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Identified Wildlife Management - News Release

For Immediate Release
330-30ELP98/99-101
February 19, 1999

Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks
Ministry of Forests

Forest Practices Code Gives Added Protection to Species at Risk

Kamloops – Endangered species in British Columbia will receive added protection under new provisions of the Forest Practices Code, Environment, Lands and Parks Minister Cathy McGregor and Forests Minister David Zirnhelt announced today.

McGregor said the Identified Wildlife Management Strategy is yet another component of the province's plan to protect endangered, threatened and vulnerable wildlife species and plant communities.

"In developing the Forest Practices Code, we planned to ensure measures were in place to protect B.C.'s rich wildlife heritage," said McGregor. "The Identified Wildlife Management Strategy is a step towards our goal of protecting species at risk."

"The strategy provides direction for forest companies to plan for endangered species as part of good forest management," said Zirnhelt.

The term Identified Wildlife is defined under the Forest Practices Code. It refers to species or plant communities requiring special forest practices to be applied where forest activities are planned. When Identified Wildlife is in a forested area, forestry plans must include measures to protect them.

Provisions enable wildlife habitat areas to be established for Identified Wildlife. For example, areas where the Vancouver Island marmot live are included in the strategy.

The strategy will contain two species lists, released in separate volumes. Volume 1 of the Identified Wildlife Management Strategy announced today, is comprised of two companion documents: Species and Plant Community Accounts for Identified Wildlife and Managing Identified Wildlife: Procedures and Measures. It identifies the species most at risk from forest activities. In April 1999, the province will start compiling a list of identified species for Volume 2 of the Identified Wildlife Management Strategy.

"This strategy will be implemented as wildlife habitat areas are identified and mapped, their locations are made known to licensees and this information is incorporated into forest development plans," said Zirnhelt. "Government’s aim is to use this strategy to protect species at risk while dealing with the reality of a working forest. The implementation of the strategy is expected to affect less than one per cent of the working forest in B.C."

In order that the strategy is delivered efficiently, a committee comprised of representatives from industry, environmental groups, labour and government has been established, to oversee implementation details. A plan will also be put in place to address and mitigate any job impacts. The strategy will be reviewed after one year.

Forest companies will be required to adhere to general wildlife measures when carrying out forestry activities in a wildlife habitat area. Activities relating to wildlife habitat areas will be enforced along with other requirements contained within the Forest Practices Code.

(Note: A backgrounder on the Identified Wildlife Management Strategy, including a list of species, is available.)

Contact: Alex Dabrowski, (250) 387-9423
or cell (250) 920-6026
Media Relations,
Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks
Victoria
Andrew Little, (250) 387-8489
Communications Branch
Ministry of Forests
Victoria


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