Roles of Local Government

Local Governments regulate the land use on much of the private property where species at risk occur and therefore have an important role in how species at risk are managed and protected. Municipal and regional governments may also own important habitats. For example, the Canadian populations of Kellogg’s rush and poor pocket moss are located in municipal parks. Local governments tend to be responsible for relatively small areas, similar in size to the distribution of many listed species.

There are several ways in which local governments can contribute to the protection and management of species at risk. They may lead through example by initiating stewardship practices on their own property, help run educational campaigns, enact by-laws that reduce threats like pollution, or write conservation covenants. For more on what steps they can take, skip to How can local governments take action to protect species at risk?

Local Government Working Groups

In 2009 the Species and Ecosystems at Risk Local Government Working Group was formed. It is made up of local government representatives from different jurisdictions and members of the Union of BC Municipalities. In 2011, the working group produced a report with 45 recommendations for actions that local governments can take to protect species at risk. Their strategies include ecosystem management, landholder engagement, and identifying shared responsibilities.

This network facilitates discussions across different industries and promotes collaborative solutions. Find out more about the working group and their publications from the government website here.  As well, the Stewardship Centre for BC has a Green Shores Local Government Working Group that could be a useful resource for local governments with marine or lake shorelines.

Local government roles will vary regionally:

• Species at risk are concentrated in the most densely populated areas of the province: the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys, the Fraser Valley, and southern Vancouver Island. Species at risk planning will need to be closely integrated into planning and operations in these areas.
• Northern regions have relatively few species at risk, and their operations and planning are likely to be less affected.

When local governments take action, they experience many benefits in return. Species at risk stewardship also leads to:

• Improved ecosystem services such as water and air purification, temperature buffering, drainage and recreation opportunities;
• Additional sources of funding from senior governments for parkland acquisition, and innovative capital works projects and maintenance activities; and
• Healthier populations of economically or socially important species, such as salmon.

Local government jurisdiction:

• Does not extend to federal and provincial lands.
• Is limited within the Agricultural Land Reserve and on designated Managed Forest Lands.

How can local governments take action to protect species at risk?

• Educational Initiatives

  Informing residents of rare species unique to their area helps build a sense of ownership and stewardship. Local governments are well positioned to deliver this information, as they are in closer communication with residents and landowners than any other level of government.

  Useful brochures are available from the BC Ministry of Environment. Municipalities can work with local conservation and stewardship groups to educate and enable stewardship action. One example is the South Coast Conservation Program; similar initiatives are located in the BC Interior, the Kootenays, and beyond.

  Recommended actions include:

  • Adding information on species at risk to local government websites,
  • Using existing mail outs (e.g. property taxes) to provide information on local species at risk and SARA‘s public consultations, and
  • Presenting species at risk information in public consultations and within the information on local government procedures for developers.




• Management of Local Government Lands

  Local governments have extensive land holdings containing species at risk habitats. These include public parks, ecological reserves, dikes, road and trail rights of way, water and waste treatment facilities, transit facilities, community centres, schools, and administrative and emergency service buildings.

  Recommendations for all local government lands:

  • Inventory species at risk and important habitat.
    • Use the ‘search by habitat’ function on SAR Primer website or visit the BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer here to generate lists of potential species.
  • Review operating procedures in consultation with relevant species experts, paying special attention to maintenance protocols and public access.
  • Restore, create or enhance habitats for species at risk.
  • Use native trees and plants for all landscaping.
  • Watersheds already protected as drinking water sources should be identified as biodiversity preserves.

   

  




• Operations

  Waste Management

  Waste collection and disposal facilities can be serious sources of pollution, especially to aquatic habitats. If poorly managed, they may also attract animals, including species at risk. Once habituated to these food sources, animals may become nuisances or dangerous, and need to be moved or killed.

  

  Recommended actions:

  • Use the best available technology in wastewater and sewage treatment.
  • Use a bylaw to prohibit the introduction of toxic materials into storm and sanitary sewers.
  • Ensure that odours and animal access are controlled in all waste management facilities.
  • Use a bylaw to require residents, businesses, and institutions to restrict odours and animal access in their waste facilities.

  Water Supply and Sewer Systems

  Municipal water systems draw from wells or surface water and may have significant impacts on species at risk through their effects on local hydrology. Storm and sanitary sewers are often major sources of pollution to aquatic habitats.

  Recommended actions:

  • Evaluate the impacts of municipal water withdrawals from wells and surface water on stream and wetland hydrology.
  • Reduce reliance on high-impact sources through water conservation initiatives and switching to low-impact sources.
  • Equip storm sewers with in-pipe and end-of-pipe features to protect water quality (e.g. oil-grease separators, sediment traps, treatment wetlands).

  Land Drainage

  Flood control is a major concern for local governments with low-lying urban or agricultural lands. They are responsible for drainage through their own lands, most roadside ditches, and sometimes private property.

  Drainage is typically maintained by dredging silt and vegetation from channels every two to ten years, a practice that can damage species at risk and their habitats.

  Authorization from Fisheries and Oceans Canada is required when fish habitat is affected. Authorizations may be difficult to obtain, require long, complex application processes, and contain requirements for fish salvage, environmental monitoring and habitat compensation that are very expensive to fulfill.

  Recommended actions:

  • Reduce the need for maintenance by planting native trees and shrubs to prevent bank erosion and shade channels, reducing grass growth (see SCBC’s Lands Near Water guide, Agricultural Waterways: Drainage Maintenance and Stewardship or the Green Shores webpage for further resources).
  • Maintain channels by hand where feasible.
  • Integrate fish habitat enhancement into drainage maintenance work.
  • Develop watercourse management plans in cooperation with fisheries agencies. Categorize channels by ecological sensitivity and describe maintenance protocols for each sensitivity level.

  




• Property Tax Exemptions

  Local governments can offer income tax relief to landowners in exchange for a conservation covenant on ecologically valuable lands.

  Advantages include:

  • The ability to permanently protect habitats.
  • An incentive for landowners to conserve habitat.

  Disadvantages include:

  • The considerable staff time required for program development and administration.
  • A loss of tax revenue to the local government.
  • Many landowners do not understand covenants.




• Conservation Covenants

  A conservation covenant is a written agreement between a landowner and a covenant holder, typically a local government, land trust, or other conservation organization. The landowner agrees to protect the land as specified in the covenant and to allow the covenant holder to monitor compliance. Covenants are attached to the land title and remain in effect when the land is sold. They can be used to prohibit or restrict subdivision, development or other land uses, and to require that lands or amenities be conserved, restored or used for specified purposes. ‘Amenities’ may include a wide variety of features, including wildlife, plants, or environmental values.

  Local governments often require conservation covenants as a condition of land subdivision, rezoning, or development permits to protect riparian areas, retain native vegetation or restrict access. Often land trusts or other conservation organizations co-hold the covenant with local governments and take on the compliance monitoring responsibilities.

  Advantages include:

  • The ability to permanently protect land without buying it.
  • The ability to protect sensitive portions of a property without restricting use on the rest of it.
  • The ability to involve conservation organizations that will monitor compliance.
  • The ability to modify the covenant if all parties agree.

  Disadvantages include:

  • The need for ongoing landowner outreach, as new owners may not understand the covenant’s restrictions.
  • A potential reduction in property value.
  • The potential for high legal and land survey costs.
  • A reliance on regular compliance monitoring.

  Examples

  • As a condition of rezoning, Cowichan Valley Regional District requires covenant protection of at least 33% of the land area of each parcel in the Shawnigan Lake Comprehensive Development Zone. The area will consist of the most environmentally sensitive portions of the property.




• Regional Conservation Funds

  Organizations interested in starting conservation initiatives in their community have the option to apply for funding through a Regional Conservation Fund. These projects are often initiated by conservation groups, and require the support of municipal or regional governments. Community support and engagement is an important part of the process. The guide, “Establishing a Regional Conservation Fund in British Columbia” describes all the steps required to obtain this funding and outlines successful case studies.

  Regional Conservation Funds support projects that address:

  • Protecting clean water resources,
  • Preserving natural places for people to enjoy,
  • Restoring and maintaining important habitats for fish and wildlife, and
  • Maintaining and enhancing ecosystem health to be more resilient to the effects of a changing climate such as floods, fire, and drought⁹.

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References

South Okanagan-Similkameen Conservation Program (SOSCP). (2017). Local Conservation Funds in British Columbia: A Guide for Local Governments and Community Organizations. Second edition. Penticton, BC. Available at https://soconservationfund.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Conservation-Fund-Guide-2nd-Edition-2017.pdf.