3. Geographic and Political Maps of the Sunshine Coast Natural Resource District
Context
The total geographic area of British Columbia is 95 million hectares (ha).
- 94% (89.2 million ha) is provincial public land (Crown land)
- 5% (4.8 million ha) is privately owned
- 1% (.95 million ha) is federal public land (Crown land)
- 2% (1.8 million ha) of BC’s land base is freshwater
- 15% (14.24 million ha) is Parks & Protected Areas
- 60% (57 million ha) of BC is Provincial Forest
Main statutes relating to the management of BC’s Provincial Forests include:
- Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People’s Act
- Forest and Ranges Practices Act and Forests Act
- Water Protection Act and Water Sustainability Act
- Land Act
The BC Forest & Range Practices Act (FRPA) governs forestry activities on provincial public (Crown) land. The Provincial Forest is broken down into planning units called Natural Resource Districts.
The Sunshine Coast Natural Resource District encompasses the territories of several first nations and local governments.
The multi-jurisdictional nature of land management in the SCNRD creates a complexity in decision making when it comes to conserving biodiversity, while accommodating other interests and values.
There are Five First Nations within the SCNRD.
The Homalco Nation’s territory (blue) is in Bute Inlet and associated watersheds. Homalco has been engaged with BC and Canada in treaty negotiations since 2004. As of March, 2024, they are at Stage 4 - Negotiating an Agreement-in-Principle of the treaty process.
The Klahoose Nation’s territory (pink) is in Toba Inlet and associated watersheds. Klahoose has been engaged with BC and Canada in treaty negotiations since 2009. As of March, 2024, they are also at Stage 4 - Negotiating an Agreement-in-Principle of the treaty process.
The Tla’amin Nation’s territory is southeast of Toba to Lois River. The Tla'amin-BC Final Treaty Agreement negotiated between Canada, British Columbia and the Tla'amin Nation came into effect in 2016.
The shíshálh Nation’s territory includes Jervis and Sechelt inlets and south to Roberts Creek. Shishalh is not a treatied nation. It is self governing. shíshálh Nation is currently engaged in land use agreement negotiations with the province outside the treaty process.
The Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territory starts at Roberts creek and includes Átl'ka7tsem Howe Sound Squamish Nation is also engaging in land use negotiations with the province outside the BC treaty process.
There are six Local Governments in the SCNRD
Three municipalities: Powell River, Sechelt and Gibsons.
Three Regional Districts: Strathcona, qathet and Sunshine Coast.
Protection of biodiversity in this region requires cooperation from EVERY level of government and civil society. We all need to work together!
Click the blue box above to view a list of pages in this section of the website.
Glossary of Terms
Biomass: refers to the total amount of organic matter (i.e., anything that comes from plants and animals).
Biogeoclimatic (BEC) Zone: the classification system used to identify an area based on the dominant type of vegetation, climate, and soil characteristics at its climax
Climax Old-Growth: the final stage of a forest stand when left undisturbed by humans
Biogeoclimatic Zone Abbreviations
- AT: Alpine Tundra
- BG: Bunchgrass
- BWBS: Boreal White and Black Spruce
- CDF: Coastal Douglas-Fir
- CWH: Coastal Western Hemlock
- ESSF: Engelmann Spruce - Subalpine Fir
- ICH: Interior Cedar - Hemlock
- IDF: Interior Douglas-Fir
- MH: Mountain Hemlock
- MS: Montane Spruce
- PP: Ponderosa Pine
- SBPS: Sub-Boreal Pine - Spruce
- SBS: Sub-Boreal Spruce
- SWB: Spruce - Willow - Birch
Landscape Units of the SCNRD
- Bishop
- Brem
- Brittain
- Bunster
- Bute East
- Bute West
- Chapman
- Cortes
- Haslam
- Homathko
- Homfray
- Howe
- Jervis
- Lois
- Narrows
- Quatam