Garry Oak Ecosystem

Blog

  • Historical Maps

    The urban area of the City of Victoria is the Garry oak ecosystem (GOE)–– a fact often left out of discussions on the urban forest. The Garry oak ecosystem, or Kwetlal food system in the ləkwW əŋən language, has been shaped by Indigenous agroecological management for thousands of years and emerged after the glacial retreat around 10,000 years ago. Prior to European settlement, most of the land now within the City of Victoria (with the exception of the shorelines and the low-lying riparian areas), supported the Garry oak ecosystem. The open woodland character resulted from millennia of ləkwW əŋən land management and harvesting. In the absence of these activities, the landscape would be dominated by closed stands of Douglas-fir and Grand fir.

    The Garry oak (GO), a long-lived keystone species, currently supports over 1,645 co-evolved species of plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, making its preservation crucial. GO and associated ecosystems in this region have a unique local genetic adaptation would be difficult to re- introduce if lost. With continued intentional inputs drawing from ləkwW əŋən knowledge, human and non- human populations may continue to benefit from this highly adaptable and long-lived plant community.

    Screenshot
    Screenshot

    GARRY OAK ECOSYSTEM – WHAT REMAINS

    AreaYear 1800 (Ha)Year 1997 (Ha)
    Victoria1,46021
    Oak Bay85025
    Saanich3,473192
    Central Saanich7407
    Sidney300
    North Saanich1, 0401
    Esquimalt47020
    Colwood32016
    Langford370105
    View Royal27039
    Metchosin1,18049
    Indian Reserves24037
    Total10,443512

    Source: GOERT, http://goert.ca

  • Council Member Motion – Urban Forest Canopy

    Council Member Motion
    For the Committee of the Whole Meeting of April 3rd, 2025

    COTW Video segment:
    https://pub-victoria.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=f613a2e9-ce96-43b6-aca8-b281afcdaf54&Agenda=Merged&lang=English&Item=23&Tab=attachments

    Motion (.pdf)
    https://pub-victoria.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=101687

    BACKGROUND:

    A significant value for Victorians is nature, our climate, our hills, our natural green areas, and our urban forest. Section 4, Blue Green Networks of the 2025 DRAFT OCP, includes a brief description of the City’s need for attention to the Urban Forest. The Urban Forest city-wide canopy cover is about 28 per cent (Draft OCP).

    The City of Victoria Urban Forest Master Plan (February 2013) recommends that a canopy cover goal of 40% would be appropriate for cities in the Pacific Northwest. Table 1 of that document, citing a 2013 LIDAR analyses, states Victoria’s City Wide Canopy Coverage was 26%.
    (see Appendix for list of reference documents).

    The City’s Tree Protection Bylaw’s (21-035) Tree Reserve cash-in-lieu program receives funds when trees are removed from private property (75% of the urban forest) in order to replace them on public property (25% of the urban forest). While the City performs an appraisal value for trees on public property which could be valued between $6000 and $100,000 per tree to compensate for the value of the tree, installation and maintenance of the replacement tree, the cash-in-lieu fee associated with a deficit of the tree minimum at the end of a project on private land is $2000 per tree.

    Therefore, there are not enough funds collected from private property tree removals to plant and maintain replacement trees on public property. The City cannot replace trees on private land and achieve a 40% tree canopy target by 2050. We recognize higher costs that the City will need to increase costs for maintenance of trees removed from private property and maintained on public property.

    An increase in fees for cash-in-lieu would incentivize developers to replace more trees and conversely, to disincentivize expedient tree removal.

    RECOMMENDATIONS:

    That Council direct staff to

    1. Set 5-year tree canopy (growth) targets within the OCP supporting a 40% city-wide 2050 tree canopy goal.
    2. Set five-year neighbourhood-level planting targets within the OCP to reach a 40% tree canopy by 2050.

    3. Raise cash-in-lieu fees when a development does not meet the Tree Protection Bylaw tree minimum on private property from $2000 to $5000 per tree to go into the Tree Reserve Fund, to reach 40% tree canopy by 2050.

    Outcome:

    1. Set 5-year tree canopy (growth) targets within the OCP supporting a 40% city-wide 2050 tree canopy goal. (APPROVED)

    2. Set five-year neighbourhood-level planting targets within the OCP to reach a 40% tree canopy by 2050. (APPROVED – Amended to add “city-wide” to indicate that the Neighbourhood targets can vary from 40% but contribute to the city average of 40% and passed 5 to 3, Dell, Kim, and Thompson voted against.)

    3. Raise cash-in-lieu fees when a development does not meet the Tree Protection Bylaw tree minimum on private property from $2000 to $5000 per tree to go into the Tree Reserve Fund, to reach 40% tree  canopy by 2050. (This has been moved to a later date so that staff can report back)

    Additional Information

    The relationship between land use development and tree canopy is a dynamic one; each influences the other. Our community’s aspirations for the future, as outlined in the Official Community Plan (OCP), reflect our values. The Urban Forest Master Plan lays out specific goals that guide us toward realizing this vision. Trees, particularly those on private properties, play a crucial role in enhancing the ecosystem services that benefit our residents. By increasing the cash-in-lieu fee from $2,000 to $5,000 per tree that falls short of the required minimum, we create a strong incentive for developers to comply with the Tree Protection Bylaw rather than diminishing our community’s green resources. Even the addition of a single tree per development can have a meaningful impact on our ecosystem without incurring costs for the city in terms of planting and maintenance.

    Cash-in-lieu charges are for each tree that does not meet the required minimum on a property at a 1:1 ratio. This approach differs from the 3:1 tree retention credit ratio that encourages the preservation of large, healthy specimen trees. It’s important to note that trees retained and replacements made to meet the minimum requirements are exempt from these cash-in-lieu charges.

    While the City recognizes the value of trees on public lands when calculating ecosystem services, cash-in-lieu payments have not successfully compensated for tree loss. Over the past three years, the City has collected $1,047,000 from developments that fell short of the tree minimum, resulting in a net loss of 523 trees from private properties. The cost of planting trees in boulevards is at least $1,250 each, and in areas with hardscaping, like linear parks, the cost rises to $10,000 or more, not to mention the ongoing maintenance required. Many municipalities still use outdated cash-in-lieu fees that don’t reflect the actual costs of planting trees on public land, leading them to operate at a loss. By raising these fees, the City of Victoria can enhance tree canopy growth, discourage unnecessary tree removals on private properties, and better support the budget necessary for maintaining ecosystem services provided by City staff on public land.

    There are important points, and assist towards a positive impact on residents’ physical and mental health and a greener, more sustainable community. 

    Deliberation related to neighbourhoods:
    Derrick Newman, City of Victoria Director of Parks, wants to look at neighbourhood typology rather than “artificial boundaries within the city limits.” Councillor Caradonna said that the “point of the one city OCP is to move away from neighbourhood level plans, and what I’m seeing and hearing from staff is that number 2 creates a lot of challenges because then we’re back to figuring out what’s going on at the neighbourhood level,” and that he “does not want to move us backwards to neighbourhood plans.”

  • City of Victoria’s 2019-2023 LiDAR vegetation change detection analysis

    The City of Victoria’s Urban Forest Canopy Analysis from 2019 to 2023 was posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2025.

    Data

    Explore the tree canopy change across the City on  VicMap . You’ll find layers for tree canopy measurements taken in 2013, 2019, and 2023 in the layer list under Environment. 

    The Tree Canopy TIF images are available on our Open Data Portal ( opendata.victoria.ca ):

    The 2019 LiDAR was provided by  LiDAR BC  and can be downloaded directly from their website. The 2013 and 2023 LiDAR datasets are too large to share on our Open Data Portal. LiDAR data requests indicating an area of interest can be sent to GIS@victoria.ca. LiDAR analyses for these projects were performed by Terra Remote Sensing Inc. located in Sidney, BC.

    Background

    The City has measured urban forest canopy cover using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology since 2013. Measurements were taken in 2013, 2019 and 2023 using consistent methodology to ensure accuracy and comparability.

    LiDAR generates detailed 3D models to assess the horizontal and vertical growth of trees while filtering out low vegetation and built infrastructure. The technology is detailed, accurate, and comprehensive in classifying vegetation above two metres.

    Status

    The City’s total tree canopy cover grew from 26 per cent to 30 per cent between 2013-2023, an increase of approximately 70 hectares, or more than 100 soccer fields. Importantly, the data shows growth in all neighbourhoods across the City.

    This increase is primarily associated with healthy, existing, mature trees. This trend also suggests that the City’s long-term approach to urban forest management has been effective, and that trees are being managed well on private property (75% of the urban forest).

    Additional details are now available on the City’s website which illustrate the tree canopy change over time and explain how canopy is measured using LiDAR. The map and downloadable data are available at the City’s story map website.

    Critical review

    Initial reflections of City of Victoria’s 2019-2023 LiDAR vegetation change detection analysis

    -The rate of urban forest growth fell by 50% from the previous period of analysis (2013-2019)

    -The urban forest net gain was +47.4 hectares between 2013-2019 (+2.37% to 28.83% city-wide), and according to the City’s website an additional net gain occurred in 2019-2023 of +24 hectares (1.17% to 30% city-wide).

    -Terra Remote Sensing provided comment on the 2013-2019 COV change detection analysis, and it is  relevant to reflect as the rate of growth drops by 50%: ” It will be of importance to monitor the continual changes in the city’s vegetation canopy to assess whether the fill in growth of existing and new plantings will continue to outstrip the vegetation loss. Further to on-going monitoring, determining age class, distribution, and species composition will help to forecast vegetation growth trends and potentially predict when vegetation growth will cease to offset losses.”

    – In four short years we are 23 hectares short of the previous four years’ urban tree canopy growth rate. COV Parks notes “A consistent finding is that the growth of healthy mature trees offsets canopy lost due to development, extreme weather, decline and disease.”, but it’s important to reflect on the slowing rate of growth.

    – Limitations: the only information provided by the City on the 2019-2023 canopy gain is “From 2013-23, Victoria’s tree canopy grew by about 70 hectares, which is more than 100 soccer fields”.

    The numbers look a lot better over 2013-2023 than 2019-2023. We can see the momentum of canopy growth vs. canopy loss is shrinking fast, and we could soon revisit the 2007-2013 period which produced a net gain of .05% (1 hectare). It’s below the margin of error for the analysis methods.

    -The conversation around the City’s potential adoption of a goal to achieve 40% canopy cover city-wide should consider 2019-2023’s halving of the canopy growth rate.

    Canopy goals should be achievable: you cannot get to 40% if the rate continues to slow and we approach 0% or a net loss scenario.

  • Presentation to Council- Urban Forest and Natural Assets, City of Victoria

    Presentation: Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 6:30 P.M. Council Chambers

    E. Request to Address Council

    E.7 Urban Forest and Natural Assets (LiDAR) update for Draft OCP “Victoria 2050”

    Video Link: https://pub-victoria.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=22a0de46-6b14-4887-83fe-114fa79ced8d&Agenda=Merged&lang=English&Item=29&Tab=attachments

    Documents:

    The City of Victoria has collected urban tree canopy data over multiple years by to perform ongoing measurements of its urban forest canopy. The City has outsourced urban tree canopy monitoring (i.e., vegetation) twice the past, measuring between 2007-2013 and 2013-2019. This process should be repeated with the recently obtained urban tree canopy measurement capture in LiDAR for 2023. By doing so, there will be better understanding of how the urban forest has been impacted by development policies and practices between 2019 and 2023.

    The results of urban forest monitoring compares urban forest measurements over time and clarifies how present land use development policies and the Tree Protection Bylaw interrelate. This analysis is integral to understanding proposed changes to the Official Community Plan (OCP) and the potential for neighbourhood level urban tree canopy loss over the medium to long term.

    Research supports how deficiencies in tree canopy at the neighborhood-level

    a) diminish residents’ physical and mental health outcomes;
    b) removes wildlife habitat and reduce overall species diversity; and
    c) reduces ecosystem services capacity, for example, provision of surface shading during heatwaves and reducing peak stormwater flows.

    From 2013 to 2019, Victoria’s urban forest grew by 2.37%, achieving a citywide canopy cover of 28.8%. The growth measured during this period predates the updated Tree Protection Bylaw (21-035) and adoption of required tree minimums through the development process.

    The Tree Protection Bylaw has not been updated since the introduction of City of Victoria’s Missing Middle Housing Initiative and the Province of BC Bills 44 and 37. This is significant, because housing policies which prioritize the built environment can undermine physical protections for trees and tree minimums thru developments established in the Tree Protection Bylaw – and the families of wildlife trees support.

    The targeted tree density (i.e., “tree minimum) established in the Bylaw have so far not been evaluated for effectiveness. This approach to urban forestry stewardship through urban development is theoretical. It lacks empirical evidence to support its effectiveness and continued application.

    Over 75% of the urban forest is on private property. While the Tree Reserve Fund has collected nearly 1.8 million dollars from January 2021 to March 2024, The accumulation of funds in the Tree Reserve between 2021-2023 is evidence of that ineffectiveness. In only 3 years the City accumulated $1,047,000 from developments that could not achieve the tree minimum, which equals net deficit of 523 trees from private property.

    The release of 2023 LiDAR data, and the City’s own Tree Protection Bylaw metrics concerning tree removal and replacement related to development presents a timely opportunity to update urban forest monitoring. Analyzing changes from 2019 to 2023 will improve City of Victoria’s understanding of existing urban forest policies and the links to land use development changes over the past five years. This will also help inform Bylaw modernization, and improve the potential for realizing the goals set forth in the “Victoria 2050” vision and in the Urban Forest Master Plan.

    On behalf of the RNA LUC, 

    we offer the following recommendations to Mayor and Council as part of the OCP review process:

    Slide 3 We request that City of Victoria Urban Forestry staff perform the following data analyses and provide recommendations to incorporate in the Draft OCP “Victoria 2025.”

    1. a) 2021-2025 neighbourhood-level metrics on quantity of trees retained and quantity of trees removed through developments, and b) 2021-2025 neighbourhood-level metrics on quantity of development sites that met Tree Protection Bylaw tree minimums compared to developments that did not meet the Tree Protection Bylaw tree minimums.
    2. Obtain vegetation (urban tree canopy) change detection analysis for 2019-2023 using the methods of previous monitoring surveys conducted by Terra Remote Sensing
    3. Define the percentage of plantable space for residential zoning parameters relative to findings of Actions 1 and 2.

  • VCAN Community Mapping Project

    A conversation about the distribution of biodiversity within and between the City of Victoria’s neighbourhoods.

    To complement the City’s excellent inventory of all trees on public land, the Victoria Community Association Network (VCAN) has involved each neighbourhood in an inventory of Garry oaks and other elements of biodiversity on private property. Each neighbourhood developed their own approach and will be reporting back to residents on what they learned and what we have learned about the larger patterns within our urban forest.

    The urban area of the City of Victoria is the Garry oak ecosystem (GOE)–– a fact often left out of discussions on the urban forest.  Objectives of the project include:

    • to connect people, cultural connections to the territory, map current Garry oak distribution, enhance canopy equity.
    • to directly benefit residents and wildlife, wildlife corridors for the movement and dispersal of organisms, and establish nodes of functioning.
    • assist in protecting and restoring the function of sensitive ecosystems and natural areas, including habitat corridors and assist with the parks acquisition strategy (9.2 of the Official Community Plan). 
      ​

    This project was made possible by a City of Victoria “My Great Neighbourhood Grant”, the volunteers, a GIC consultant, and support letters from the Sierra Club and the Rockland Neighbourhood Association who administered the grant.

    ​GOMPS provided a letter of support and urban forest expertise via a walking tour for participants. 

    Presenatation Slides
    Presentation slides by Carollyne Yardley (.pdf) (Rockland Neighbourhood)
    Printed slide deck at wrap up event by Jacklyn Jolicoeur(.pdf) (James Bay Neighbourhood)

    Mapping Tutorials
    VCAN Mapping Tutorial (.pdf) (Cedar Shore Consulting)
    Ken Wong’s Organic Maps Tutorial (.pdf) (Hillside/Quadra)

    Preliminary Suitable Habitat Analysis
    Preliminary statistical analysis of environmental characteristics at mapped Garry Oak Tree locations (.pdf) (Cedar Shore Consulting)

    Dear Developer: An Earthly Invitation template (.pdf) (March 2025)

    Final Report – VCAN Community Mapping Project (.pdf) (March 2025)

    Zoom to enlarge areas on the map. The City of Victoria Garry oak tree inventory data is noted in green. Other points represent individual trees or areas where Garry oaks exist. Please note, this is not an individual Garry oak tree count and does not represent all Garry oak trees in the City of Victoria. Neighbourhoods participating in this community building project included Burnside Gorge, Downtown, Fairfield / Gonzales, Fernwood, Hillside Quadra, James Bay, North Jubilee, South Jubilee, North Park, Oaklands, Rockland, Victoria West.

  • Dear Developer: Invitation template

    Document published through the VCAN Community Mapping Project

    (Appendix “Dear Developer: Invitation template”)

    The scale of land use changes in the City of Victoria created a discussion by the VCAN Mapping Team on how start a conversation about the Garry oak ecosystem with market actors like builders and developers. The City of Victoria’s Tree Protection Bylaw (2021) and Urban Forest Master Plan (2013) were created before the “Victoria 2050” Draft OCP (2025) and does not account for increased building footprints and heights. Therefore, there will likely be updates to these documents.In the meantime, this invitation serves as a starting point for conversation, to create cultural and ecosystem awareness, and to maintain and enhance a healthy canopy and ecosystem through collaboration.The document is available as a Word (.doc) template. Each neighbourhood can insert their logo, and percentage of canopy cover using data from the included charts.

    Word document: VCAN_Dear_Developer_March_2025-FinalDownload

  • Open Letter to City of Victoria Councillors about the Urban Forest

    Dear Councillor Matt Dell,

    This letter serves as an open invitation for you to consider some of the unique community forest qualities in the territory that you now call home.

    The urban landscape of Victoria is characterized by Kwetlal, known also as the Garry oak ecosystem (GOE). This is a crucial detail often overlooked in conversations about the urban forest. Before European settlement, the majority of the land that now encompasses the City of Victoria was dominated by Garry oak ecosystems, and that is in large part because of Lekwungen management over thousands of years.

    The Garry oak tree, a long-lived keystone species, is vital to this ecosystem, supporting over 1,645 organisms (plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals). More than 100 of these species are currently classified as Species At Risk in British Columbia.

    Recently, the City of Victoria supported a story mapping project through the My Great Neighbourhood Grant. The project’s goals were building community awareness of cultural connections to the land, examining the effects of settlement on the landscape, and creating opportunities for residents to engage with urban nature. The story mapping also aimed to identify wildlife corridors that enable organism movement between ecological hubs.

    During the story mapping project, we learned that old-growth trees (defined as those over 250 years old by the BC Government), some exceeding 500 years, continue to thrive in parks and in neighborhoods within the City’s boundaries. These old trees are an important symbol of the rich cultural heritage from Lekwungen stewardship. Together, the project team achieved remarkable outcomes through community engagement and participation. We gained insights into the uniqueness of each neighborhood and identified vital wildlife corridors that also provide health and wellness benefits to people.

    At the Council of the Whole Meeting on January 23rd concerning the topic of tree removal in Central Park, you shared opinions from your experiences of tree removal and replacement on a 20-year cycle in the South Okanagan regarding the need to advance a City, “I grew up in a farming family in the South Okanagan, where trees are cut down and replanted every 20 years.” Context is important when it comes to the environment trees are being managed in. When it comes to trees in highly built-up areas, maximizing the useful life expectancy of public trees is well understood in urban forestry management professional discipline. The benefits derived from urban trees are just beginning to outgrow the costs at 20 years from planting. Crucial City infrastructure like water mains and recreation facilities begin to degrade from the moment they are installed, requiring increasing amounts of maintenance until they must be replaced. Trees are City infrastructure and unlike pipes in the ground, the benefits delivered to the City from its trees provides a cost benefit ratio that is increasingly favourable over the span of decades.

    Garry oak and associated ecosystems in this region have a unique local genetic adaptation to the environment and its associated species community would be difficult to re-introduce if lost. Garry oak is highly adapted to severe droughts and heat, including on rocky outcrops with shallow soil. Protecting existing patches of GOE, providing appropriate management, and expanding patches will have great importance for the life cycles of many organisms, and in a changing climate for biodiversity and human health.

    The ongoing dialogue about tree removal and urban development in Victoria must account for the intricate relationships between species and their habitats. Unlike the cyclical practice of cutting and replanting fruit trees, the Garry oak ecosystem benefits from a more nuanced approach. It requires a commitment to understanding the needs of its diverse inhabitants and recognizing that many of these species are already under threat due to habitat loss and environmental changes.

    As we move forward, it is essential for a collaborative approach for Victoria’s urban forest. Stewardship of Garry oak ecosystems is an act of recognition, appreciation, and support for Indigenous historic and ongoing management. By fostering collaboration and open dialogue, we can create a more resilient and vibrant urban landscape that is crucial to reconnect community members to each other and connect the community with nature of the region. 

    In conclusion, we invite Councillor Matt Dell and all members of the council to join us in this important journey. Let us work together to not only protect the Garry oak ecosystem but also to inspire our community about the value of trees for human health and for biodiversity. Through collective action and informed decision-making, we can ensure that Victoria remains a thriving city where nature and culture coexist harmoniously, benefiting generations to come.

  • All Municipalities – Tree Protection Bylaw

    Colwood (2022)

    Central Saanich (2021)

    Esquimalt (2022)

    Highlands (2001)

    Langford (2024)

    Metchosin (2013)

    North Saanich (2022)

    Oak Bay (2020)

    Saanich (2019)

    Victoria (2021)

    View Royal (2022)

  • UBCM Resolutions – EB32 Supporting Biodiversity in Local Communities

    WE DID IT! Thank you to the executive of the Rockland Neighbourhood Association for agreeing to support my request, and Marg Gardiner for bringing to City of Victoria Council agenda and Chris Coleman for seconding.

    Many thanks to Rockland Neighbourhood Association for supporting a request to ask Victoria City Councillor Marg Gardiner (seconded by Chris Coleman) to put on the Council Agenda, and voted unanimously. Great workshop via Sierra Club BC 🌲🦅🦋

    Thanks to the excellent work of our ‘dial movers’ and their success in five municipalities, last week our resolution, EB32 Supporting Biodiversity in Local Communities, was endorsed by the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM)!

    Here is what that means and what we do next.

    The EB32 resolution calls for the B.C. government to create a Local Natural Areas Protection Fund that would provide a mechanism for the province to allocate money to municipalities, regional districts, and First Nations to support land acquisition for ecosystem health. In other words, consistent funding to protect and restore biodiversity.

    With EB32’s UBCM endorsement, the next phase of this program will focus on activating and expanding SCBC’s ‘dial movers’ network to support councillors and mayors to connect with provincial government officials and facilitate the creation of the fund.

    The next step is advocating for a provincial Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health law. This law is long overdue in B.C. Our second resolution in the Move the Dial Program is for ‘dial movers’ to call on their municipalities to indicate strong support for a provincial law for biodiversity and ecosystem health.

    Despite being the province with the most biodiversity, B.C. has the most species at risk of any province in Canada and many ecosystems are near their breaking point. At its core, this work is about protecting and restoring healthy habitats, which provide clean air and water, streams for salmon, homes for pollinators and migratory birds, cooler temperatures when the thermometer rises, and so much more.

    Our Move the Dial program is proof that when people are empowered with the skills to take action in their communities, they help shift the paradigm towards healthy ecosystems and climate resilience. Let me know if you would like to learn more about the program and help move the dial with us!

  • UBCM RESOLUTIONS – City of Victoria

    We were invited to join a workshop to help move the dial on biodiversity in local communities, and reached out to City of Victoria Councillor Marg Gardiner to consider bringing a motion to council agenda Supporting Biodiversity in Local Communities (UBCM Resolution). It was seconded by Councillor Chris Coleman. The resolutions were passed at June 22nd, 2023 Committee of the Whole Meeting. On Vancouver Island the following municipalities have passed unanimously––Saanich, Metchosin, Esquimalt, Qualicum Beach – and now Victoria.

    BACKGROUNDER FOR UBCM RESOLUTION
    JUN 22 2023
    CITY OF VICTORIA

    Protecting and restoring biological diversity is consistent with Canada’s commitments under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and BC’s commitments in the Together for Wildlife Strategy, as well as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoplesand BC’sDeclaration onthe Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Acting now to protect and restore biodiversity contributes toward more resilient and healthy local communities – advancing community health and healthy waterways, watersheds, airsheds, and plant and animal species. These actions also make financial sense, containing emergency management and infrastructure costs in the context of climate change. Creating a Local Natural Areas Protection Fund provides a mechanism for the Province to partner with local governments, allocating funds to municipalities, regional districts and First Nations to support land acquisition for biodiversity and ecosystem health.

    Document
    https://pub-victoria.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=90765

    Meeting Agenda
    https://pub-victoria.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=2be910a8-1f0e-481a-9443-e8acf287ce8b&Agenda=Merged&lang=English&Item=18&Tab=attachments