What is Strategic Land and Resource Planning?

Strategic land and resource planning is the process and associated outcomes that provide direction for the management and allocation of public lands and resources over a defined area. In British Columbia, over 92% of the land base (over 94.8 million hectares) is owned by the “public.” This land base is commonly referred to as Crown land.

Government is shifting its efforts towards coordinated First Nations engagements, which will foster a more coordinated consultation and engagement framework to achieve reconciliation of First Nations interests and concerns. SLRP planning and/or the development of strategic land use agreements are expected to be one of the tools used to support these government to government engagements.
A Strategic Land and Resource Plan (SLRP) is…

  • a description of a vision and approach for achieving sustainable land and natural resource management on Crown land in British Columbia
  • an expression of goals and objectives for using and managing Crown land and resources in a given geographic area
  • strategic, defining broad direction and priorities in contrast to operational land and resource management plans, which define specific methods for achieving the direction.

SLRPs are used by the public sector, private sector, First Nations and other resource managers when making strategic level decisions about land and resource management. The geographic areas that are covered by SLRPs can be…

  • large regions
  • sub-region
  • watershed
  • landscape
  • marine/coastal
  • terrestrial

SLRPs provide these benefits:

Ways the benefits occur:

Enable First Nations engagement
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  • By providing a forum for First Nations interests and information regarding land and resource use and management to be considered and accommodated.
  • By building trust and understanding among government, First Nations and other groups, to further a New Relationship with First Nations.

Define suitable land and resource use
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  • By basing land and resource use decisions on sound scientific and social information about:
    • the significance of land and resource values
    • bio-physical capability of land and resources
    • human demand for accessing resources
    • impacts of alternative land and resource uses.

Resolve land and resource conflicts
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  • By addressing existing social conflicts over land and resource use and management, and minimizing the potential for future conflicts.

Provide investment certainty
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  • By providing clarity and agreement on appropriate land and resource objectives and uses, thus assisting with investment and approval decision making and supporting communities.

 

Click here for a list of SLRPs in BC