Burrard Inlet Environmental Indicators Report - the BIEAP and ...

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Burrard Inlet Environmental Indicators Report February 2008 Consolidated Environmental Management Plan Environmental management of such a rich area requires balancing many priorities of the human population while ensuring clean air, water and habitat for both humans and wildlife. In addition to the effects of current and future land use, legacies from historic activities have left their imprint. These include accumulations of contaminants such as heavy metals or organic compounds (e.g., petroleum products, poly-chlorinated biphenyls [PCBs]), loss of stream and shoreline habitat, and closure of shellfish harvesting due to fecal coliform levels. BIEAP’s Consolidated Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) was approved in 2002 and provides a framework for improving the environmental quality of Burrard Inlet. The four main goals of the CEMP are to: • Improve water quality in Burrard Inlet • Minimize the effects of contaminated soils and sediments on human and ecological health • Maintain and enhance productive fish and wildlife habitat and the natural biodiversity of Burrard Inlet • Encourage human and economic development activities that enhance the environmental quality of Burrard Inlet The Plan consolidates all the environmental management systems employed by the BIEAP partners to protect Burrard Inlet. The CEMP will help ensure that environmental values are integrated with economic and social considerations for the Inlet. It establishes a common basis for reviewing development proposals and recommends facilitation, research and information sharing to improve and enhance the Inlet’s ecosystem over time. A Plan Implementation Committee was established in 2003 to help implement the CEMP and monitor its performance. State of the Burrard Inlet Environment One of the key commitments of the CEMP is to prepare a State of Environment report for Burrard Inlet. In 2004, BIEAP began researching potential indicators that could be used to describe the status and trends in the Inlet to policy makers, planners and the general public. Many datasets and 19 distinct indicators were evaluated for their ability to ‘tell the story’ of Burrard Inlet accurately (reliable dataset, ability to provide science-based statements on the state of the Inlet) and help the public understand the interconnected nature of the ecosystem. Although there are a lot of data, they did not always allow for conclusive, science-based statements to be made. BIEAP settled on seven key indicators that, taken together, help describe the complex relationship between human actions and environmental conditions in Burrard Inlet. These indicators will be monitored over time to assess performance of the CEMP and contribute information to a State of Environment report. Page | 6
Burrard Inlet Environmental Indicators Report February 2008 Indicators Used to Monitor the CEMP The CEMP uses a risk management approach; it has identified priority ecosystem risks and issues and selected indicators to monitor the risks. Table 3 lists the indicators used, which fall into two types: • those that quantify ecosystem assets, such as the water’s ability to supply nutrients to fish and birds, and the tree canopy’s ability to purify air • those that assess the impacts of human activities on air and water. Table 3: Burrard Inlet Environmental Indicators Indicator Type Quantifies ecosystem assets Describes impacts of human activities Indicator Relevance 1. Tree Canopy Cover A measure of current levels of land development; recognizes the importance of forested land in purifying water and air, storing carbon and managing stormwater runoff 2. Parks and Protected Areas A measure of the amount of land protected for wildlife habitat and for recreational use 3. Waterbird Abundance An indicator of general ecosystem condition, as bird abundance depends on amounts of available habitat and food, and is affected by levels of contaminants in the area 4. Air Quality Related to vehicle, vessel, residential and industrial emissions; has socio-economic implications (human health, smog) and environmental implications (acid rain) 5. Greenhouse Gas Emissions 6. Water and Sediment Quality (copper and PCB levels) 7. Recreational Use and Fecal Coliform Bacteria Related to amounts of fossil fuels burned and to global climate change Related to discharges to water from point sources (permitted outfalls) and non-point sources (stormwater, road runoff, contaminated sites, air deposition) and affects the health of aquatic organisms Related to fecal contamination (human and animal waste) in the water; affects recreational uses such as swimming, boating and harvesting of shellfish Because the high elevation forested mountain terrain will not be developed, indicators of land use are evaluated in terms of the lower elevation land where development has taken place or will occur. The highest elevation where development can be planned is 320 m in West Vancouver and in North Vancouver west of Lynn Creek and 200 m in areas to the east of Lynn Creek. Results are also discussed for the higher elevation areas because these areas contribute significantly to watershed functioning. Page | 7
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