Balancing Biodiversity Conservation with Development Pressure in Urban Landscapes

2025 Local Government Webinar Series

This comprehensive webinar series explores the complex challenges of balancing rapid development with biodiversity conservation. As housing demands surge, municipal and regional jurisdictions face increasing pressure to accommodate growth while protecting our natural environment. This series delves into existing case studies, essential information sources, and practical published tools to help planners and environmental professionals navigate these challenges. This series is intended for:

Local government staff
Qualified Professionals in urban and rural planning
Environmental consultants
Developers and builders
First Nations interested in development on private land
Community advocates

Watching this webinar series and referring to the accompanying slides provides the opportunity to:

Learn about current regulations and policies designed to protect biodiversity.
Hear proven published strategies for minimizing development impacts on ecosystems.
Gain practical insights into effective mitigation measures and planning techniques through recent case studies.
Hear from government staff and practitioners who will share their knowledge and experiences.

This webinar series was originally broadcast live between February 4 and March 18, 2025 and was a collaboration between the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship and the Thompson-Nicola Conservation Collaborative.

Biodiversity and Local Government Action: Green Bylaws Post Bill 44: Deborah Curran, Executive Director, Environmental Law Centre

Broadcast Live and Recorded on February 4, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Pacific Time

Bill 44 cracked open local government planning and regulation in an unprecedented way since perhaps the Province enacted the original Streamside Protection Regulation around the turn of the century. The difference, however, is that Bill 44 mandates small-scale multi-unit housing without parallel considerations for biodiversity. Deborah will examine the impact of Bill 44 on best practices in green bylaws and discuss how compact, complete communities where ecological connectivity is prioritized are still possible.

Deborah Curran is a Professor at the University of Victoria in the Faculty of Law and School of Environmental Studies. Teaching courses relating to land and water, including municipal and water law, Deborah’s research focuses on adapting water law, sustainable land use and how Indigenous law is shaping state law. As the Executive Director with the Environmental Law Centre at UVic, Deborah supervises students working on projects for community and Indigenous organizations across the province. For over twenty years she has worked with local governments and community organizations on creating sustainable communities through the implementation of green bylaws. Deborah is the author of the Green Bylaws Toolkit and she co-founded Smart Growth B.C.

Planning for Nature in Growing Communities

Broadcast Live and Recorded on February 11, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Pacific Time

Protecting Biodiversity in One of the Fastest Growing Communities in Canada; Jennifer Miles, Planner Specialist-Climate Action & Environmental Stewardship, City of Kelowna

The City of Kelowna faced unprecedented growth in the past 5+ years. Planning policy and regulations focused on developing complete, compact communities has helped direct that growth into multi-unit housing primarily concentrated in the city’s Urban Centres. This presentation will summarize the planning tools used to help prevent suburban sprawl, reducing the loss of sensitive grassland and ponderosa pine forests, in a city known for big houses in the hills.

Jen Miles is a Planner Specialist with the City of Kelowna’s new Climate Action & Environmental Stewardship Department. Her work focuses on finding opportunities to build Kelowna’s climate resilience through nature-based solutions. Prior to this role she had the benefit of coordinating development reviews in environmentally sensitive areas, getting to see the tensions around natural area loss and housing demand firsthand before moving into her current more policy-focused work on projects like Kelowna’s Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy. Jen has been lucky to call the Okanagan home for the past 17 years following completion of her Master’s in Environmental Design from the University of Calgary and Bachelor of Science from Simon Fraser University.

Integrating Community Planning Tools for Nature Protection; Nancy Gothard, Manager of Community and Sustainability Planning, City of Courtenay

This presentation will provide an overview of the hierarchy of community plans and regulations, from regional to site-specific levels, examining how nature will be integrated at each stage. It will then explore the impacts of recent provincial housing legislation on these plans and the potential implications for nature and climate. The discussion will focus on the City of Courtenay's experience, showcasing its Urban Forest Strategy, Ecosystem Connectivity Mapping, and Environmental Development Permit Area regulations within the context of a climate-action-oriented Official Community Plan.

Nancy has been practicing current and long-range municipal planning in the rapidly growing small urban regional centre of Courtenay for nearly 15 years, starting as the City’s first Environmental Planner and now serving as Manager of Community and Sustainability Planning. Bringing a strong sustainability lens to all aspects of her work, Nancy derives satisfaction from exploring the multiple dimensions of resilience with community in the face of a complex, dynamic and changing world.

Webinar Resources

Mitigation Policy & Planning and Habitat Offset Decision Support Tool

Broadcast Live and Recorded on February 18, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Pacific Time

Josie Beruldsen, Unit Head, Conservation Policy and Planning, Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

This presentation will provide an overview of the B.C. Environmental Mitigation Policy and Procedures (EMP) which outlines a structured approach to environmental mitigation through an internationally recognized framework – the mitigation hierarchy. The four key steps of the hierarchy are avoid, minimize, restore on-site and offset. Local Government’s can apply the EMP to various development projects to guide consistent decisions on the mitigation of environmental impacts. Biodiversity offsets may be appropriate after measures to avoid, minimize and restore on-site have been exhausted. This presentation will explain to how to assess and implement effective offsetting strategies, and will give an overview of a draft Habitat Offset Decision Support Tool that can support sound, science-based decision-making.

Josie Beruldsen has over 15 years experience in environmental management, policy and planning in British Columbia and New Zealand. Currently, she leads the B.C. Environmental Mitigation Policy and Procedures at the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. Josie holds a Master’s degree in Conservation Biology from the University of New South Wales, Australia. Her experience spans environmental impact assessments, and policy and planning for climate change adaptation, freshwater management, and biodiversity conservation.

Webinar Resources

Critical Habitat 101 and Conservation Data Centre Tools

Broadcast Live and Recorded on February 25, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Pacific Time

BC Conservation Data Centre 101: Providing Information on Species and Ecosystems in BC – Our Data and Our Tools, Katrina Stipec, Program Lead, Data and Information, Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

Katrina Stipec will give an overview of the primary functions of the BC CDC, including compiling the list of species and ecological communities, assigning conservation status ranks, Element Occurrence mapping, and how clients can access this data and information. Time permitting, Katrina will address data security with respect to BC CDC data, and provide demos of the BC CDC data access tools: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer and CDC iMap.

Katrina completed her BSc in Geography from University of Victoria. She has worked with the BC Conservation Data Centre since 2005 in the Data Management unit. She has a passion for client service and ensuring access to BC species and ecosystems data and information through CDC tools.

Critical Habitat 101: An Introduction for Local Governments and Professionals; Jared Maida, Senior Species at Risk Biologist, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), critical habitat (CH) is the habitat that is necessary to support the survival and recovery of extirpated, endangered, or threatened species, and is identified in recovery strategies and/or action plans. This webinar provides a foundational understanding of CH, its implications, how it is identified and how to access relevant information using existing resources.

Jared Maida is a Species at Risk Biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) – Pacific Region. He works on recovery planning for a suite of species in British Columbia which includes recovery document writing, critical habitat identification, and support and implementation of projects targeting SAR recovery and conservation. Jared’s focus primarily includes interior species, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. Jared and his family live in Penticton within the Syilx traditional territory and he enjoys working (okay, maybe obsessing) in the garden, hiking, running and most of all being a father to his new baby girl.

Webinar Resources

Q&A Written Answers
Presentation Slides - Katrina Stipec
Presentation Slides - Jared Maida

Best Management Practices for Invertebrates, Bats and Herpetofauna

Broadcast Live and Recorded on March 4, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Pacific Time

Best Management Practices for Invertebrate Species at Risk; Jenny Heron, Invertebrate Conservation Specialist, Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship (WLRS) and Julie Wray, Invertebrate Conservation Biologist, WLRS

This webinar presents an overview of existing tools used to identify habitat requirements and factors influencing the distribution of invertebrate species at risk in British Columbia, and the threats causing their decline. The presentation details appropriate methods for surveys, inventory, and monitoring across various taxonomic groups. It also covers best management practices designed to mitigate threats to invertebrate populations. Finally, the webinar highlights available training opportunities for field-based survey methodology.

Jennifer Heron is an invertebrate conservation specialist. With diverse external partners, she implements many inventory, restoration, and recovery projects for invertebrates. She co-chairs the COSEWIC Species Specialist Subcommittee on Arthropods and is a Registered Professional Biologist with a BSc and an MSc from UBC.

Julie Wray is an invertebrate conservation biologist leading the development of best management practices for invertebrate species at risk in B.C. and supports the inventory and implementation of other invertebrate conservation projects. She is a Registered Professional Biologist with a BSc in Ecology from the University of Guelph and an MSc in Biological Sciences from Simon Fraser University.

Bats in Urban and Rural Environments, Mandy Kellner, Bat Conservation Coordinator, WLRS

This presentation focuses on approaches to conserve bats and bat habitat in urban and rural areas. Bats are an essential part of ecosystems, providing natural pest control and reducing the need for synthetic pesticides. Bats are also at risk from many threats including habitat loss, accidental mortality by improper exclusion methods, and cat predation. We will explore existing best management practices and resources relevant to forest clearing, building construction, managing bats in buildings, and retaining bats in our human-dominated landscapes, to provide building blocks for effective local bat conservation.

Mandy Kellner is the provincial Bat Conservation Coordinator, working with project partners to minimize threats and address data gaps for BC’s 15 bat species. She has a BSc in Ecology from McGill and an MSc on forest bats from Simon Fraser University, and prior to working for government was the lead of the BC Community Bat Program for six years.

Tools to Conserve BC Herpetofauna Populations: The Use and Application of Best Management Practices to Mitigate Impacts of Wildlife Salvage and Road Mortality of Amphibians and Reptiles in the Province, Leigh Anne Isaac, Small Mammal and Herpetofauna Specialist, WLRS

Leigh Anne will present the rationale, use, main content and application of two BMP documents that pertain to wildlife salvage projects and road maintenance and building activities as they relate to amphibians and reptiles in British Columbia.

Leigh Anne Isaac is a Registered Professional biologist with an MSc and PhD from the University for Victoria. She has been in the role of Small Mammal and Herpetofauna Specialist for the Province of BC since 2020. Prior to her current role, she worked in environmental consulting for the Ktunaxa Nation and in the private sector in the East Kootenay region. She leads applied conservation projects, and contributes to species recovery through her active participation in the Northern Leopard Frog and Sharp-tailed snake Recovery Teams as well as the B.C. Bat Action Team. Leigh Anne is an active Adjunct Professor at Thompson Rivers University and has fostered collaborations with researchers throughout Canada and the US. Leigh Anne lives in Ktunaxa ?amak?is with her family and enjoys mountain biking, hiking in the mountains, gardening, and volunteering as a sports coach for young girls. When caught daydreaming, Leigh Anne imagines herself on a small farm tending to her chickens and practising the ukulele.

Webinar Resources

Q&A Written Answers
Presentation Slides - Julie Wray and Jennifer Heron
Presentation Slides - Mandy Kellner
Presentation Slides - Leigh Anne Isaac

The Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship (WLRS) is currently conducting a review of the Riparian Area Protection Regulation (RAPR). As a result, guidance pertaining to the RAPR is currently subject to change. In the interim, Local Governments and Qualified Environmental Professionals (QEPs) are encouraged to reach out to the RAPR program at RiparianAreas@Victoria1.gov.bc.ca, should they have any pressing inquiries or concerns. Further updates will be provided by WLRS as the review progresses.

Protecting B.C.’s Wetlands: Best Practices for Local Governments and Professionals

Broadcast Live and Recorded on March 18, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Pacific Time

Karen Stefanyk, Wetland Specialist, Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

Wetlands in B.C. are extraordinary ecosystems, offering essential ecosystem services like water filtration, flood regulation, and vital habitat for several species. Despite their immense value, wetlands in settled areas have suffered significant losses due to historical drainage, diking, and growing urban development pressures. Conserving and restoring these critical ecosystems is essential to safeguarding biodiversity, fighting climate change, and preserving ecological balance.

This session invites you to explore the fascinating world of wetlands, understand the regulatory framework that protects them, and discuss both existing and emerging resources and guidance to assist local governments and environmental professionals in wetland management and stewardship.

Karen Stefanyk (RPBio) is an ecologist and Wetland Specialist for the Province of British Columbia. She originally hails from the prairies where the ravine and associated wetlands behind her house as a kid inspired her career in ecology and later specializing in wetlands ecosystems. Her work has spanned over 20 years in the environmental field, with a background in research, over ten years consulting and in her eighth year with the province developing policy and guidance. Karen has worked extensively across western Canada identifying, delineating, assessing, and classifying wetlands for municipal, provincial and federal environmental assessments.

Webinar Resources

Q&A Written Answers
Presentation Slides with Links