Ministry of Environment
Environmental Stewardship Division
Help! I Need More Information On An SEI Site!
Help is just a phone call away. Approximately 30% of the SEI polygons were field checked during the inventory process. This information has recently been entered into a database, which is linked by polygon ID number to the main database. A field data report can now be generated for any of these fieldchecked sites. Look at the table on the right hand side of your SEI map - if the polygon number has an asterisk beside it, it has been fieldchecked.
This information is available to all users. If you have MS Access, we can transfer the database to you electronically, so that you can do your own queries and generate your own reports with the user-friendly report form provided. If you do not have MS Access, let us know which polygon number(s) you are interested in, and we can fax you a copy of the report. We can also provide assistance with interpretation of field data.
For information contact Jan Kirkby, Conservation Data Centre, phone (250) 387-0732, fax (250) 387-2733, e-mail Jan.Kirkby@gems9.gov.bc.ca
The Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative
Under the Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative (GBEI), Environment Canada and the B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks have embarked on a partnership to conserve and protect habitat and species in the Georgia Basin. This expands on a number of already successful partnerships and programs such as the Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory.
There are three goals to help maintain wildlife populations, biodiversity and related human quality of life:
- "to sustain the abundance and diversity of wildlife through the securement and management of a network of protected areas;
- to work with landowners and provincial, local and regional governments responsible for land and water use decisions to ensure the needs of wildlife and open space are integrated into sustainable land use decisions; and
- to increase the public's understanding of the importance of habitat conservation and healthy and diverse ecosystems, to encourage communities to demand, support and commit to, and take action on, conservation."
This will be achieved in a number of ways, including some acquisition of key habitats, management agreements with government and individual landowners, and educational tools for public and community groups.
The GBEI hopes to achieve a number of measurable results, such as:
- "community-based voluntary stewardship programs implemented in Cowichan Bay and Comox;
- ten remnant ecosystems on Vancouver Island, including two of the remaining Garry oak habitats, will be secured;
- outreach programs and materials will be delivered to local and regional planners to facilitate the use of the Vancouver Island Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory; and
- a Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory will be developed for the Sunshine Coast."
For further information contact Environment Canada, phone (604) 713-9528, or check their website at http://www.pyr.ec.gc.ca/GeorgiaBasin/
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