Goals, Objectives and Strategies — Continued

Core Business Area: Environmental Stewardship

Goal 2: Maintain and restore the natural diversity of ecosystems, and fish and wildlife species and their habitats.

Objective: Clear strategies and legislation to protect and restore ecosystems, species and their habitats.

Strategies: Reduce regulatory requirements to decrease costs and implement results-based stewardship. Develop a biodiversity strategy to provide a long-term vision and action plan for managing and conserving ecosystems, species and their habitats. Coordinate government, public and industry-led actions to identify, protect and recover species and ecosystems at risk. Coordinate government, public and industry-led actions to protect and improve our waterways through a Living Rivers Strategy. Provide clear guidelines and standards for appropriate protection and conservation of biodiversity on Crown land outside the protected areas system. Assess and respond to high-risk threats to ecosystems and identify opportunities to protect and restore key habitats within the protected areas system. Undertake park management planning to ensure long-term management of conservation and recreation in parks and protected areas. Streamline the Wildlife Act, Park Act and other legislation, including clarifying the designation categories for parks and protected areas. Maintain regulatory and stewardship activities to monitor and report on achievement of standards used to manage and conserve ecosystems, species and their habitats.

Objective: Improved use of science for the development of standards and for effective monitoring and reporting.

Strategies: Acquire the data, information and knowledge to support a science-based approach to the conservation of biodiversity. Implement monitoring and reporting programs to track the status of species and ecosystems and their responses to management actions. Develop standards and an assessment process to support a science-based approach to protecting fish habitat in urban areas. Work with private and public sector partners to develop environmental standards and best practices for the Forest and Range Practices Act.

Objective: Increased number of partnerships to conserve ecosystems, species and their habitats.

Strategies: Establish and maintain relationships with First Nations, communities, environmental organizations and academia to undertake activities to conserve ecosystems, species and habitats. Provide standards, guidelines, best management practices and encouragement to private landowners to develop and implement sustainable stewardship practices.