2.0 What Inventory Information Exists?

The objectives of this chapter are to identify and summarize existing inventory information. Although no standardized or province-wide inventory is currently available, numerous inventory projects have been undertaken which focus partially or wholly on Culture, Recreation and Tourism resources.

These inventories vary significantly in terms of geographic coverage, resource focus, level of detail, format, and output. They have been compiled by a range of agencies including all levels of government, consultants, associations, clubs, crown corporations, universities, and museums. These inventories tend to reflect the mandate of the owner agency and include information which relates directly to agency objectives.

These objectives differ extensively between, for example, a government ministry and a privately funded association. This factor is largely responsible for the variations reflected in the calibre and scope of the inventories. For ease of review and analysis and to reflect these variations, the inventories included in this report have been divided into four categories.

The following discussion provides an overview of the key features of each of the four categories of inventories identified, beginning with those which are the most standardized and sophisticated and concluding with those which are the least standardized and least sophisticated. More detailed information on the inventories is contained in the supporting report entitled "A Review of Existing Resource Inventories in British Columbia Dealing With Culture, Recreation and Tourism." Tables summarizing key features of these inventories are included in this chapter.

A total of 38 inventories have been summarized for inclusion in this report. While it is believed most of the major and many of the more specialized inventories have been accounted for, it is also acknowledged that many locally compiled inventories are not included.

2.1 Inventory Catalogues

Inventory catalogues is the name used to refer to systems with the ability to integrate inventory information from a range of sources. At present, there are two systems in the province which have this capability and include, or have the potential to include, Culture, Recreation and Tourism inventory data. These are the Corporate Lands Information Strategic Plan and the Resource Mapping Inventory.

Although not inventories per se, these systems provide a structure within which inventory information can be compiled and retrieved. These systems have the mandate and potential to address the Culture, Recreation and Tourism inventory recommendations resulting from this project.

The Corporate Land Information Strategic Plan or CLISP, is the most significant provincial government initiative to date to facilitate the sharing of land related information across government. It has been designed to assist with integrated resource management, referrals, or conflict resolution. Although CLISP is currently being developed independently of the RIC initiative, it sets the government standard for compiling and recording land information. As a result, inventory systems recommendations generated by RIC should reflect or complement the standards and structural framework being established by CLISP.

CLISP has three key components. The first component is the supporting organizational structure which will allow land related information to be shared between systems. The second component is the physical means by which ministries or user agencies will be able to locate and access land information. This is being achieved by a computer-based system called the Land Information Infrastructure (LII). This system will provide a GIS-like functionality giving agencies with GIS capability the ability to order or "browse" all available land related data in the context of a spatial view. The third component is the Land Information Management Framework (LIMF) which provides direction for people who produce, use, and maintain the LII.

The second inventory catalogue available in B.C. is the Resource Mapping Inventory. Managed by the Surveys and Resource Mapping Branch of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, this inventory contains all the maps and reports produced by provincial agencies responsible for biophysical issues. The inventory lists over 200 reports and 9,000 individual map sheets depicting information ranging from terrain to wildlife capability. Maps generated as a result of some of the other inventories discussed in this report are included among those listed in the Resource Mapping Inventory.

2.2 Major Inventories

The term "major" has been used to describe sophisticated, resource focused, inventory systems. To be considered major, an inventory has to cover the whole province and reflect a high degree of accuracy and standardization. Four of the major inventories reviewed for this project are digitized while one of the remainder has the potential to be digitized. These inventories include:

• Recreation Features Assessment - Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (MELP)
• Canada Land Inventory (CLI) - MELP
• Forest Resources Inventory - Ministry of Forests (MoF)
• Forest Tenure Administration System (FTAS) - MoF
• Forest Recreation Inventory - MoF
• Satellite Account - Ministry of Tourism (MoT)

The following observations can be made regarding these major inventories:

• All inventories categorized as major were developed, and are managed, by provincial government agencies.
• With the exception of the Canada land Inventory, which also pre-dates the other major inventories by several years, each of the inventories in this category are updated on a regular or ongoing basis.
• Geographic coverage is relatively extensive but reflects the mandate of the managing Ministry. For example, the Parks inventory covers most of B.C.'s park area while the MoF inventories cover all of B.C.'s forest lands.
• The information generated by these inventories is primarily geared to be used as a tool by ministry staff for achieving ministry objectives. However, information in major inventories is not confidential and is also available for use by all potential user agencies.
• Four of the six major inventories have GIS capability. These are the three managed by MoF and the Canada Land Inventory.
• The MoF inventory systems can accommodate a number of GIS products including PAMAP, Terrasoft, and Intergraph IGDS. The Canada Land Inventory can accommodate GIMMS, ARC-INFO, SPANS, and PC-DATA.
• With the exception of the Satellite Account, the major inventories include information on biophysical features, recreation features, and cultural/historic features. Attribute and feature information is also included in the MoF inventories. The Satellite Account provides economic impact information only.
• The most common map scale, used by half of the major inventories, is 1:50,000. The CLI uses 1:125,000 or 1:250,000, while the Forest Resource Inventory uses 1:20,000.
• Two of the five computerized inventories are considered user friendly. Two of the others are considered not very friendly with one of these (the Satellite Account) requiring knowledge of a complicated, internally developed methodology. The fifth inventory is classified as user friendly for operators familiar with GIS.
• The operating costs of a GIS system are high and vary according to the scope of information they encompass. The Forest Resource Inventory, for example, costs approximately $3 million annually to operate and includes all forest resources. The Forest Recreation Inventory, which focuses on the recreation element of forest resources, has an annual operating cost of $250,000.

2.3 Specialized Inventories

The majority of Culture, Recreation and Tourism inventories in the province have been grouped into the category of "specialized inventories". These inventories may cover all or part of the province. They may or may not be digitized. They are likely to have a specific Culture, Recreation and Tourism focus. Most of these inventories are based on, or use, assessment criteria unique to that particular inventory. Twenty-seven (70%) of all the inventories reviewed have been classed as specialized. These include:

Ministry of Tourism:

• British Columbia Product Guide
• Natural Resource Based Tourism in Northwestern British Columbia
• Natural Resource Tourism Mapping - Kamloops Resource Management Area
• Coastal Tourism Resource Inventory

Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks:

• Parks Data Handbook
• Backcountry/Tourism Resource Inventory
• Oil Spill Response Information System
• Watershed Coding System
• Stream Atlas
• Cadastral Mapping
• Wildlife Biophysical Habitat Inventory
• Potential Wildlife Viewing Sites - Wildlife Watch
• Angling Guide Database
• B.C. Lakes Database
• Stream Information Summary System
• Detailed Look at Streams
• Small Lakes Information Management

Other Provincial Government:

• Historic Sites Review - Phase I
• Old Growth Forest Inventory
• Photolog
• Vancouver Island Coast Heritage Tourism Study - Heritage Conservation Branch
• 1991 Heritage Designated Sites Registry - Archaeology Branch

Other:

• Canadian Heritage Inventory Network (CHIN) - Heritage Canada
• Outdoor Recreation Maps of B.C. - Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C.
• Lower Mainland Trails - The Federation of Mountain Clubs of British Columbia
• Scenic and Recreation Values of the Travel Corridor of Northeastern B.C. - Faculty of Forestry, UBC.
• Recreation Opportunities Inventory - B.C. Hydro

A review of the above inventories produced the following key observations:

• Thirteen of the specialized inventories are managed by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks while four are managed by the Ministry of Tourism. Of the remaining ten inventories, six are managed by government agencies, one by an association, one by a university and one by a crown corporation.
• As with major inventories, the specific objective of the specialized inventories tends to reflect the mandate of the managing agency. A relatively consistent objective of these inventories is to compile information on various components of B.C.'s tourism resources.
• Of these specialized inventories, three are establishing a standard for the future compilation of inventory information.
• With four exceptions, all of these inventories have been developed since the mid 1980s while almost one-third have been initiated in the last two years.
• Most established, specialized inventories are updated on an ongoing basis.
• Just under half of the specialized inventories cover all of B.C. (i.e., all B.C. streams or all of B.C.'s heritage sites). The remainder cover a specific geographic area such as the Vancouver Island/Coast Economic Development Region.
• Six of the 27 inventories are considered partly or wholly confidential. Most of the confidential information relates to sensitive cultural or environmental sites.
• The key users of specialized inventory information are the managing agencies, in most cases, government ministries. Other potential users include other government ministries, industry, special interest groups, and the general public.
• Six of the specialized inventories have a GIS structure/capability. Five of these are operated by Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and one by the Ministry of Tourism. Reports and maps are the most common format of these inventories.
• Information on biophysical features is the focus of 12 of the specialized inventories. The focus of the remaining inventories is on tourism products and facilities, heritage sites or legal status.
• 1:250,000 is the most frequently used map scale followed by 1:50,000.
• Of the six GIS specialized inventories, three are considered user friendly and three are considered somewhat difficult to operate.

2.4 Non-standardized Inventories

The majority of the remaining inventories in B.C. not specifically identified in this report, fall under the category of non-standardized inventories. Such inventories tend to be local in scope although they may cover the whole province. The information included in these inventories is largely gleaned from independently conducted, site specific studies. No consistent standards are used and information is not digitized. This category encompasses all the locally generated and focused heritage, ethnographic and tourism inventories throughout the province. Key observations regarding these inventories include:

• The objectives of these inventories are to identify specific types of Culture, Recreation and Tourism resources within a defined, usually very localized, geographic area.
• Accuracy, completeness and currentness vary with each inventory and generally reflect the skill levels and commitment of the managing agency. The quality of a non-standardized inventory is not necessarily indicative of the quality of the resource.
• Users of this inventory information are most likely to be specialists or local organizations although government also makes use of some of this information especially as it relates to heritage and ethnographic resources.
• Non-standardized inventories are most frequently presented as a report and/or list. While maps are included as a component of some of these inventories, they are generally not detailed enough to allow for digitizing.
• Information on built structures is the most common focus of these inventories.

The following charts (Exhibit 1) list the features of the 38 inventories reviewed. The chart records information on:

• objectives
• year started
• updates
• coverage
• access restricted
• users
• structure
• data format
• categories
• map scales
• user friendliness
• operating costs