Through this program, the GCC will support the designation, protection and/or special management of critical and representative grassland ecosystems, which--together with grassland stewardship and sustainable management on remaining areas--will ensure the long-term sustainability of grassland ecosystems in British Columbia. 

All of the GCC’s program areas and goals reflect the need for the conservation of grasslands. The Conservation of Representative Grassland Ecosystems Program is focused particularly on protecting the grassland ecosystem, biological diversity, and ensuring the designation of protected habitat areas for species at risk.

This program area has one key conservation initiative:

• Priority Grasslands Initiative

Past initiatives include:

• BC Grasslands Mapping Project
• The Grasslands of British Columbia report

Photo: OK Ranch, Paul Sanborn

BC Grasslands Mapping Project

The BC Grasslands Mapping Project began when the GCC determined that the province of British Columbia had no clear maps of its grassland regions. Over the course of four years, the GCC staff and partners worked together to devise, categorize and classify the various grassland sections of BC.

To find out more about the BC Grasslands Mapping Project click here

Statistical, Final and Progress Reports:

Progress Report to September 2002
Year Three mid-term Statistical Report - September 2002
Mapping Project Proposal and Workplan - 2002-2004
Mapping Project Statistical Report - March 2002
BC Grasslands Mapping Project Annual Report - March 2002
BC Grasslands Conservation Risk Assessment Annual Report - March 2003
Changes in the Grassland-Forest Interface - December 2003

Priority Grasslands Initiative

The Priority Grasslands Initiative builds on the Geographical Information System (GIS) that was completed within the BC Grasslands Mapping Project in a collaborative effort to identify the highest priority grasslands in BC in order to be able to mitigate damage to them from fragmentation and development. 

The initiative will take place over a three-year period and will include the production of priority grasslands portfolios, status reports on the grasslands and strategic recommendations for each grassland region.

To learn more about the Priority Grasslands Initiative, click here

Grasslands of BC

The Grasslands of BC is a report commissioned by the GCC to provide a comprehensive source of ecological information for grasslands in each region of British Columbia. The book also provides information on grasslant plant and animal species at risk and discusses other wildlife in grassland regions that also depend on the spaces for their habitat. The report complements the GIS that the GCC in the BC Grasslands Mapping Project. The book discusses the abundance, distribution and status of all the grassland areas in the province of BC.

To learn more about the Grasslands of BC report click here	To order a bound version of the book or a PDF on CD click here