, or reducing visibility and air quality

with smoke.

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Both the 2017 and 2018 wildfires burned more than 1.2 million hectares of B.C.’s

forests, which is eight times more than the 10-year-average. B.C.’s 2017 fires resulted

in an estimated 190 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The Land-Based Investment Strategy (LBIS) delivers programs that enhance forest resiliency. The strategy’s holistic approach makes investments to the land base to provide environmentally and economically sustainable benefits to timber stands, water quality, air quality, and climate change mitigation.

1. Office of the Chief Forester (OCF) Categories

Of the full LBIS 2018/19 allocation amount, OCF was allocated $65.851 million plus $2

million for risk-managed (RM) funds for seven forest-related categories:

OCF - CATEGORIES ALLOCATION (MILLIONS)

Forests for Tomorrow (FFT) - Reforestation $39.376

Forests for Tomorrow (FFT) - Timber Supply

Mitigation

$9.26

Forest Health $6.035

Tree Improvement $2.5

Forest Inventory $8.13 (plus $2 RM)

Water Quality $0.2

Visual Resource Management $0.2

Notable Forest For Tomorrow (FFT) Accomplishments in 2018/19

• Record breaking fires in 2017 and 2018 made program administration difficult. Despite

this, the FFT program was able to work collaboratively with the Forest Carbon Initiative.

• An extensive wildfire survey program was carried out during the summer and fall of 2018

to order almost 50 million seedlings for planting in spring 2020.

• Unprecedented snowfall and cold weather in early spring 2019 impeded delivery, yet the

FFT program was able to complete fertilization on the coast within the fiscal window.

Target Outputs Activities Achievements

Increase forest productivity by 9.1Mm3 in 65 years

Unspecified targets for employment and GDP

9.0 million m3 in 65 years will be realized Estimated to deliver $981 million of GDP Create 127,000-per-person days of short-term employment and 706 FTE long-term jobs

• 25,345,300 trees were planted on 14,967ha

• 6,917ha of site preparation carried out

• 20,200ha of fertilization was completed

• 173,980 ha was surveyed to assess requirement for reforestation and forest cover or ongoing stand maintenance surveys

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• Established large-scale adaptive management and assisted migration trial near Burns

Lake to extend our knowledge of tree species shifts due to climate change.

• Hosted a workshop in Williams Lake on Best Management Practices for establishing

trees in warm, dry ecosystems which was attended by over 100 foresters.

• FFT program achieved its planned reforestation level of 25 million trees.

1.1 Forests For Tomorrow - Reforestation Reforestation investment is aimed at improving

the future timber supply, and addressing risks

to other forest values through the re-

establishment of young forests, on land that

would otherwise remain under-productive. The

program focus is land primarily within the

timber-harvesting land base, yet outside of

forest industry obligations. Program emphasis

is on surveying, site preparation and tree

planting. These treatments are being guided

by strategic-level program planning, seed

supply planning, silviculture strategies and

timber supply analyses. Up-front overview

surveys and program planning will formulate a clear and full picture of a cost-effective

program and budget profile.

Allocation: $39.376 million

1.2 Forests For Tomorrow – Timber Supply Mitigation Investments in timber supply mitigation are

focused on mitigating impacts on mid-term

timber supply caused by catastrophic

disturbance in the Interior, or constrained

timber of the Coastal, Northwest, and

Southeast areas of the province. Mitigation is

administered through a program of stand

treatments, with planning by regional and

district staff in conjunction with licensees.

Delivery is carried out by various agents

utilizing the following government standards:

surveys, spacing, fertilization, and pruning.


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Resource Planning Branch $15,027,184

Surveying & Spacing$9,941,101

BC Timber Sales$9,304,049

South $8,080,720

North $4,338,979

Coast $1,947,967FFT Distribution

BCTS Nursery Costs$8,198,114

Fertilizer Purchase$1,659,934

FRPA s108 $1,500,000

Integrated Silviculture Strategy $1,018,000

Silviculture Program$929,500

Operational Seed Purchase $522,540

PwC audit fee - 2% of project amount

$485,000

Future Seed Purchase$200,000

PwC audit fee - 2% of project amount

$199,096

BCTS ITSL Development Costs

$150,000

Overview Planning$70,000

Timber Supply Mitigation Surveys

$55,000

PwC Admin Fee$40,000

Resource Planning Branch

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Planting, $5,141,751

Overstory Removal$1,625,000

Stand Maintenance Survey $1,375,277

Wildfire Survey$1,266,257

Program Support$1,254,147

Brushing $901,967

Fertilization $762,400

Site Preparation$611,500

Program Support Supplement $270,000

Access - Current Reforestation

$205,000

Surveys $204,500

Overview Planning$182,000

Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) Survey

$142,304

Defaulted Obligation Survey $127,051

Repression Density$110,750

Seedling Protector Removal $93,445

Conifer Release$36,200

Recce Survey $26,600

Access - Timber Mitigation $25,000

Danger Tree Assessment and Falling $6,517

FFT - North/Coast/South Activities

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CR Planting$5,099,388

CR Site Preparation$1,561,300

GA Calculated Program Support

$829,459

CR Stand Maintenance Survey $555,977

CR Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) Survey

$518,804

CR Brushing $379,121

GA Overview Planning, $180,000

CR Wildfire Survey$175,000 GA Access - Current

Reforestation $5,000

BC Timber Sales

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1.3 Forest Health The objective of the Forest Health

Program is to protect and manage

B.C.'s forest resources from the

impacts of a wide range of forest

health factors. These include bark

beetles, defoliators, pathogens, animal

damage, and abiotic threats like post-

wildfire damage and drought. The

program is responsive to the influence

of climate change and invasive

species on forests. Funds support

detection and forest health risk-

mitigation activities, and the

establishment of best management

practices to minimize damage.


Spruce and Douglas-fir Beetle $3,044,420

Aerial Overview Survey $1,271,532

Monitoring $737,656

Gypsy Moth $621,723

Mountain Pine Beetle$515,312

Defoliator Management

$125,254

Btk Purchase: Budworm and Gypsy Moth Spray Programs

$42,628

Forest Health

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Target Activity Outputs/Results

Purchase Bacillus Thuringiensis (Btk) in preparation for application in Spring 2018

Purchase Btk (Foray 48B) for defoliator treatments

4,000 Litres of Foray 48B purchased and delivered for North Surrey, Agassiz, Campbell River and Courtenay aerial and ground sprays for Gypsy Moth eradication (May-June 2018).

Maintain B.C.'s Gypsy Moth-free status

Eradicate new Gypsy Moth infestations before they become established

North Surrey, Agassiz, Campbell River ground and Courtenay aerial sprays were completed successfully. Preparation for re-treatment by air of North Surrey site begins.

Minimum of 80% of the forested land base flown annually.

Conduct aerial overview survey of a minimum of 80% of the forested land base in 2018. Deliver annual report, and post on Aerial Overview Survey website. Provide preliminary data and reports distributed to FLNRORD staff, licensees and other interested parties beginning in late November 2018.

85% of the forested landbase flown in 2018. Annual report delivered and posted on Aerial Overview Survey website April 1, 2019. Preliminary data and reports distributed to FLNRORD staff, licensees and other interested parties beginning in late November 2018. Presentations to Exec and other audiences were made using this data. Spatial data uploaded to B.C. Geographic Warehouse, March 2019.

Spruce and Douglas-fir Beetle Management supported by air and ground surveys to investigate new infestations.

Potentially problematic Spruce and Douglas-fir Beetle infestations were surveyed.

Aerial and limited ground surveys were conducted in districts where management efforts are being made, to slow the spread and reduce impacts to timber supply.

Maintain suppression status of Beetle Management units in the Kootenay Boundary Region.

Detailed aerial surveys, ground surveys and single-tree treatments conducted to maintain MPB populations at endemic levels.

All surveys completed, and treatments were adequate to maintain all suppression beetle management units.

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Various ground and aerial investigations of forest health problems identified by the aerial overview survey, and other observations to assess impacts and potential management options.

Special ground and aerial surveys conducted to investigate damage from drought, foliar diseases, stem rusts, and other forest health agents.

Special survey to quantify impacts of drought in the TOR was completed, and results communicated to FLNR and Industry. Surveys for Swiss Needle Cast, Balsam Woolly Adelgid and other forest health agents completed. Results summarized in 2018 Provincial AOS report.

Prevent Western Spruce Budworm infestations from causing significant impacts to high- priority Interior Douglas-fir stands.

Population monitoring surveys conducted, treatments planned for application in early summer in 2019.

Candidate treatment areas were identified, spray operations planning and preparation initiated for application in June-July 2019.

1.4 Tree Improvement Investments in tree improvement enhance the

health, productivity and value of young forests

throughout the province. Tree improvement in BC

is guided by the multi-stakeholder Forest Genetic

Council (FGC). The FGC coordinates the tree

improvement and genetic resource management

activities of FLNRORD, forest industry,

universities, Canadian Forest Service, and smaller

forest-sector companies.

Primary activities include:

• Supplying tree seed for the reforestation of

Crown lands

• Conducting tree breeding and forest

genetics research to improve the health,

resilience, productivity and value of

regenerated forests

• Conserving forest genetic resources

• Maintaining the provincial genetic resource management (GRM) framework

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Target Activities Output

Increase select seed use to

75 percent of the provincial

total sown by 2020.

Activities in the Tree

Breeding and OTIP sub-

programs contribute to

achieving this target.

Select seed use as a

percentage of total

provincial sowing was 67%

in the 2019 sowing year.

Increase the average volume

gain of select seed used for

Crown land reforestation to

20% by the year 2020.

Activities in the tree

breeding and OTIP sub-

programs contribute to


The average genetic worth

of select seed sown in the

2019 sowing year was

21%.

Adequately conserve the

genetic diversity of

representative populations

of all forest tree species

native to B.C. by 2020.

Activities in the genetic

conservation sub-

program contribute to


93.8% of target.

By 2020, the selection and

transfer of all tree seed used

to reforest Crown land in

B.C. will be guided by a

climate-based seed transfer

system.

Activities under the

forest resilience sub-

program contribute to


On target.

Tree Breeding$1,558,000

Forest Resilience$450,000

Operational Tree Improvement Program

$302,000

Genetic Conservation$190,000

Programs

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1.5 Forest Inventory Modern forest management requires research and analyses, forest inventories, and stand growth projection modelling. The accumulated data is shared across government and industry to support informed decision making.

Target Activities Output

Collecting and maintaining current forest inventories.

LiDAR and digital

imagery

acquisition, photo

estimation and

landscape

inventory

modelling.

650,000 ha of LiDAR was acquired, high resolution digital imagery was flown in the Boundary and Kalum TSAs, and in the central portion of Ft St James TSA in preparation for re-inventory. Approximately 3.1 million hectares of forest inventory mapping in central Ft St James, Prince George, Merritt, Williams Lake and Cranbrook TSAs. 7 million ha of Landscape Vegetation Inventory was completed for the Cassiar TSA.

Monitoring the growth of stands.

Ground sampling

to monitor change

and report forest

growth.

Ground samples including:

• 306 monitoring plots (change monitoring inventory, young stand monitoring, and national forest inventory plots) in the Fraser, Kalum, Kispiox, Williams Lake, Quesnel, Mackenzie, Ft St John, Dawson Creek;

• 60 audit plots in the Quesnel;

• 48 LiDAR calibration samples in the Boundary TSA

• 149 permanent sample plots province-wide to monitor forest growth, forest health and timber volume

Providing models to project stand development and future yield.

Growth model

development for

natural and

managed stand

models.

Improvements to growth modelling tools including updates to growth and yield decision support tools, improvements in the ability to simulate the impacts of pine stem rusts, genetic tree improvement, and the growth of natural and managed stands from ground plot and survey data.

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Supporting policy development and strategic and statutory decision making for the natural resource sector.

Forest data update

and reporting

statistics to

support policy and

strategic decision

making.

Updated 10,700 harvested and reforestation updates and 1.3 million ha of wildfire updates to the provincial forest cover. 5 Million records updated for annual growth and published to the BC Data Warehouse for public release.

Allocation: $8.13 million plus $2 million RM

Forest Cover Mapping $3,824,200

Ground Sampling$2,708,300

Inventory Projection, Update and Reporting

$855,000

Stand Modelling$850,760

Section Support$393,800

Programs

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1.6 Visual Resource Management A fundamental goal of Visual Resource

Management (VRM) is to protect the visual

character of B.C.’s visually-sensitive forested

landscapes. Scenic landscapes are highly

valued by B.C. residents, and visual perception

research indicates that unaltered landscapes are

generally preferred. Well-designed forest

landscapes give the public confidence that B.C.’s

natural resources are being managed

responsibly. Scenic areas are also vital for

outdoor recreation and tourism experiences.

Under B.C.’s Forest and Range Practices Act

(FRPA), Visual Quality Objectives (VQO’s) have

been established for 14.5 million hectares of the

province’s most scenic and visible landscapes.

Visual Quality is one of eleven core values to be

managed and protected under FRPA. The Forest

Planning and Practices Regulation defines five

categories of alteration: preservation, retention,

partial retention, modification and maximum modification.

Initial Allocation: $ 200,000

Allocation Adjustment: -$60,000

Actual Allocation: $140,000

Support Coast, South, North $42,187

Program Improvements $9,500

Visual Landscape Inventory $67,128

GIS Support $8,700

Research and Monitoring $12,500

Programs

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1.7 Water Quality Water quality management encompasses a

broad range of aquatic assets and measures

to ensure sustainability. Under the Water

Sustainability Act of 2016, the province

identified seven areas to protect water quality:

protecting stream health and aquatic

environments; considering water in land-use

decisions; regulation of groundwater use;

regulation of scarcity; to improve security,

water use efficiency and conservation;

measurement and reporting; and the enabling of a range of approaches to governance.

Allocation: $200,000

UBC-O Watershed Projects $40,000

Water Quality Database

Development $28,375

Water Quality Provincial Operational

Training $22,700 UNBC Sediment/Erosion Courses $18,083

Forest Canopy Rainfall$14,188

Community Watersheds Report /

Database $13,500

Watershed Health$10,000

Fisheries Sensitive Watersheds $10,000

Workshop/Field Trip$10,000

Forest Canopy Snowfall Interception

$10,000

PG Delivery of Sediment/Erosion Control Training Courses 10,000

Travel $10,000

WQEE Training $3,100

Programs

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2. Stewardship Related Categories

For categories other than Office of the Chief Forester, investment category leads are in place to manage the allocations. These responsibility centres follow financial procedures as directed. The funds are allocated to 12 categories, and then subdivided to North, South and Coastal areas; Species at Risk and Recovery; Integrated Resource Operations Division (IROD); Fish and Aquatic Habitat; Resource Practices Branch; and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. For 2018/19, category allocations were as follows:

STEWARDSHIP CATEGORIES ALLOCATION (MILLIONS)

Inventory – Ecosystem-Based Management $0.6

Fish Passage Remediation $1.0

Fish Inventory $0.15

Range – Ecosystem Restoration $0.75

Range - Enhancement $0.75

Invasive Species $0.715 plus $0.3 RM

Wildlife Inventory - Wildlife $1.6

Wildlife - Species at Risk (SAR) $1.0 plus 0.35 RM

Wildlife - Habitat (GAR) $0.6

Recreation Sites and Trails $0.65 plus $0.1 RM

MOE Data Warehouse $0.2

Optimizing LBIS – Stewardship & Performance $0.924 plus $0.25 RM

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2.1 Inventory – Ecosystem-Based Management Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping (TEM) is the

Resource Information Standards Committee’s

(RISC) standard approach to stratifying the

landscape into map units. This is done

according to ecological features, and uses a

combination of manual air-photo interpretation

and ground sampling. TEM incorporates

ecological features including climate,

physiography, surficial material, bedrock,

geology, soil, and vegetation. Products are

used to build a biological and ecological

framework for land-use planning and resource

allocation. TEM, and related work,

operationalize this mapping in the Great Bear

Rainforest and Haida Gwaii, supporting

implementation of EBM Land Use Objectives

Orders for ecosystem integrity and human well-being.

Program Achievements

• First Nations-FLNRORD-BC Parks collaboration on research and mapping,

monitoring, and sampling

• Refining operationally seamless Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping

Haida Gwaii Projects - $100,000 Allocated

• Significant Government-to-Government collaboration

• EBM implementation to support Haida Gwaii Land Use Planning (LUP)

• Operationalization of Terrestial Ecosystem Mapping


Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping (Great Bear Rainforest) $455,000

Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping (Haida Gwaii)

$100,000

BEC Line Refinement & Classification Sampling

$30,299

Development & Assessment of

Operational Products (Seamless TEM)

$14,638

Programs

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2.2 Fish Passage Remediation The Land-Based Investment

(LBI) fish passage program is

focused on remediating stream

crossings that impede freshwater

fish migration. Road stream

crossings on fish streams can be

barriers to the movement of

juvenile and adult fish. Free

movement of all life-stages of fish

is important, allowing them

access to the appropriate habitats for rearing and spawning. The greatest numbers of

identified fish passage problems in British Columbia are associated with closed-bottom

structures (culverts).

Remediation of these structures often involves replacing these barriers with properly-

designed embedded structures, or open-bottom structures such as bridges. The four-

phase delivery of the fish passage program involves fish passage assessments, habitat

confirmation, design and construction to remediate the stream crossing.

Major Projects:

• Bridge installations on Tranquill Creek and Kuldo FSR

• Structure removal near Mary Lake

Allocation: $1 million

Strait of Georgia TSO$466,585

Kootenay TSO$150,000

Cariboo TSO $150,000

Okanagan/Columbia TSO $139,818

Kamloops TSO$107,386

Fish Passage Technical Working Group

$90,989

Skeena TSO $51,500

Surplus $44,200 Programs

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2.3 Fish Inventory Fish data and information can include fish

distribution, population status, and

condition/capability of supporting habitats

for all freshwater fish species in B.C.

Much of this information is gathered

through fish inventory surveys,

undertaken to determine the presence or

abundance of a species, as well as

through targeted habitat assessments.

The compiled data includes counts,

occurrences, inventory results, habitat

descriptions, reports, maps and spatial files.

The intent of having a central repository for fish data and information is to facilitate the

storage and access of data and the results required for making informed management

decisions and improving conservation efforts.


Program Achievements:

• Development of the Interior Fraser Steelhead Emergency Management Plan

• First Nations partnerships in supporting management actions

• 2019 Nechako White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) Recovery Initiative

Juvenile Monitoring Workshop Summary Report

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2.4 Range – Ecosystem Restoration The objective of ecosystem restoration is to aid the recovery of areas that have been

degraded, damaged, or destroyed by enhancing resilience and adaptive capacity.

Restoration focuses on establishing the composition, structure, pattern, and ecological

processes necessary to make terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems sustainable, resilient,

and healthy under current and future conditions. B.C.’s current priority is the restoration

of ingrown open forests and native grassland ecosystems, to reestablish natural

ecological processes and biodiversity, and create landscapes that are sustainable and

more resilient to climate change.


Additional Funding Leveraged: $1,035,166

Investment Delivered through First Nations Contracts: $ 282,297

Reallocation$25,843

BCWF Selective Fishing Forum

$25,000

Draft FRSCS Juvenile Sampling

and Monitoring$20,000

Draft of Nechako Juvenile Monitoring

Workshop -First Nation participation

$15,000

Bonaparte $15,000

Interior Fraser Emergency Management

Plan 2019$14,528

Draft of Fraser River Sturgeon

Management Plan$11,472

Cascade Fishing Adventures Lower

Fraser Juvenile Spring Sampling

$10,000

Fraser Sturgeon Plan Write Up $5,000

Programs

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• Partnered with other agencies to increase the treatment area

• 2,116 hectares of treatments in open forest and open-range ecosystems (including 530 hectares of prescribed fire)

• 7 strategic plans updated, 10 prescriptions developed, monitored

• Targeted restoration projects (e.g. streams, riparian, bighorn sheep, Whitebark pine, etc.)

2.5 Range – Enhancement The Range Program focuses on ensuring

healthy and sustainably managed

rangelands, which can support the

interests and activities of clients,

stakeholders and partners. Parties with an

interest in the management of B.C.

rangelands include the ranching industry,

guide outfitters, First Nations, government

and non-government Agencies, wildlife,

recreationalists and the public at large.

Sustainable management is achieved

through many processes, which include ecological monitoring activities, controlling the

establishment and spread of invasive plant species, advocating sustainable range

management practices, developing policy and legislation, and assisting in the

restoration of degraded rangeland. Extension services are provided to staff, clients and

partners. Funding from LBI focuses on the restoration of rangeland areas impacted by

catastrophic disturbance such as mountain pine beetle, wildfire, and drought.


• Matching funding to replace infrastructure lost in wildfires where ineligible through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangement (DFAA)

• Identification and prioritization of First Nations archeological sites with Wildfire Recovery for reconstruction of burned fences

• Integrated planning with the Forest Enhancement Society BC and Forest Carbon Initiative

• Columbia Basin Trust matching funding in the East Kootenays

• Wildlife Habitat Management and Enhancement

• Management of sensitive fisheries, streams and rivers


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2.6 Invasive Species Invasive species are the second biggest threat

to at-risk species and ecosystems in B.C.

Invasive species have harmful socio-economic

impacts that include loss of productivity in

agriculture, aquaculture and forest industries;

damage to infrastructure; hazards to human

health and safety; and degradation or loss of

recreational areas. The most effective

strategies are implementing prevention, early

detection and rapid response, surveys and inventory, risk assessments, treatments,

monitoring, and development of new management tools. The Inter-Ministry Invasive

Species Working Group and stakeholder partnerships with are integral to long-term

success.


• B.C. Invasive Species Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) Plan implemented on 100% of new invasive plant species incursions discovered

• 100% of historic prohibited invasive plant species sites monitored and addressed

• Completed 33 surveys of priority waterbodies, 110% of target

Allocation: $715,000 plus $300,000 RM

Livestock Watering$200,000

Wildfire Fence Replacement (Non DFAA) $160,000

Riparian Rehabilitation

$150,000

Fencing to Improve Rangeland Health

$140,000

Riparian Protection$50,000

Programs

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2.7 Wildlife Inventory Wildlife Species Inventory (WSI) data

and information includes any

survey undertaken to determine the

presence or abundance of a wildlife

species. Wildlife species include

mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles,

insects, and plants, as well as their

habitats. The Province collects, stores,

and provides access to data and

information on all wildlife species in

B.C.

Wildlife species data and information

includes counts, population parameter estimates,

biological samples (such as hair/blood/DNA), animal

capture locations, telemetry, habitat features,

associated reports, maps, spatial files and vegetation.

Having a central repository for wildlife species

inventory data and information facilitates storage and

access to the information required for making

informed management decisions and improving

conservation efforts.


• Completion of wolf cluster investigations to inform kill rate and prey selection

estimates

• Correlated lynx detection with habitat quality, habitat disturbance and trapper

harvest

• Pre and post wildfire mountain goat population comparisons

Containment$546,800

Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) $259,200

Inventory/Monitoring$208,000

Biocontrol $36,000Programs

Wildlife biologist Matt Scheideman, pilot Rob Altoft, and wildlife biologist Morgan Anderson with two wolves captured on Tezzeron Lake, February 2019. All captures are associated with a project examining wolf predation risk to moose over 5 years and two study sites, which are paired with the provincial Moose Research Project (Prince George South and John Prince Research Forest). The project is carried out in conjunction with HCTF, FESBC and John Prince Research Forest.

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Mule Deer $145,000

Roosevelt Elk$134,000

Mountain Goat$83,000

Multi-Species $60,000.00.00

Stone's Sheep $60,000

Bighorn Sheep$45,000

Rocky Mountain Elk$40,000

Wolf $10,000 Lynx $8,000

Programs

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Moose-Specific Projects Allocation: $1 million Moose are an iconic animal in British Columbia. First Nations rely on moose for social, ceremonial, and sustenance purposes. Moose provide sustenance and recreational opportunities to resident and visiting hunters. Hunting opportunities provide important social opportunities and economic benefits. Collectively, moose play a vital role in the well-being of communities and individuals.

Ministry staff and partners are continuing to undertake surveys, research, and assessments of moose health. Working closely with First Nations and stakeholders, staff gain more understanding to inform management decisions. In 2018/19, the ministry’s investments in moose projects for moose enhancement include population inventory, habitat designation, habitat enhancement and assessment of species interactions. The ministry’s moose research project started in 2013, and continues to provide important information for moose management.


Moose calf survival was confirmed to be an important factor in population trends. This mortality rate appears to be the main contributing factor to population decline. The Ministry is investigating multiple factors influencing the high mortality rates, and will use the results to better inform management decisions and project investments. In 2018/19 there were population and composition surveys conducted that enabled determination of population trends. Ministry staff continues to communicate closely with First Nations and regional and provincial wildlife stakeholders on program delivery and status of the moose enhancement program and research.

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Thompson-Okanagan Moose SRB

and Composition Surveys $175,000

5-13C SRB Moose Survey $110,000

Tweedsmuir/Entiako Moose SRB Survey

$100,000

Moose SRB Survey -MU 7-33 $90,000

Moose Calf Collaring in PG South $75,000

Moose Calf Survival in the Bonaparte

$75,000

East Kootenay Moose Inventory $60,000

Moose SRB Survey -MU 7-21B, 7-22

$60,000

5-02C SRB moose survey $54,000

Early Calf Survival and Landscape Change

$50,000

Skeena MAPH Review and Verification

$40,000

West Kootenay Moose Inventory $40,000

Wildfire Impact to Moose in 5-13A

$32,000

Moose UWR verification $20,000

Toxicity and Residual Effects of Herbicide

$14,800

Forage and Nutrition 1$10,200

Collaborative Moose Management $10,000

Skeena Moose Enhancement

Consultation $5,000

Moose Programs

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2.8 Wildlife – Species at Risk (SAR) Effective stewardship of species and

species at risk in B.C.is achieved by

collaborating with Environment Canada

and the Ministry of Environment to create

Recovery Strategies and deliver

Implementation Plans. Data collection and

analysis, wildlife and habitat management

and stakeholder engagement are

undertaken to assist the recovery of

species designated “threatened” or

“endangered”.

Allocation: $1 million plus $350,000 RM

Summary of species at risk projects:

• Collaboration with First Nations for grizzly bear habitat mapping and field

verification

• Coordination and delivery of Nechako White Sturgeon recovery projects and

hatchery effectiveness

• Identification of bull trout critical habitat in the Missinka and Hominka watersheds

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Northern Goshawk $150,000

White-nose Syndrome Response

Strategy for BC Bats$120,000

Spotted Owl Action Plan Implementation

$91,500 Flexible/Pressures

$80,000

Vancouver Island Marmots

population stabilization $70,000

Nechako White Sturgeon $60,000

Snake Road Kill Mitigation $44,500

Surveys of Pelican foraging lakes $41,000

Regional SAR Inventory &

Monitoring $25,000

Species at Risk Decision

Support (SARDS) Tool$25,000

Amphibians $20,000

Incorporation of TEK -Moberly GBPU

$20,000

Badger Road Mortality Mitigation $15,000

Forest Management Planning Tools

$15,000

South Rockies Grizzly Bear assessment

$10,000

Marten Cumulative Effects Methodology

$7,500

Snake Den and Road Kill Mortality $5,500

Programs

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2.9 Wildlife – Habitat (GAR) Some wildlife species are sensitive to

human activity. Key habitat areas are

spatially located, and have prescribed

measures to ensure that wildlife

habitat and population objectives are

achieved. The tools in the

Government Action Regulation (GAR)

are used to legally designate habitat

protection. GAR addresses planning

and implementation of strategies to

facilitate the management of wildlife

species identified in the Forest and

Range Practices Act (FRPA) in B.C. Some of the projects/work support foundation

pieces (such as data management and assessment) of the GAR program, while others

completed operational tasks.


Summary of Habitat Protection Projects:

• Tsilhqot'in Nation partnership in evaluating wildfire impact on blue-listed species

• Analysis of foraging and breeding habitats for the northern goshawk

• Identification of Temperature Sensitive Streams (TSS) for steelhead, bull trout,

rainbow trout, coho, chinook, and sockeye salmon

• Enhancing ungulate winter ranges through silviculture programs and First

Nations engagement

• Assessments of Cariboo and Cottonwood River watersheds

• Haida Gwaii monitoring plan

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South Coast - Fish$60,000

Branch - MOE $60,000

Branch – FLNRORD -Various Species

with WHA designations$57,500

Thompson Okanagan -Trout/Char/Salmon

$50,000

Branch – FLNRORD -Fish $45,000

Omineca – Various Species $40,000

Kootenay Boundary -Ungulate $40,000

Cariboo - Fisher$39,500

Skeena -FSW/Watershed Integrity $35,000

Branch – MOE - Fisher$35,000

North East Black Throated Green and Connecticut warbler $30,000

Omineca – Bull Trout$20,000

Kootenay Boundary -Multiple $20,000

West Coast - Roosevelt Elk $20,000

West Coast - Black-tailed Deer $15,000

North East - Bull Trout$15,000

Cariboo - Mule Deer$10,000

Skeena - Moose/Deer$7,000

North East - Fisher$1,000

Programs

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2.10 Recreation Sites & Trails Recreation Sites and Trails BC develops,

maintains, and manages a network of sites

and trails to provide safe, quality recreation

opportunities for the public. B.C.'s recreation

sites and trails are managed through service

contracts and partnership agreements with a

range of communities, recreation

organizations, and Indigenous peoples.

The Recreation Sites and Trails LBIS

Program determines priority projects through

criteria that indicate where opportunity,

demand and community support is high. To

support long-term sustainability of the sites

and trails, priority is given to projects that

mitigate risks associated with hazards, and

those that are aligned with community, Indigenous and economic interests such as

forest licensees. By maintaining the sites and trails, use can be optimized for recreation

and other socio-economic benefits


Thompson Okanagan$126,000

Kootenay Boundary$113,500

South Coast $102,500Omenica $85,500

Skeena $65,000

Cariboo $65,000

West Coast $60,000

Northeast $32,500Projects

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2.11 MOE Data Warehouse Working with the Ministry of Environment

and Climate Change Strategy’s

Environmental Sustainability and Strategic

Policy Division, backlogged program data

is compiled, catalogued, cleaned up and

loaded into a designated LBIS repository.

Data is both regional and provincial, and

covers fish, wildlife and habitat sources.


Terrestrial Ecosystem Inventory/Mapping

$42,300

Wildlife Data Loading$39,000

Auxilary Staff: Ecosystem

Information Section$33,630

Fisheries Data Loading$33,000

White Sturgeon Database

Consolidation $15,500

Cariboo Region Data $13,000

Fisheries Stock Assessment $7,000

Grizzly Bear Telemetry$7,000

Skeena Region Data$5,070

Wildlife Database Enhancement $4,500

Programs

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2.12 LBIS Stewardship LBIS stewardship effects program delivery

by ensuring that the $74+million budget is

appropriately managed through

comprehensive planning, budgeting,

delivery, reporting, and monitoring.

Provincial, regional and district staff are key

partners in planning and delivery, however,

the LBIS team is required to provide

oversight for and management of the fund.

Through Integrated Investment Monitoring and Assessment (IIMA), assessments can

assist in making sustainable investment decisions.

Allocation: $924,000 plus $250,000 RM

These funds are to achieve LBIS goals in the following categories:

• Integrated Investment Monitoring and Assessment $724,000

• LBIS Project Management $200,000 Resource Stewardship Monitoring Resource stewardship monitoring is science-based field monitoring. It supports evaluation of the conditions and trends of resource values, and the effectiveness of resource practices at achieving government’s objectives for resource management and conservation. Monitoring data is analysed and reported to inform natural resource planning and decision-making. This data also supports updates to Provincial policy and legislation. Monitoring activities completed in 2018/19 are summarized in the graphic below. Allocation: $524,000

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Cumulative Effects Assessment Cumulative Effects Assessments evaluate the conditions and trends of resource values on a landscape scale, with consideration to the effects of all resource development activities and natural disturbances. Assessment results are publicly reported to provide information for resource planning and decision-making across the natural resource sector. 2018/19 activities were focused on assessing and reporting on the current condition of moose, grizzly bear and old growth forest. Allocation: $200,000

Field-Based Monitoring $370,000

Monitoring Protocol Development/Improvement

$112,000

Other Activities$23,000

Programs

Moose CE Model Development and

Reporting $105,526Old Growth CE Report Development $25,000

Grizzly Bear CE Report Development $25,000

Other $18,974Programs

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Appendix

Appendix 1 FLNRORD Road Map

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Appendix 2 - 2018/19 Allocations to Investment Categories

For the 2018-19 fiscal year, Tim Sheldon, Deputy Minister of FLNRORD, approved

$74.84 million, plus $3 million for risk-managed funding to the following categories:

INVESTMENT CATEGORY 2018/19 ($M) RISK-MANAGED

FUNDING ($M)

1. FFT - Current Reforestation 39.376

2. FFT - Timber Supply Mitigation 9.260

3. Forest Health 6.035

4. Tree Improvement 2.500

5. Forest Inventory and Lidar Acquisition 8.130 2.0

6. Inventory - EBM 0.600

7. Visual Resource Management 0.200

8. Fish Passage Remediation 1.000

9. Fish Inventory 0.200

10. Water Quality 0.350

11. Range - Ecosystem Restoration 0.750

12. Range - Enhancement 0.750

13. Invasive species 0.715 0.30

14. Wildlife Inventory - Wildlife 1.600

15. Wildlife - Species at Risk (SAR) 1.000 0.35

16. Wildlife - Habitat (GAR) 0.600

17. Recreation Sites and Trails 0.650 0.10

18. MOE Data Warehouse 0.200

19. Optimizing LBIS – Stewardship &

Performance 0.924 0.25

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