The four environmental groups will be satisfied their work is complete once the ecosystems of the Great Bear Rainforest are protected according to the principles of Ecosystem-Based Management ( EBM) and conservation science, and communities are supported by a conservation-based economy.

The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the last remaining tracts of unprotected coastal temperate rainforest left in the world.  Home to the rare white "Spirit" bear. Protection requires managing human activities that could impact and potentially destroy the region. The most effective available management tool is Ecosystem-Based Management.

The primary tenet of EBM is what will be left intact must be decided before anything is removed. To decide what must be left, an Ecosystem Spatial Analysis (ESA) is required. This analysis gathers all the available information on a wide representative sampling of species within an ecosystem. ESA determines what the species need and where the best habitat is located.

For instance, grizzly bears need large amounts of undisturbed habitat and connecting corridors between large, protected areas. Marbled murrelets need old growth trees to nest in. Salmon need pure, clear spawning beds clear of silt and debris from logging.

In the analysis, rare and endangered plants and animals are identified, along with intact, high-value habitat that hasn't been impacted by logging, mining, human settlement or other such activities. These areas are mapped with the highest priority protection areas clearly identified.

Conservation biologists use watersheds as their unit of conservation; a logical choice for a temperate rainforest where water is the dominant characteristic. Since everything runs downhill, any development in the higher elevations will likely impact the health of the low-elevation forests and streams. For overall health, entire watersheds must be protected.

Underlying the EBM approach to protecting ecosystems is the precautionary principle. Because there is still so much unknown about the workings of nature, it is prudent to allow for plenty of room for margin of error.

To read the EBM Handbook click here.

photos: Adrian Dorst (banner), Al Harvey/Slidefarm (centre)