Proposed Land Use Objectives Regulation Orders
The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development is required to provide an opportunity for review and comment on all non-urgent land use objectives proposed under the Land Use Objectives Regulation of the Land Act.
Proposed orders and supporting materials will be provided for the entire advertising period.
Request for Comment – EXTENDED to February 12, 2021
PROPOSED LAND USE AND WILDLIFE OBJECTIVES
Relating to the recovery of Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus)
Notice is hereby given that:
- Pursuant to Section 93.4 of the Land Act, a legal Order establishing land use objectives for the recovery of Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is proposed (hereafter the MAMU Order);
- Pursuant to Section 7(2) of the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation and Section 9(3) of the Woodlot Licence Planning and Practices Regulation of the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA), a Notice to conserve sufficient wildlife habitat for the survival of Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is proposed (hereafter the MAMU Notice).
The public was invited to comment on the draft MAMU Order and draft MAMU Notice as of September 18, 2020. A provincial election was called on September 21, 2020, so the review and comment period has been extended to February 12, 2021. Written comments may be sent to FLNR.MarbledMurreletOrderandNotice@gov.bc.ca.
Upon completion of the review and comment period, and subsequent approval of the MAMU Order, the order will take effect on the date that notice of order is published in The British Columbia Gazette.
The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) is proposing to establish:
- the MAMU Order, which will protect an additional 60,274 ha of Marbled Murrelet nesting habitat (hereafter suitable habitat) on provincial Crown land on Vancouver Island and the South Coast; and
- the MAMU Notice, which will guide the establishment of Wildlife Habitat Areas under FRPA and Old-Growth Management Areas under the Land Act.
The proposed MAMU Order and MAMU Notice apply to the area identified as suitable habitat in Schedule 2 through Schedule 6 of the MAMU Order. The majority of suitable habitat is old growth forest.
- Draft Ministerial Order for the Recovery of Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) (PDF, 0.1MB)
- Schedule 1: Map of Marbled Murrelet Conservation Regions, Landscape Unit Aggregates and Landscape Unit Portions (PDF, 2.2MB)
- Schedules 2-6: Maps of Marbled Murrelet Nesting Habitat (Suitable Habitat) within Crown Land:
- North Island - Central Coast Natural Resource District (PDF, 3.7MB)
- Campbell River Natural Resource District (PDF, 5.1MB)
- South Island Natural Resource District (PDF, 4.9MB)
- Cariboo-Chilcotin Natural Resource District and Sunshine Coast Natural Resource District (PDF, 4.0MB)
- Sea to Sky Natural Resource District and Chilliwack Natural Resource District (PDF, 3.9MB)
- Schedule 7: Tables of Suitable Habitat Targets & Minimum Habitat Thresholds (PDF, 0.2MB)
- Review & Comment Aid (PDF, 0.3MB)
- Questions and Answers to guide review of the proposed Marbled Murrelet Ministerial Order (PDF, 0.1MB)
- Spatial data (geodatabase and shapefile formats) of Marbled Murrelet suitable habitat within Crown Land is available for download from the BC government FTP site.
In February 2018, the Implementation Plan for the Recovery of Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in British Columbia (PDF) was released and outlines the provincial management commitment for the recovery of Marbled Murrelet (MAMU) in British Columbia. The Implementation Plan outlines priorities, actions and timelines including measures to maintain sufficient nesting habitat on provincial Crown land to support viable populations of Marbled Murrelet across their range in B.C.
The province recognizes the importance of old growth forests for Marbled Murrelet habitat needs. The recently released report, A New Future for Old Forests (PDF), provides context for which temporary deferral areas can be considered to allow for conversations on the future of old growth forests. The report provides an opportunity to consider all values including social, environmental, economic and cultural values, including Marbled Murrelet habitat. The province is committed to engaging with the public and stakeholders and consulting with First Nations on the future of old growth forests including needs for species at risk.
