New legislation was passed by the province to allow for protected areas that includes co-management by First Nations of their traditional lands. They are called Conservancies. These areas are to be protected from industrial activities. First Nations are involved in developing the conservation management plans for these areas and in monitoring them.

Of the 2 million hectares to be protected 1.22 million hectares will be under Conservancy designation and 297,000 hectares will be in Biodiversity areas that are protected from logging but where other industrial activities could happen. These are in addition to 600,000 hectares of existing protected areas.

February 2008 status:
To date 65 new protected areas have been legislated. Almost half of the 1.3 million hectares slated for protection under the Park Act still remains unlegislated. Legislation is expected during the spring 2008 session of the legislature. There is growing concern with the British Columbia Government’s consideration of proposed development projects in these areas and possible changes to the boundaries originally announced in February 2006.

Government and First Nations adopt a transition and implementation plan—the road map to full implementation of Ecosystem Based Management.

The Province and First Nations need to adopt a clear plan, including on-the-ground milestones, to achieve the full implementation of new logging practices. The logging industry must develop adaptive business plans to ensure successful implementation of these new logging practices by March 2009.

February 2008 status:
Government and First Nations have not yet finalized a transition and implementation plan to fully realize the Great Bear Rainforest Agreements, including collaboration with key stakeholders.

Agreement on this milestone will limit the extent to which past forest management planning and practices will continue while the ongoing transition to Ecosystem Based Management is taking place. The intent is to proactively move forest planning and on-the-ground practices into compliance with the initial suite of Ecosystem Based Management and legal objectives.

February 2008 status:
ForestEthics, Greenpeace, Sierra Club BC have reached a voluntary agreement with BC Timber Sales, Interfor and Western Forest Products to ensure that already existing logging approvals - legally exempt from the government regulations announced in February 2008 - will be brought into high levels of compliance. This means that these logging companies will apply the better conservation standards of the Great Bear Rainforest regulations before they are legally required to do so.

Ensure an adequately funded and effective Ecosystem Based Management Working Group to ensure the timely provision of independent and credible information and advice on how to successfully deliver Ecosystem Based Management.

February 2008 status:
First Nations from the region and the province, together with multiple stakeholders, have a collaborative working group (Ecosystem Based Management Working Group) that provides expert, independent science-based recommendations for implementation of the Great Bear Rainforest agreement. This body remains only partially funded.

Support for spatially explicit planning to inform implementation of EBM*

Work towards government and First Nations support for the development and use of spatially explicit planning to inform implementation of Ecosystem Based Management throughout the Great Bear Rainforest.

February 2008 status:
CFCI and RSP provide ongoing support to government and First Nations for the development and use of spatially explicit planning to inform implementation of Ecosystem Based Management throughout the Great Bear Rainforest.

* Milestones marked with an asterisk are agreed to by major logging companies and environmental organizations that work together in the Joint Solutions Project (JSP). The JSP was established by the Coast Forest Conservation Initiative (CFCI), formed by Western Forest Products, Interfor, BC Timber Sales, Canfor and Catalyst Paper, and the Rainforest Solutions Project (RSP). Progress on these milestones will be assessed by an independent assessor.

Next milestone: November 2007