Climate Change Adaptation Knowledge for BC Forest Stewardship

Deputy Minister announces new Regional Extension Notes

Link to the Extension Notes

Re: Adapting BC’s Natural Resource Management to a Changing Climate As many of you know, FLNRO has been working steadily in partnership with other ministries and agencies to develop our understanding of how our changing climate is affecting natural resource management, and how to incorporate this understanding into our daily business. These goals are outlined in our climate change strategy (2015-2020).

Today I’m pleased to announce the release of a valuable new tool in our commitment to adapt BC’s natural resource management to a changing climate. This tool is a suite of seven Regional Extension Notes covering all eight of FLNRO’s natural resource regions in BC.

Each regional extension note includes:

• climate change projections for the region;
• projected impacts of climate change to ecosystems; and,
• adaptation strategies for natural resource management, with an emphasis on forest

The extension notes can be considered best available climate change adaptation information for BC, subject of course to future scientific discoveries and operational experience. They do not constitute government policy; rather, they articulate our current scientific foundation on which to base further advances in policy and practices. The adaptation strategies can be used as guidance to inform a variety of activities including, for example:

• continuous improvement of forest stewardship plans, other operational plans:
• resource planning and practices under other natural resource legislation;
• effectiveness monitoring and regional cumulative effects assessments
• climate action planning and implementation.

The extension notes are based primarily on the results of research undertaken through the Future Forest ecosystems Scientific Council (2008-2012). They also include other regionally-relevant research and expert opinion. The extension notes were developed with input from local, regional and provincial science and policy specialists, managers, and practitioners.

If you have feedback or questions on the Extension Notes or on FLNRO’s adaptation work more generally, please contact Kathy Hopkins, Technical Advisor, Climate Change, Competiveness and Innovation Branch, at Kathy.Hopkins@gov.bc.ca.

Tim Sheldan
Deputy Minister, FLNR
Diane Nicholls
Chief Forester, FLNR