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Covenants and Emergencies. The Effect of the Galiano Fire on the Heritage Forest Covenant. Background. Heritage Forest Established by bylaw in 2000 due to pressure to develop forest lands Landowners donate to heritage forest in exchange for increased density - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Covenants and Covenants and EmergenciesEmergenciesThe Effect of the Galiano Fire The Effect of the Galiano Fire
on the Heritage Forest on the Heritage Forest CovenantCovenant
BackgroundBackground
Heritage ForestHeritage Forest
Established by bylaw in 2000 due to Established by bylaw in 2000 due to pressure to develop forest landspressure to develop forest lands
Landowners donate to heritage forest in Landowners donate to heritage forest in exchange for increased densityexchange for increased density
Land donated to a community Land donated to a community organization and covenanted for organization and covenanted for sustainable forestrysustainable forestry– Owner: Galiano ClubOwner: Galiano Club– Covenantees: Galiano Conservancy & HATCovenantees: Galiano Conservancy & HAT
Unique CovenantUnique Covenant
Working covenant: Allows for forestryWorking covenant: Allows for forestry Good area for community recreationGood area for community recreation Allows for affordable housing useAllows for affordable housing use Land not pristineLand not pristine
– Heavily logged in several passesHeavily logged in several passes– Restoration / forest management Restoration / forest management
requiredrequired
Before Before the Firethe Fire
CovenantCovenant• Registered Dec 2005 Registered Dec 2005 (8 months before fire)(8 months before fire)
BaselineBaseline• Completed July 2006 Completed July 2006
(weeks before fire)(weeks before fire)
BaselineBaseline• Land is heavily logged
• Existing forest is 3rd
growth
• Small patches of mature forest
• 2 streams
• Georgia Strait shoreline
July 23, 2006 fire July 23, 2006 fire startedstarted
High winds allowed High winds allowed fire to grow/spreadfire to grow/spread
Local volunteer fire Local volunteer fire departments could departments could not contain the not contain the blazeblaze
BC Forest Service BC Forest Service called incalled in
Fire! Fire!
STATE OF EMERGENCY STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLAREDDECLARED
119 local residents 119 local residents evacuatedevacuated
46 firefighters from Coast 46 firefighters from Coast Fire CentreFire Centre
Volunteer firefighters from Volunteer firefighters from Galiano & other islandsGaliano & other islands
2 Mars Water Bombers, 2 Mars Water Bombers, several helicopters brought inseveral helicopters brought in
Emergency!
““State of Emergency”State of Emergency”
Emergency:Emergency:
““A present or imminent event or circumstance A present or imminent event or circumstance thatthat
(a)(a) is caused by accident, fire, explosion, is caused by accident, fire, explosion, technical failure or by the forces of nature, technical failure or by the forces of nature, and and
(b)(b) requires prompt coordination of action or requires prompt coordination of action or special regulation of persons or property to special regulation of persons or property to protect the health, safety or welfare of a protect the health, safety or welfare of a person or to limit damage to property.”person or to limit damage to property.”
Authority over EmergenciesAuthority over Emergencies
Declared by:Declared by:
Minister Minister
Lieutenant GovernorLieutenant Governor
Local authority (for local Local authority (for local emergencies)emergencies)
Process of EmergencyProcess of Emergency
Emergency must Emergency must be identifiedbe identified
Details of Details of emergency must emergency must be published or be published or communicatedcommunicated
Emergency expires Emergency expires after 14 daysafter 14 days
Powers of MinisterPowers of Minister
Under a state of emergency the Minister can:Under a state of emergency the Minister can: Implement an emergency planImplement an emergency plan Acquire or use private land and personal Acquire or use private land and personal
propertyproperty Control travel and evacuate people, Control travel and evacuate people,
animals & propertyanimals & property Demolish or remove trees, structure or Demolish or remove trees, structure or
cropscrops Construct works Construct works Ration suppliesRation supplies
Emergency Program Act [RSBC 1996]Emergency Program Act [RSBC 1996]
Forest FiresForest Fires
Minister can:Minister can: Declare an Declare an
emergencyemergency Enter onto landEnter onto land Investigate cause Investigate cause
of the fireof the fire Evacuate peopleEvacuate people
Wildfire Act [SBC 2004] Wildfire Act [SBC 2004]
Forest HealthForest Health
Forest & Range Forest & Range
Practices Act Practices Act
Forest Health Forest Health Emergency Emergency
After the FireAfter the Fire
30 hectares of 30 hectares of covenant area covenant area burnedburned
Several logging Several logging roads opened by roads opened by firefightersfirefighters
New areas disturbed New areas disturbed to create fireguardsto create fireguards
Damage to Damage to streambedsstreambeds
Landowner ObligationsLandowner ObligationsOwners ObligationsOwners Obligations
… … Owner is not liable for:Owner is not liable for:
injury or alteration to the Land or the Amenities resulting from injury or alteration to the Land or the Amenities resulting from natural causes or causes beyond the Owner’s reasonable natural causes or causes beyond the Owner’s reasonable control, control, including accidental fire, flood, storm, theft, vandalism, including accidental fire, flood, storm, theft, vandalism, trespass and earth movement unless such injury or alteration trespass and earth movement unless such injury or alteration results or is the consequence of the act of the Owner or any person results or is the consequence of the act of the Owner or any person acting with actual or constructive knowledge of the Owner; oracting with actual or constructive knowledge of the Owner; or
any prudent action taken by the Owner under emergency any prudent action taken by the Owner under emergency conditionsconditions to prevent, abate, or mitigate significant injury to the to prevent, abate, or mitigate significant injury to the Land or the Amenities resulting from natural process, acts of God, Land or the Amenities resulting from natural process, acts of God, or from natural events including fire, flood, storms and earth or from natural events including fire, flood, storms and earth movement.movement.
(taken from Heritage Forest (taken from Heritage Forest covenant)covenant)
RehabilitationRehabilitation
Forest Service Forest Service required to required to rehabilitate damage rehabilitate damage they causedthey caused
Rehabilitation done Rehabilitation done in collaboration with in collaboration with landownerlandowner
Generally involves Generally involves putting back soil & putting back soil & seeding with grassseeding with grass
CollaborationCollaboration
Forest Service / Owner / Forest Service / Owner / CovenanteesCovenantees
What roads should be What roads should be kept open?kept open?
What kind of grass What kind of grass seed?seed?
What else could they What else could they do?do?– Stream work?Stream work?– Broom removal?Broom removal?– Erosion ControlErosion Control– Communication?Communication?
Reducing ErosionReducing Erosion
Typical Mix (from Typical Mix (from MoF)MoF)
Garry oak MixGarry oak Mix
18% Tall fescue18% Tall fescue
19% Sheep fescue19% Sheep fescue
18% Orchardgrass18% Orchardgrass
5% Annual ryegrass5% Annual ryegrass
15% Timothy15% Timothy
13% S.C. Red clover13% S.C. Red clover
9% White clover9% White clover
3% Alsike clover3% Alsike clover
40%40% Alaska bromeAlaska brome
10%10% Idaho fescueIdaho fescue
25%25% Blue wildryeBlue wildrye
10%10% Tufted hairgrassTufted hairgrass
10%10% Western fescueWestern fescue
5% 5% Sandburg Sandburg bluegrassbluegrass
Stream workStream work
Stabilization of stream banksStabilization of stream banks Adding structureAdding structure Removal of inappropriateRemoval of inappropriate culvertsculverts
Broom Removal?Broom Removal?
FutureFuture
Management PlanManagement Plan RestorationRestoration Volunteer WorkcrewsVolunteer Workcrews Potential PartnershipsPotential Partnerships Forestry!Forestry!
Conclusions?Conclusions?
Contact authority in control early onContact authority in control early on– Develop good working relationshipDevelop good working relationship
Offer to help Offer to help – Baseline report mappingBaseline report mapping– Knowledge of land & mapping capabilitiesKnowledge of land & mapping capabilities– Logistical help (lodging, food, etc)Logistical help (lodging, food, etc)
Be sensitive to the job at handBe sensitive to the job at hand Work well with post-emergency contractorsWork well with post-emergency contractors Be prepared to pick up the piecesBe prepared to pick up the pieces
For More InformationFor More InformationKen MillardCoordinator Galiano Conservancy Association(250) 539-3481 [email protected]
Kate EmmingsLand & Finance OfficerHabitat Acquisition Trust (HAT)(250) [email protected]