District of Sechelt Urban Forest Plan

District of Sechelt Urban Forest Plan 2010
Ministry sponsorship is required in order to apply for a SCG and many NRTs to ensure that the
proposed Land use is consistent with Provincial strategies and objectives. A list of potential
sponsor ministries that deal with specific types of land use is available, and found at:
http://www.al.gov.bc.ca/clad/tenure_programs/programs/community/Key_Contacts.pdf.
The application process is detailed online at:
http://www.al.gov.bc.ca/clad/tenure_programs/programs/community/guide/how_to_apply.html
Recreation Sites and Trails BC (overview):
Purpose: to develop, maintain and manage a network of recreation sites and trails to provide
safe, quality recreation opportunities for the public.
The development of the Hidden Grove Trails was approved by the Recreation Sites and Trails
branch of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts.
Land Title Act Section 219(1) (overview):
Purpose: To set out regulations to govern the registration of a covenant, and to define potential
provisions for its use or alienation.
Authorizes the provincial government, a Crown corporation, local governments or a local trust
committee under the Islands Trust Act to work together with a private landowner to create a
conservation covenant on the owner’s property. Additionally, section. 219(3)(c) of the Land Title
Act allows non-governmental organizations, such as the Land Trust Alliance of BC, to be
designated by the Minister of Agriculture and Lands to enter into conservation covenants with
private landowners.
Covenants are registered “against the title to the land subject to the covenant and is enforceable
against the covenantor and the successors in title of the covenantor,” meaning that they remain
in effect even if the property is sold or transferred to a new owner in the future.
BC Lands in Trust in Sechelt: The Sechelt Marsh is owned in fee simple by The Nature Trust of
British Columbia to aid in the protection of a Porpoise Bay marsh.
Bill 27, 2008, Local Government (Green Communities) Statutes Amendment Act
(overview):
Purpose: Require local governments to set targets, policies, and actions for reducing greenhouse
gas emissions.
BC Climate Action Charter, 2009 (overview):
Purpose: To confirm the understanding that municipal governments need to take action on
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and to commit signee’s to voluntarily become carbon
neutral.
District of Sechelt has signed this charter.
BC Climate Action Plan (overview):
Purpose: to define a Provincial approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for
the new low-carbon realities of the future.
Acting in Every Sector: Forestry “Forestry is has the potential to be one of the most important
sectors in our fight against climate change.”
The plan for the forestry sector identifies biomass and cellulosic ethanol energy as two potential
November 2010 Page 50