Forest Structure and Biodiversity
Large-scale conservation planning began on the coast with the Tongass National Forest Plan in 1979. Regional conservation efforts encompassing both Alaskan and Canadian coasts probably began with the Ecotrust publication "The Rain Forests of Home: An Atlas of People and Place" in 1985. This atlas contained coarse-scale maps of the coast from California to Alaska including maps of rainforest condition, original forest condition, protected status, watershed condition, elevation, mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, and First Nation language groups.The first detailed, comprehensive conservation planning began with the report: "Conservation Area Design for the Central Coast of British Columbia" developed by Richard Jeo, M.A. Sanjayan, and Dennis Sizemore of Round River Conservation Studies in collaboration with the Sierra Club of British Columbia, Greenpeace, the Forest Action Network, and the Raincoast Conservation Society. The Round River Conservation Area Design (CAD) was completed in 1998. This design is based upon an "umbrella suite" consisting of salmon, brown bear, and old growth forest, an approach which was developed by a convened group of conservation biologists with regional expertise on the coast.
A subsequent Conservation Area Design for the North Coast of British Columbia was begun in 1999 and developed in draft form by Round River in 2000. The North Coast CAD was completed in 2001. In 1999 the Transboundary Watershed Alliance (TWA) was formed and by 2001 plans were begun to develop a CAD for the Southeast Alaska coast and areas inland focusing on transboundary rivers. This CAD was also developed by Round River in collaboration with the TWA and its member groups.
The Nature Conservancy/Nature Conservancy Canada (TNC/NCC) Coastal Forests and Mountains (CFM) Ecoregional Plan was formally begun in 2000. It was recognized that a primary goal of the CFM Plan would be to collaborate with and build upon the previous body of work, particularly the Tongass Land Management Plan and the CADs developed by Round River.
In April 2001, as part of several agreements between the Province of British Columbia, First Nations governments from the Central and North Coasts and Haida Gwaii, and local governments and non-government interests, the Coast Information Team (CIT) was established to develop principles and goals of ecosystem-based management for an analysis area including the central and north coasts including Haida Gwai. TNC, NCC, Round River Conservation Studies, Craighead Environmental Research Institute and other groups that had been working on Conservation Area Designs for the coast were members of the Coast Information Team. Focal species chosen for the CIT region, under the lead of the BC Wildlife Branch, were mountain goat, grizzly bear, black bear, black-tailed deer, marbeled murrelet, tailed frog, and goshawk.
A subsequent Conservation Area Design for the North Coast of British Columbia was begun in 1999 and developed in draft form by Round River in 2000. The North Coast CAD was completed in 2001. In 1999 the Transboundary Watershed Alliance (TWA) was formed and by 2001 plans were begun to develop a CAD for the Southeast Alaska coast and areas inland focusing on transboundary rivers. This CAD was also developed by Round River in collaboration with the TWA and its member groups.
The Nature Conservancy/Nature Conservancy Canada (TNC/NCC) Coastal Forests and Mountains (CFM) Ecoregional Plan was formally begun in 2000. It was recognized that a primary goal of the CFM Plan would be to collaborate with and build upon the previous body of work, particularly the Tongass Land Management Plan and the CADs developed by Round River.
In April 2001, as part of several agreements between the Province of British Columbia, First Nations governments from the Central and North Coasts and Haida Gwaii, and local governments and non-government interests, the Coast Information Team (CIT) was established to develop principles and goals of ecosystem-based management for an analysis area including the central and north coasts including Haida Gwai. TNC, NCC, Round River Conservation Studies, Craighead Environmental Research Institute and other groups that had been working on Conservation Area Designs for the coast were members of the Coast Information Team. Focal species chosen for the CIT region, under the lead of the BC Wildlife Branch, were mountain goat, grizzly bear, black bear, black-tailed deer, marbeled murrelet, tailed frog, and goshawk.