Skógræktarritið - 15.05.2001, Page 116

Figure 2. Guide Outfitter camp in the
Muskwa-Kechika Management Area.
that timber resources are rela-
tively limited (Land Use Coordin-
ation Office 1997c). There is
long-term planning for limited
forestry development, with con-
siderations such as road devel-
opment and costs, haulage dis-
tances, stand size, density and
piece-size all limiting the devel-
opment potential. It is possible
that forestry development will be
closely associated with the oil
and gas sector, taking advantage
of roads approved for oil and gas
exploration and development. in
the near future, it is likely that
forestry will initially focus on
promising areas located at the
south end of the M-KMA.
The M-KMA has important
mineral resource potential sup-
ported by a mineral occurrence
database, existing tenure and
exploration and development
activity. Historically the area has
received limited exploration, but
there is significant opportunity
for mining (Land Use
Coordination Office 1997d).
Trapping and guide-outfitting
are historically important activi-
ties within the M-KMA (Figure 2).
While the numbers of employees
does not come close to the oil
and gas sector, there is still a
strong commitment through both
legislation and ongoing manage-
ment and planning to ensure that
these activities are supported
and have their needs considered.
114
Recreationalists, including
hunters and fishers, and the back
country tourism sector have his-
torically accessed the area, with
users from the local communities
as well as others travelling great
distances to take advantage of
the vast wilderness.
Legislation and Planning in the
M-KMA
The roots of the M-KMA lie with-
in the three approved Land and
Resource Management Plans.
Specifically however, it was a
1997 Order-in-Council (where
government ministers approve a
decision without going to the
legislature) that established the
Muskwa-Kechika Management
Plan (Province of British
Columbia 1997). The following
year, the government passed the
Muskwa-Kechika Management
Area Act. Both the Muskwa-
Kechika Management Plan and
the Muskwa-Kechika Manage-
ment Area Act address the five
required planning processes to
be undertaken with the area,
namely; Recreation Management
Plan; Wildlife Management Plan;
Oil and Gas Pre-tenure Plans;
Parks Management Plans; and
Landscape Unit Objectives (for
forestry planning). What is
unique about these plans is the
requirement for multi-ministry
sign-off, which assists in ensur-
ing that planning is co-ordinated
and addresses a broad range of
issues.
M-K Advisory Board
The Muskwa-Kechika Advisory
Board is appointed by the
Premier of the province to pro-
vide advise on natural resource
management in the area, and to
identify suitable projects and
proposals consistent with the
purposes of the trust (Minister of
Environment, Lands and Parks
1998). The current board consists
of 22 members, including: the
chair (who is a member of the
Legislature); seven First Nations
representatives; three local gov-
ernment representatives; two
members from the Oil and Gas
sector; one mining sector repre-
sentative; a forestry representa-
tive; one labour representative;
two environmental representa-
tives; one trapper guide member;
a member of the BC Wildlife
Federation; a back country
tourism representative and the
Muskwa-Kechika Program
Manager (ex-officio position).
Meetings are held a minimum of
three times a year, with at least
one of the meetings being held
within the M-KMA to help orient
the board members to the issues
and to increase their awareness
about the Muskwa-Kechika
Management Area.
Muskwa-Kechika Trust Fund
A unique policy feature is the M-
KMA trust fund, which has two pri-
mary purposes: 1) to support
wildlife and wilderness resources
of the M-KMA through research
and integrated management of
natural resource development;
and 2) to maintain in perpetuity
the diversity and abundance of
wildlife and the ecosystems on
which it depends throughout the
management area. The trust fund
is currently annually provided with
$3 million Canadian as well as a
project fund top-up allowance in
which the government will match
dollar for dollar contributions, to a
maximum of $400,000.
Every fall there is a call for pro-
ject proposals, which are submit-
ted to the Muskwa-Kechika
Advisory Board, subject to a
number of review processes.
Currently there are five project
funding envelopes under the
trust fund, namely: building an
information base; supporting
planning; improving manage-
SKÓGRÆKTARRITIÐ 2001 l.tbl.