Updates and Reports

Nature Based Solutions Information

What are Nature Based Solutions?

The UN Office of Disaster Risk Reduction prepared a short video to illustrate what nature based solutions are and their benefit to our communities.

The Role of Nature Based Solutions in GHG Mitigation

This study looked at how much climate mitigation nature can contribute to this goal with a comprehensive analysis of “natural climate solutions” (NCS).

What are Ecosystems Services?

Ecosystem Services are the direct and indirect contributions ecosystems provide for human wellbeing and quality of life. This can be providing food and water, regulating the climate, as well as reducing stress and anxiety.

Why Protect 30% of Land and Water by 2030?

The Province of BC has the greatest diversity of species, ecosystems and habitats of any jurisdiction in Canada. In 2023 the provincial government set a target to protect 30% of land by 2030.

Webinar Series 2024 - Finding the Balance

Webinar 1:
Caring for Streams

This webinar explores innovative approaches to riparian ecosystem stewardship in British Columbia. Kate Menzies, Natural Resource Planning Manager for the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, introduces the xʔəlílwətaʔɬ/Indian River Watershed Integrated Stewardship Plan, highlighting the Nation’s vision for managing riparian areas. Nicholas Schwetz, Environmental Planner with the Cowichan Valley Regional District, discusses challenges in riparian management under the Riparian Areas Protection Regulation (RAPR), focusing on legislative overlap and ecological restoration.

Webinar 2:
Protecting Freshwater and Coastal Wetlands

This webinar features three projects showcasing the role of wetlands in ecosystem restoration and conservation. Neil Fletcher, Director of Conservation Stewardship at the B.C. Wildlife Federation, discusses the 10,000 Wetlands Initiative and early findings from Beaver Dam Analogues as a restoration tool for addressing droughts, floods, and biodiversity loss in B.C. Daniel Stewart, R.P.Bio, shares insights from the Boundary Bay Wood Debris Removal Project, highlighting lessons learned from enhancing salt marsh recovery through debris clearing and revegetation. Kyla Rushton of the B.C. Wildlife Federation introduces the Wetland Ecosystem Services Protocol.

Webinar 3:
Protecting Sensitive Ecosystems

This webinar features two insightful presentations on ecosystem conservation and stewardship. Josephine Clark, Natural Resource Management Planner with Metro Vancouver, discusses the region’s Sensitive Ecosystem Mapping program and how this mapping has been applied to natural asset management, connectivity modeling and carbon storage mapping. Paige Erickson-McGee, Emily Buccioni, and Dominique James from Habitat Acquisition Trust share insights from the Good Neighbours program, a habitat stewardship initiative running since 2001.

Webinar 4: Planning with Plants

Our webinar “Planning with Plants” explored strategies for incorporating plants into stewardship and urban planning while addressing critical ecological challenges. Carrina Maslovat and Jill Robinson shared insights into protecting rare plant species on private and regional lands and the importance of community-supported monitoring programs. Douglas Justice from UBC Botanical Garden explored the evolving role of urban trees in building resilient communities. He discussed climate adaptation offering strategies for sustaining urban forests in a changing climate. Finally, Torin Kelly from the Invasive Species Council of BC focused on proactive site management to prevent invasive species establishment.

Webinar Series 2023

Webinar 1: Caring for Land and Water

Nathan Fisk from Parks Canada shared information about a collaborative project called the Sidney Island Ecological Restoration Project (SIERP), which is being conducted in partnership with W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations, the province of BC, private landowners, and Islands Trust Conservancy, with additional participation from Cowichan Tribes and Penelakut Tribe. Deer management and other restoration activities are being implemented with the goal of improving forest health on Sidney Island. Erich Kelch from Parks Canada has been working with W̱SÁNEĆ Nation and member bands of the Cowichan Nation on a Sea Garden Restoration project. The restoration works have been guided by Coast Salish knowledge holders and complemented by modern scientific methods.

Webinar 2: Living with Wildfire

Neal Mcloughlin works for BC Wildfire Services in their Predictive Services Unit and will share information on how the condition of the forest can influence how fire behaves and how BC Wildfire Service using maps of fuel type to predict how a fire may move across the landscape under certain environmental conditions. Jason Hutchinson is a Forest Carbon Specialist who works for the Ministry of Forest. The Ministry has been working on projects to increase carbon stored within our forest which includes planting post fire, pest and landslides. Jason will share information about this project including the lessons they have learned relating to when to plant and when not to.

Webinar 3: What could our forests look like in 2050?

Jonathon Degner is a Forest Genetics Research Scientist with the Ministry of Forests who has been working with Douglas-fir, western red cedar and Garry oak to understand the genetics of these species. To ensure our commercial forests retain diversity so that they will be resilient to new pest species. Cheyenne Williams and Heather Pritchard from Quw’utsun’ Cultural Connections Society have been working on a project led by Cowichan Tribes elders to protect and restore Xpey’ (western red cedar) stands in memory of the children that did not come home, so that in 500 years generations will continue to know and love this beloved tree.

Biodiversity Mapping

Spatial Data and Mapping Conversation Results

Part 1 - 2022

To understand gaps and opportunities in relation to biodiversity mapping on the south-west coast of BC, CDFCP and UBC Botanical Gardens staff and consultants completed in depth conversations with local government and First Nations planners, mapping experts from provincial and federal government and the private sector and environmental non-governmental organization’s (eNGOs). This work highlighted that provincial and federal government mapping is usually at a large scale not suitable for local planning. In addition, mapping is expensive to do so is quickly out of date or is focused on small study areas. The information collected through these conversations is being used to develop a Biodiversity Atlas for First Nations and local governments on the south-west coast of BC by UBC Botanical Gardens and the CDFCP.

Read Report - 2022

Part 2 - 2023

A second round of conversations were undertaken with key western science and traditional knowledge holders relating to remote sensing; ecosystem mapping; species and ecosystems at risk; culturally significant species and climate shifting and modelling.

Read Report - 2023

Biodiversity Mapping Workshop 2022 and 2023

The CDFCP, UBC Botanical Gardens and UBC Okanagan have deliver two Biodiversity Mapping Solutions Workshops. These brought together spatial mappers and users from a broad range of backgrounds including; local, provincial and federal government, First Nations, academics, consultants and eNGOs. The purpose of these conversations was to guide the development of a Biodiversity Atlas for the southwest coast of BC for use by local government and First Nations planners and decision makers. The presentations delivered at the workshops were recorded and a summary of the discussions of the conversation captured. This information can be accessed using the links below.

Workshop 2022

The following presentations were delivered and can be watched again:
Mapping Solutions Setting the Context - Kelly Chapman (KWEST)
Mapping Land Cover and Vegetation Structure - Nicholas Coop (UBC)
Climate and Ecological Mapping for Forest Adaptation to Climate Change -
Tongli Wang (UBC)
Provincial Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping Initiatives - Jackie Churchill (WLRS)
Predicting the Distribution and Abundance of Culturally Important Plants -
Sari Saunders (MoF)
Climate Adaptive Planning CAP-BC - Peter Arcese (UBC)

Presentations and Report

Workshop 2023

The following presentations were delivered and can be watched again:
Biodiversity Atlas Context - Tara Moreau (UBC Bot Gardens) and
Lyndsey Smith (CDFCP)
Connecting Mapping to Policy - Deborah Curran (UVic)
Species at Risk and of Cultural Value - Jessica Lukawiecki (Stó:lō Resource and Research Management Centre )
Mapping Connectivity in Cities - Aubery Butcher (Diamondhead Consulting)
Environmentally Sensitive Areas Mapping in the City of Courtenay - Nancy Gothard (City of Courtenay)

Presentations and Report

Nature Based Solutions - Policy and Incentives

Policy, Tools and Incentives: Local Government Perspective

To enable the development of a regional framework of policies, tools and incentives for the protection and restoration of nature-based solutions to climate change and biodiversity. The CDFCP and UBC Botanical Gardens completed conversations with local government and First Nations representatives. The purpose was to find out if there were gaps and consider opportunities to fill them. This report provides a details of the information shared.

Coastal Douglas-fir Conservation Partnership (CDFCP) Carbon Project Feasibility Assessment

Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are ways natural systems can be managed to mitigate carbon emissions and minimize negative impacts on ecosystem services. Forest carbon projects are one example of an NBS. When structured appropriately, a forest ecosystem can be managed such that it generates carbon credits. A feasibility study was completed to identify the potential to develop a group carbon project on the south-west coast of BC for small landowners.