Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management
OKANAGAN-SHUSWAP Land Resource Management PlanNING PROCESS ANNOUNCED
VICTORIA - A comprehensive land and resource management planning process for Crown land in the Okanagan-Shuswap area was announced today by Forests Minister Andrew Petter and local MLAs Bill Barlee (Okanagan-Boundary), Jim Beattie (Okanagan-Penticton), and Shannon O'Neill (Shuswap).
"A locally developed Land Resource Management Plan for the Okanagan-Shuswap reflects this government's commitment to bring British Columbians together and work toward land-use certainty," said Petter. "Cooperative local planning is part of a plan for B.C. to secure our future and renew our natural resources."
The Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP is expected to take two years to complete, with the next six months dedicated to preparing for the start-up of the public process. This will entail assembling necessary information, identifying appropriate participants at the planning table, establishing the government support team, and finalizing the design of the process to meet local needs.
"Tremendous growth in population and urban development in this area over recent years has increased the pressure on Crown resources which supply water, recreation, grazing for cattle, resource jobs for residents and critical habitats for wildlife species," said Barlee. "A locally developed plan for this area will ensure that all interests are considered in arriving at final decisions on how to best manage resources on these Crown lands."
The planning team will recommend to government how all Crown lands will be used, including resource development zones and protected areas, and will specify resource management objectives and strategies to guide resource conservation and development over the next decade.
LRMPs usually cover one or more Ministry of Forests districts. The OkanaganShuswap LRMP will cover approximately 2.17 million hectares, including the Salmon Arm, Vernon and Penticton forest districts.
Beattie said the Land Resource Management Planning process will be closely coordinated with other relevant provincial initiatives, including the Growth Strategies Act which allows local governments to address quality-of-life issues such as urban sprawl, and air and water quality.
"This government has gained considerable knowledge and experience in Land Resource Management Planning over the past three years in other areas of B.C.," Beattie said. "To improve the process, we have made a commitment to working with both local governments and First Nations to design a process which provides ample opportunity for effective participation by these groups and all other interests, including the general public."
O'Neill said she expected the Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP would build on the recent success of the Kamloops LRMP, which also covered a portion of her Shuswap constituency.
"The Kamloops experience has demonstrated that locally developed land-use planning can work to the benefit of everyone involved," she said. "The hard work and dedicated efforts of local residents at the table resulted in almost unanimous agreement on a Land Resource Management Plan that provides greater security for workers and industries, while protecting the area's most important natural areas."
On May 18, the government gave approval-in-principle to all recommendations of the Kamloops LRMP and made decisions on issues where full consensus was not reached. The plan's final approval is expected shortly.
In addition, the Kispiox LRMP in the Hazelton area has been endorsed by government and a final plan document is being prepared for government approval.
Strategic Land Resource Management Planning processes are now completed or under way for more than half of the province. That includes Kamloops, Kispiox and ten other LRMP processes located in northern B.C., plus regional plans for Vancouver Island, Cariboo-Chilcotin and the East and West Kootenay-Boundary.
Land and resource management planning is a process of integrated resource planning at the community level. The goal is to provide a consistent, fair opportunity for all interest groups, local government and First Nations to comment on how Crown land will be managed. LRMPs recommend potential uses ranging from full protection to a mix of industrial and recreational uses within a planning area which usually covers one or more forest districts.
All resource values are considered in the LRMP process to ensure that land use and resource management decisions are based on a comprehensive assessment of resource values. LRMP requires public participation, interagency coordination and consensus based land and resource management decisions.
It is a dynamic process that gets all interest groups together at one table to reach consensus on recommendations for land use in their areas. Local people who live and work in the area are in the best position to appreciate the social and economic implications of their recommendations.
Who participates in land and resource management planning?All parties with a key interest or stake in the plan must be invited and encouraged to participate. The major groups of participants include industry, environmental groups, local/regional government, aboriginal groups and government agencies. Their participation, cooperation and commitment to resolve land use issues are essential for the planning process to work. Participating groups appoint a person or persons to represent them in negotiations and consensus building. Representatives must be selected to reflect the full range of land use and resource interests for an area. Periodic consultation with the general public is also required.
The LRMP process is without prejudice to land claims.
Status of other LRMPSWith the Okanagan-Shuswap, there are now thirteen LRMPs completed or under way across the province. On May 18, 1995 the province gave approval-in-principle to the Kamloops Land and Resource Management Plan and made decisions on issues where final consensus was not reached. The plan is now being finalized and final approval is expected shortly. As well, the Kispiox LRMP in the Hazelton area has been endorsed by government and a final report is being prepared for government approval.
Contact:
| Anne Ferdinands (250) 387-2095 | John Thompson (250) 828-4807 |
| Communications | BC Lands |
| Resource Management Division | Kamloops |
For Immediate Release
July 17, 1995
