In addition to delivering key core programs and initiatives, the GCC is committed to promoting grassland conservation and stewardship by building partnerships throughout BC that will yield short and long term conservation objectives. To achieve these goals, the GCC participates in the following initiatives:
Photo: Tobacco Plains by Brian Wikeem
Invasive Plant Strategy
In 2002, the GCC began working with other groups, such as the Fraser Basin Council, to facilitate discussion amongst various interest groups, including government, on the need for a provincial invasive plant strategy. Invasive plants had been the focus of the April 2001 issue of BC Grasslands Magazine, and the topic was becoming increasingly more urgent as time passed.
In 2004, the discussions resulted in the creation of a provincial Invasive Plants Council, which has been working hard to increase awareness about and take action on invasive plant species across BC.
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Canadian Inter-Mountain Joint Venture (CIJV)
The CIJV is a partnership of government agencies, non-governmental conservation organizations, universities and industry who have joined together to ensure that the intermountain region--which stretches from the Coast Mountains to east of the Rockies and north to Williston Lake--continues to be a landscape that:
The CIJV is explicitly linked to national and international efforts under the North American Bird Conservation Initiative and the GCC is doing its part to help develop biological objectives for populations and habitats of focal species, particularly grassland species. This habitat-based conservation approach will guide the CIJV in managing a landscape that can support entire communities of birds and other organisms.
The Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia has full representation on the CIJV Board of Directors and the CIJV Technical Committee. The GCC is doing its part to help develop biological objectives for populations and habitats of focal species, particularly grassland bird species.
Okanagan Collaborative Conservation Project (OCCP)
The Okanagan Collaborative Conservation Project is a partnership formed to protect the biodiversity and unique features of the Okanagan's landscape after its various members and the GCC came to the conclusion that the area was being threatened. The project identifies the most pressing threats to the Okanagan each year in its annual report and works hard to find solutions for the issues that exist in the region.
South Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Program (SOSCP)
The South Okanagan-Similikameen Conservation Program (SOSCP) was developed to focus conservation efforts on the Okanagan and Similkameen river valleys. These valleys--with dry climates and desert-like conditions that are a northern extension of the western American deserts--support one of Canada’s highest concentrations of species diversity. The area, recognized as on of the country’s most threatened natural systems, is under constant and ever-increasing human-created pressure. The SOSCP seeks strong community support and involvement to help find a balance between wildlife requirements and human needs and aspirations.
The GCC is an active partner of the SOSCP, with representation at SOSCP meetings and events. For more information on the SOSCP, click on the link below to visit their website or contact Bryn White at bryn.white@gov.bc.ca.
Society for Range Management (SRM)
The Society For Range Management (SRM) is a professional society dedicated to supporting persons who work with rangelands and have a commitment to their sustainable use. Rangelands are extremely important to society for the goods and services they produce and for the ecological services they provide. SRM is dedicated to the conservation and sustainable management of rangelands for the benefits of current societies and for future generations.
The GCC is a member of the Pacific-Northwest Chapter of the Society for Range Management and actively works with SRM on range management issues and initiatives.
East Kootenay Conservation Program (EKCP)
The East Kootenay Conservation Program has partnered with the GCC on a number of different initiatives throughout the years. It serves as the eyes and ears for the GCC in the East Kootenay, providing information and guidance for our board, staff and members on the status of grassland in the southeastern portion of British Columbia.
Forest and Range Practices Advisory Council (PAC)
The Minister of Forests has appointed a practices advisory council to periodically review and evaluate requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act for its continued improvement.
Considering a broad range of interests, the Forest and Range PAC will report and provide recommendations to the Minister of Forests on policy matters related to forest and range practices. The minister considers council recommendations and may refer them to cabinet for decision.
Bruno Delesalle, GCC Executive Director, has been a member of the PAC since February 2005.
To find out more about the PAC, click here
Kamloops South Thompson Community Atlas
The Kamloops-South Thompson Sustainable Community Atlas is being assembled in response to on-going, rapid urban and rural development within the City of Kamloops, the South Thompson Corridor of the Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD) and First Nations lands in the Kamloops area. The atlas is designed to assist the City and TNRD; First Nations; municipal, regional, provincial and federal governments; utilities; and other members of the development community to access selected natural resource and land use information and to improve land use decision-making.
The GCC has been involved with the atlas since its inception and has provided information from the Grasslands GIS produced as part of the BC Grasslands Mapping Project: A Conservation Risk Assessment for inclusion in the atlas. The GCC continues to work with Atlas partners on development of the atlas. The completed atlas will be hosted by the Community Mapping Network, and progress to date can be viewed here. For more information on the Kamloops-South Thompson Sustainable Community Atlas, please contact Dave Whiting, project coordinator at dave.whiting@telus.net.
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