Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was the Biodiversity Monitoring
and Assessment Program?
- This program was
developed in collaboration with the University of Northern British Columbia
(UNBC) in Prince George, Archipelago Marine Research Ltd. in
Victoria, and the Center for Conservation Education and
Sustainability of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
in Washington DC. The program officially ended in 2015, but some
analyses and publication preparation are ongoing.
The proposed Kitimat LNG and Pacific Trails Pipeline transect four main ecological units: interior, mountainous, coastal, and marine ecosystems. Over 600 watercourses are crossed by the project, many fish bearing. Over 30% of the project footprint is in mature or old forests, and several species of conservation value are found within this footprint.
The Mission was “to deliver a best in class BMAP that provides a framework for evaluating the status and trends of species and habitats in the Project footprint and areas of influence and provides management recommendations for maintaining ecosystem function through the study of selected habitats, ecosystems, and species”.
Q: Why develop a Biodiversity Monitoring
and Assessment Program?
- This program was beyond any requirements set
out by government. This was done to provide additional
insight through long-term monitoring. The program investigated
how current techniques are working and what new techniques might
be applied to biodiversity assessment.
Specifically, the objectives of the BMAP were to relate the collected biodiversity information to project managers so they could use adaptive management in applying mitigation and restoration techniques to maintain ecosystem function, evaluate the effectiveness of applied remediation and restoration techniques and evaluate alternatives in maintaining ecosystem function, contribute to the knowledge of the biodiversity and ecosystem function in the region, and disseminate information generated by the program to multiple stakeholders.