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Recovery Planning in British Columbia
What is recovery
planning?
Recovery planning is a process to identify and facilitate
the implementation of priority actions to ensure the
survival and recovery of species and ecosystems at risk.
The goal of recovery planning is to help arrest or reverse
the decline of a species, and/or reduce or remove the
threats to its long-term persistence in the wild. Recovery
of a species can range from maintenance of current population
size and distribution (survival) to fully restoring
the species as a viable, self-sustaining population
(recovery).
Recovery planning is generally accomplished through
a two stage process: 1. development of a recovery strategy;
and in most cases, 2. development of one or more action
plan(s).
What is a Recovery Strategy?
A recovery strategy is a strategic, science-based document
that provides advice to government and others on whether
recovery is biologically feasible, and if so, what is
required to achieve recovery. A recovery strategy outlines
what is and what is and is not known about a species
or ecosystem, identifies threats to the species or ecosystem,
and what should be done to mitigate those threats. Recovery
strategies set recovery goals and objectives, and recommend
approaches to recover the species or ecosystem.
Recovery strategies are usually prepared by a recovery
team, with members from agencies responsible for the
management of the species or ecosystem, experts from
other agencies, universities, conservation groups, aboriginal
groups, and stakeholder groups as appropriate.
The recovery strategy provides valuable information
on threats to the species and their recovery needs that
may be used by individuals, communities, land users,
and conservationists interested in species at risk recovery.
What is an Action Plan?
In most cases, one or more action plan(s) will be developed
to define and guide implementation of the recovery strategy.
Action plans include more detailed information about
what needs to be done to meet the goals and objectives
of the recovery strategy.
How is Recovery Planning Accomplished
in
British Columbia?
Under the Accord
for the Protection of Species at Risk in Canada,
and the Canada-British
Columbia Agreement on Species at Risk (PDF 1.46MB),
the Government of British Columbia has agreed to engage
in recovery planning for species at risk in cooperation
with the federal government.
Responsibility for recovery planning for a species
or ecosystem at risk is generally assigned to the agency
with legal responsibility for management of a particular
species or ecosystem and/or its habitat. Table 1 indicates
how responsibility for recovery planning in British
Columbia is typically determined.
Table 1: Agencies responsible for recovery
planning in British Columbia
| Species
Type |
Lead
Agency |
| Marine
species |
Fisheries
and Oceans Canada
|
| Freshwater
fish |
Fisheries
and Oceans Canada & BC Ministry of Environment
|
| Most
terrestrial species |
BC
Ministry of Environment
|
Species
predominantly on/in lands/waters administered by
Parks Canada (National Parks, Historic Sites and
Marine Conservation Areas)
|
Parks
Canada Agency |
| Migratory
birds |
Environment
Canada |
When a federal agency is responsible for recovery planning
for a species in British Columbia, the recovery strategy
is posted on the federal Species
at Risk Act (SARA) public registry. Recovery strategies
co-led by the province and a federal agency may also
be posted on the SARA public registry.
Recovery strategies prepared as advice to the province
of British Columbia are posted on this webpage. These
strategies will be available for adoption by the federal
government for posting on the SARA public registry.
Recovery strategies are usually prepared
by a recovery team with members from agencies responsible
for the management of the species or ecosystem, experts
from other agencies, universities, conservation groups,
aboriginal groups, and stakeholder groups as appropriate. See the link below for a list of recovery
teams that are currently active in British Columbia
List of Recovery
Teams and Recovery Action/Implementation Groups
for BC Species and Ecosystems at Risk (PDF
68KB)
Provincial Recovery Strategies
Provincial or co-led Recovery
Strategies on the SARA public registry:
Links to some Recovery
Plan/Team and related websites:
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