Wildlife stewardship planning documents

Last updated on February 3, 2023

Provincial wildlife stewardship frameworks and regional wildlife stewardship plans are part of B.C.’s wildlife stewardship planning process. These documents are intended to provide guidance to managers and decision makers to ensure healthy and thriving wildlife populations and habitats.

Provincial stewardship frameworks generally include the best available information, at time of publication, describing how species interact with other species and their habitats, threats to populations and habitat, potential management tools, and broad (e.g., general) goals and/or objectives that describe the desired condition for the species. Regional stewardship plans are more specific to local conditions and may include quantitative goals and/or objectives, more targeted guidance for management, and planned management actions.

The wildlife stewardship planning process focuses on priority species that are classified by the Conservation Data Centre as secure, apparently secure, or of special concern in B.C. To learn more about recovery planning for endangered or threatened species, and some animals of special concern, review the species and ecosystems at risk recovery documents.

To date, wildlife stewardship planning has focused on species that are of cultural and social significance, and/or are hunted or trapped. While these documents have historically relied primarily on a western science perspective, the Province is working together with First Nations to transform the management and stewardship of waters, lands, and resources. Future wildlife stewardship planning processes, and those underway, are more collaborative and inclusive of First Nations’ values, perspectives, knowledge, and governance authorities.

Wildlife stewardship planning documents
Species/Sub-species Region (area) Status Year Documents and Notes
Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) Kootenay-Boundary (Kootenay) Complete 2021 Kootenay Region Bighorn Sheep Management Plan (PDF, 4.9MB)
Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) Skeena (Atlin and Carcross Herd Boundaries) In Development 2023 - Anticipated Complete  
Fisher (Pekania pennanti) Provincial In Development 2020 - Initiated  
Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) Provincial Complete 2014 Management Plan for the Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) in British Columbia (PDF, 1.4MB)
Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) Provincial In Development 2018 - Initiated  
Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) Skeena (Francois Grizzly Bear Population Unit) In Development 2022 - Initiated ESI-SSAF Francois GBPU Action Plan
Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) South Coast (Stein-Nahatlatch Grizzly Bear Population Unit) In Development 2020 - Initiated  
Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) South Coast and Thompson-Okanagan (North Cascades Grizzly Bear Population Unit) In Development 2021 - Initiated  
Moose (Alces alces) Provincial Complete 2015 Provincial Framework for Moose Management in British Columbia (PDF, 3.2MB)
Moose (Alces alces) Cariboo Planned 2025 - Anticipated Complete  
Moose (Alces alces) Cariboo (Chilcotin) Complete 2017 Chilcotin Moose Recovery Plan (PDF, 1MB)
Moose (Alces alces) Skeena (Atlin Population Management Unit) In Development 2023 - Anticipated Complete  
Moose (Alces alces) Skeena (Klappan Population Management Unit) In Development 2023 - Anticipated Complete  
Moose (Alces alces) Skeena (Liard Basin Population Management Unit) In Development 2023 - Anticipated Complete  
Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus) Provincial Complete 2010 Management Plan for the Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus) in British Columbia (PDF, 2.6 MB)
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) Kootenay-Boundary Complete 2014 Kootenay-Boundary Mule Deer Management Plan: 2014-2018 (PDF, 2.3MB)
Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) Provincial In Development 2023 - Anticipated Complete Stewardship Framework for Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) in British Columbia
Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) Cariboo In Development 2023 - Anticipated Complete  
Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) Kootenay-Boundary Complete 2023 - Update Anticipated Complete Kootenay Elk Management Plan: 2010 to 2014 (PDF, 912KB)
Roosevelt Elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) Provincial Complete 2015 Management Plan for Roosevelt Elk in British Columbia (PDF, 2.7MB)
Thinhorn Sheep (Ovis dalli) Provincial In Development 2015 - Initiated  
Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) Provincial Complete 2000 Management Plan for Wood Bison in British Columbia (PDF)