Sea to Sky Land Use Resource Management Plan

The Sea-to-Sky Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP), a component of the BC Land Use Strategy, is a sub-regional land use plan covering approximately 1,091,000 hectares to the north of Greater Vancouver and east of the Sunshine Coast. The Sea-to-Sky Plan Area’s eastern boundary abuts Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park. The area overlaps the Squamish Forest District and includes the majority of Garibaldi Park.

The Plan process was undertaken to provide greater certainty for local economic development and long-term sustainability of ecological, social and cultural values. The Plan was developed to balance the economic, environmental, and social interests with the Plan Area.

The economy of the Sea-to-Sky Plan Area is diverse, supporting a number of resource-based sectors including:
- Agriculture (5,000ha, seed potatoes, alfalfa, cattle ranching, organic growers)
- Energy (geothermal, hydroelectric power generation)
- Forestry (36% of total land base), mining (Industrial and Metallic minerals)
- Tourism and recreation (highest ranked economic sector in BC)
- Non-timber forest products (botanical Forest products)
- Transportation
These sectors make an important contribution to development and employment in the region.

The LRMP, five years in the making, provides direction for future planning and management of natural resources, and a framework to resolve land use issues. The LRMP is built upon the outcomes of government-to-government discussions between the Province and First Nations, and on recommendations put forward by a public planning forum.

47% of the Plan Area is zoned: All Resource Uses Permitted
The largest land use zone in the Plan Area is further divided into two sub-categories
a. Frontcountry Area – follow the major transportation corridors in the Plan Area. It is recognized as the gateway through which all visitors to the region pass and where a majority of residents make their home. This Area sees intensive public and commercial; recreational use.
b. Cultural Management Areas – have high Firsty nations cultural values, and development and use of these areas must be conducted in a manner that protects First nations cultural values and ecological integrity. There are nine (9) Cultural management Areas in the Plan Area.

27% of the Plan is zoned: Wildland (Mining/Tourism permitted)
The Wildland Zones are intended to permit tourism and subsurface resource development while maintaining the values of First nations Culture, wildlife habitat, backcountry recreation, and remote, natural, wilderness characteristics. Commercial timber harvesting and infrastructure of independent power projects (IPPs) is not allowed.

26% of the Plan is zoned: Protected Areas (Parks and Conservancies)
a. Existing Parks – 22% of LRMP area. Twenty two (22) parks within the Area combining for a total of 232,963ha.
b. Conservancies – 4% of LRMP area. Eight (8) within the Plan Area combining for 44,887ha.

Physical Environment:
Four (4) major watersheds comprise the Plan Area (The Indian River, The Gates River system, The Squamish river system, and the Lillooet River system. Steep mountains dominate the area, with glaciated terrain such as the Pemberton Ice fields, and fertile river valleys.

The Plan Area has extensive forested lands that transition from coastal forests of wet Coastal Western Hemlock along the Howe Sound to much drier Interior Douglas Fir zones in the Lillooet River watershed. The ecosystems in the area provide habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife.

People:
Squamish, Whistler, and Pemberton are the three largest communities within the Plan Area. Smaller communities included in the overall Plan Area population of ~33,000 (2006 Canada Census) are: Baptiste Smith, Britannia Beach, D’Arcy, Furry Creek, Lions Bay, Mt. Currie, Port Douglas, and Skatin.

Seven (7) First nations have reserve land and asserted traditional territory in the Sea-to-Sky Plan Area: The In-SHUCK-ch, Lil’wat (Mount Currie), Musqueam, Stat’imc (including N’Quat qua), Squamish, Sto:lo, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations

Source: The Sea to Sky LRMP, April 2008, http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/lup/