Contributing to 30 X 30 — Howe Sound Biosphere Region

Summary

In addition to designated protected zones and parks, other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) play an important role in conserving biodiversity. Federal funding received from Environment and Climate Change Canada will focus efforts on enhancing the management of these areas that are often an interface between development and protected areas. This project will identify and map eligible areas that meet OECM criteria within our buffer zones and help increase local understanding of OECMs.

View Project Updates

The Need

The threats of climate change and biodiversity loss are no secret, as is evident by Canada’s commitment to protecting or conserving 30% of the country’s land and waters by 2030. To reach bold targets such as these requires innovative approaches that recognize barriers to do so and take into consideration the social implications involved in activities that ensure biodiversity and ecosystem services are conserved.

The term ‘Other effective area-based conservation measures’ first appeared during the 2010 Convention on Biological Diversity in the Aichi Target 11. OECMs were offered as an additional tool to meet global biodiversity conservation targets since they provide long-term biodiversity conservation benefits for species, habitats and ecosystems. OECMs offer recognition of efforts that already contribute to conservation, and it is believed that such a designation will provide support to these efforts, further encouraging land managers to maintain the systems they have put in place that result in conservation.

OECMs are defined as “a geographically defined area other than a Protected Area, which is governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the in-situ conservation of biodiversity, with associated ecosystem functions and services and, where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socioeconomic, and other locally relevant values” (UN Convention on Biological Diversity). Although on the surface, it may seem like this definition could also be applied to a designated protected area, the main difference between these two designations is that the primary objective of a protected area is conservation. OECMs are managed for other primary purposes, but through management, biodiversity conservation is also achieved. Canada adopted this international OECM definition and voluntary guidance developed by the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2018.

On a global scale, expansion of protected areas is unfeasible and may face backlash due to human right concerns. OECMs can be governed by several agencies, including Indigenous peoples, local communities, local governments, industry, as well as private organizations and individuals. In addition, many activities such as recreation and low-impact resource extraction can still occur in these areas. “The OECM framework recognizes that conservation outcomes are possible outside protected areas, and the people involved in the governance of those natural resources should be valued, respected, and supported” leading to a new conservation model that increases inclusivity.

Some areas within our region are already designated OECMs, including several Old-Growth Management Areas, Wildlife Habitat Areas, and Sea to Sky Wildland Zones. We seek to gain a better understanding of these areas as well as what other potential areas exist within the region. We also aim to work with land managers to increase local understanding of this relatively new concept.

Project Objectives

Identify and map current OECMs in the region
Leverage GIS to conduct an analysis of potential OECM sites
Conduct evaluation of suitable sites for OECM designation through ground truthing
Document eligible OECM sites for incorporation into final report
Develop engagement protocol for OECM designation

Project Benefits

This project will help the national effort to achieve protection or conservation of 30% of the country’s land and waters by 2030. It will also provide another avenue for support of already ongoing conservation efforts that are not currently being recognized in the area. Since OECM identification and designation is still a relatively new concept, this project will involve the development of protocol for Biosphere Region engagement with primary stakeholders, project partners and First Nations whose involvement is critical to realize the OECM recognition.

Location

This project is occurring throughout the whole Átl'ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound Biosphere Region.

What Was Found?

Preliminary analysis has found that 56% of the buffer zones are currently designated as OECMs in the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database. Identification of additional potential areas for OECM designation is currently underway.

Project Updates

April 2024

The project team is currently communicating with multiple local governments to gain consent to assess lands for OECM recognition. HSBRIS has also been collaborating with BC Nature on their Municipal Protected Areas Project. Preliminary analysis has led to the identification of several public and private parcels within the Biosphere Region that could potentially qualify for OECM recognition.

August 2023

We continue to gain knowledge on the process for identifying and submitting lands for OECM recognition.

April 2023

Our Project Director for this work, Mica Anguita, has conducted a GIS analysis of existing OECMs within the Biosphere, including those that are within the buffer zones of the region. Download the maps in the Deliverables section to view both analyses.