Biodiversity Forum for Local Governments
Last updated on July 4, 2025The Biodiversity Forum for Local Governments (formerly the Species and Ecosystems at Risk Local Government Working Group) includes participants from municipalities, Islands Trust local trust areas, regional districts and the provincial government who are interested in:
- Joining conservation efforts to protect plants and animals at-risk and their habitats
- Facilitating discussions across jurisdictions about biodiversity stewardship
- Collaborating on species and ecosystems protection and conservation issues
Since its formation in 2009, the forum has been working together to find ways to support and protect biodiversity, including species and ecosystems at-risk, on private and local government lands. Membership now includes about 100 local governments with over 200 participants.
Local governments are uniquely positioned to play a critical role in ecosystem health and conservation of biodiversity. Local government planning establishes land use patterns that can last for generations, using tools such as regional growth strategies and official community plans to describe the long-term vision of communities. These can help build community sustainability and resilience with planning policies that support positive outcomes for biodiversity and ecosystem health.
The forum collaborates and builds on existing work already underway, including local governments partnering with Indigenous communities in their regions, and working with conservation programs, land trusts and other environmental stewardship organizations across a wide range of strategies including:
- Increasing local government awareness of biodiversity
- Facilitating use of effective tools and techniques
- Identifying and collaborating on shared responsibilities
- Conducting ecosystem mapping and encouraging data sharing
- Engaging landowners in species and ecosystems at-risk habitat protection
Information for landowners
Although privately-owned properties only make up about five percent of B.C., they are still home to numerous species and ecosystems assessed as ‘at risk’. If you are a landowner, see how you can help with conservation efforts: