Development and Implementation of the Provincial Identified Wildlife Management Strategy in British Columbia, Canada

Abstract: The Identified Wildlife Management Strategy was developed in British Columbia in the mid-1990s to address increasing threats and potential endangerment of species at risk from forest and range practices. Authority for this strategy stems from the 1995 Forest Practices Code, and the strategy represents part of the provincial response to the National Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk. Volume 1 of the strategy (released in 1999) consists of accounts and procedures/management measures for 40 at-risk elements. The strategy has been implemented through the establishment of Wildlife Habitat Areas for these elements and the consideration of recommendations in landscape-level resource management plans. We currently plan to expand the strategy to address 85 at-risk elements (species, species-pairs, subspecies, populations, population units, or plant communities), subject to approval under the new Forest and Range Practices legislation. The expansion would included those species listed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as of December 2001 that are impacted, at least moderately, by forest or range practices, plus other provincially red- and blue-listed elements. These elements have been ranked objectively in a priority list. If approved, there should be momentum to develop a considerable number of new Wildlife Habitat Areas and increase the focus on at-risk wildlife in landscape-level resource management plans. Incorporating recommendations from recovery teams into these efforts will be important. We also plan to start a review process by investigating the effectiveness of Wildlif