Management Planning Process
What is a Management Plan?
BC Parks prepares management plans to guide how a protected area will be managed over the next ten to twenty years. The plan sets out objectives and strategies for conservation, development, interpretation and operation of a protected area. A management plan relies on current information relating to such subjects as natural values, cultural values, and recreation opportunities within a protected area and resource activities occurring on surrounding lands.
What is the Process Used to Prepare Management Plans?
The process for preparing a management plan involves a careful analysis of the overall goals of the protected area, use patterns, management objectives, and possible sources of conflict among protected area policies. Through the planning process, various options for managing the protected area are developed and assessed. In choosing the most appropriate option, the intent is to reach a balance between protecting natural values from damage and managing human uses of the protected area.
BC Parks prepares management plans with a high degree of public involvement. The general public and public interest groups have opportunities to review management planning documents and provide comments to BC Parks through a variety of means including public meetings and mail-outs. Similarly, BC Parks consults with First Nations, other levels of government and other provincial government agencies in the development and review of management plans. In certain instances, public advisory committees help prepare the management plan and often function as a partner with BC Parks in implementing the plan and monitoring.
Management Direction Statements
To provide immediate management direction for the numerous new protected areas established over the past several years, BC Parks developed the management direction statement.
Management direction statements are simple documents that describe protected area values; management issues and concerns; and provide strategic management direction to deal with immediate priority objectives and strategies. Management direction statements do not negate the need for future, more detailed plans.
Purpose Statements/Zoning Plans
To expedite the process to secure approved management direction for all remaining protected areas, BC Parks developed the purpose statement/zoning plan.
A purpose statement/zoning plan is a brief document that identifies the purpose of a protected area, provides a high level overview of protected area values and their significance, documents key known management issues and interim management direction and sets out a zoning plan. Purpose statement/zoning plans do not negate the need for future, more detailed plans.
Background Reports
Background reports are documents prepared to provide background information on a protected area. These reports present information on natural and cultural values; land tenure, occupancy rights and resource uses; outdoor recreation opportunities and facilities; visitor use and trends; and known management issues.
