Planning for Biodiversity A GUIDE FOR BC FARMERS AND RANCHERS Companion document to the CANADA – BRITISH COLUMBIA ENVIRONMENTAL FARM PLAN PROGRAM Planning for Biodiversity A Guide for BC Farmers and Ranchers COMPANION DOCUMENT TO THE Canada - British Columbia Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) FIRST EDITION FUNDED BY Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada BC Ministry of Agriculture BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy British Columbia Conservation Foundation Ducks Unlimited Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation SECOND EDITION FUNDED BY Canadian Agricultural Partnership Innovate. Grow. Prosper. PUBLISHED BY BC Agricultural Research Development Corporation (ARDCorp) FIRST EDITION PREPARED BY The Canada – British Columbia EFP Biodiversity Steering Committee MARCH 2019 – SECOND EDITION BC Ministry of Agriculture, Innovation and Adaptation Services Branch PLANNING FOR BIODIVERSITY A GUIDE FOR BC FARMERS AND RANCHERS Second Edition March 2019 ISBN 978-1-988314-08-2 For more information contact: The BC Agricultural Research and Development Corporation at 604-854-4483 or www.ardcorp.ca ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Canadian Agricultural Partnership and the Agriculture Research and Development Corporation gratefully acknowledge the many people and organizations that have contributed their time and effort to developing the first edition of Planning for Biodiversity—A Guide for BC Farmers and Ranchers. They include the following: The Canada – British Columbia EFP Biodiversity Steering Committee Niels Holbek, BC Agriculture Council (Chair), P.Ag. Sylvia von Schuckmann, BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, P.Ag., R.P.Bio. Cindy Haddow, BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, P.Ag. Geoff Hughes-Games, BC Ministry of Agriculture, P.Ag. Dave Trotter, BC Ministry of Agriculture, P.Ag., R.P.Bio. Mark Wonneck, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Lavona Liggins, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, P.Ag. John Patterson, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, R.P.Bio. Laura Maclean, Environment and Climate Change Canada King Campbell, Ducks Unlimited Canada, P.Ag. CONTRIBUTORS Special thanks to Dave Trotter, Andrea Shaw, Ramona Scott, Wanda Gorsuch and The Land Conservancy team for their initial work on this project. Original editing on this document was completed by Tracey Hooper with formatting by Linda Hokanson. Ione Smith of Upland Agricultural Consulting and Jimmy Allen of Zoetica Environmental Consulting assisted in the development of the Second Edition (2019). Desktop publishing was provided by ShortCreative for this edition as well. Thank-you also to the EFP Planning Advisors and producers who assisted with “ground proofing” the guide, and the many others who provided help along the way. All photographs in the document that have not been credited are drawn from the BC Ministry of Agriculture image library. PREFACE The purpose of this supplemental Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) publication is to help farmers and ranchers increase their understanding of biodiversity and what it means to their operations. The guide provides a definition of biodiversity, highlights the importance of biodiversity locally and at landscape scales, lists the main principles of managing for biodiversity, and provides a template for developing a Biodiversity Management Plan for farms and ranches in British Columbia. The idea for this publication emerged from a Biodiversity Workshop held in October 2005 in Kamloops, BC. EFP Planning Advisors and agency representatives who were interested in delivering the biodiversity component of the Agricultural Policy Framework to producers identified the need for this document. The information in this guide applies primarily to privately owned farm and ranch lands in BC. LIMITS OF LIABILITY Unlike the other EFP program publications, this guide is not specifically a risk assessment tool. It is intended primarily as a source of information and a management planning tool for farmers, ranchers, and EFP Planning Advisors. The biodiversity assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring steps presented in this guide are designed to be used by farmers and ranchers with or without the assistance of an EFP Planning Advisor. Beneficial management practices (BMPs) for retaining and/or enhancing biodiversity are presented in this guide. It is important to be aware that approvals may be required before the BMPs are implemented. It is the producer’s responsibility to determine the need for such approvals. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of this guide, but it should not be considered the final word on the areas of practice that it covers. You should seek the advice of appropriate professionals and experts because the specifics of your situation may differ from those set out in this guide. All information in this guide is provided entirely “as is”, and no representations, warranties, or conditions, either expressed or implied, are made in connection with your use of, or reliance upon, this information. This information is provided to you, as the user, entirely at your risk. The Government of Canada, BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, BC Ministry of Agriculture, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, and the BC Agriculture Council or its directors, agents, employees, or contractors will not be liable for any claims, damages, or losses of any kind whatsoever arising out of the use of, or reliance upon, this information. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 OVERVIEW 5 Introduction To This Guide 5 What is Biodiversity? 9 Why Should I Manage for Biodiversity on My Farm? 12 Thinking Beyond the Farm 27 Endnotes 40 2 BIODIVERSITY PRINCIPLES 43 Managing For Biodiversity 43 Biodiversity Principle 1: Go Native 46 Biodiversity Principle 2: Semi-Natural Is Valuable 47 Biodiversity Principle 3: Location, Location, Location 48 Biodiversity Principle 4: You Gotta Have Connections 49 Biodiversity Principle 5: Achieving New Heights 50 Biodiversity Principle 6: Healthy Ecosystems Wanted 51 Biodiversity Principle 7: Nature Loves Variety 53 Biodiversity Principle 8: Watch Out For Aliens 54 3 DEVELOPING A BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT PLAN 55 Step 1 - Assessing Opportunities 57 Riparian Habitat 63 Aquatic Areas, Including Wetlands 64 Forest And Woodlands 66 Grasslands, Shrublands, And Native Pasture 70 Wildlife, Including Keystone Species And Species At Risk 74 Invasive And Noxious Species 75 Crops And Livestock 76 Conflicts With Wildlife 81 Beyond The Farm 82 Step 2 - Planning 84 Step 3 - Implementation 86 Table 3 Action Plan Worksheet 87 Table 4 Biodiversity Beneficial Management Practices 89 Step 4 - Monitoring 99 Adaptive Management 100 4 SAMPLE PlANS 101 Cline Agri Health Centre 101 General Location 103 Farm Description and Products Produced 105 Site History and Management Practices 107 Riparian Habitat 122 Aquatic Areas, Including Wetlands 124 Forest and Woodlands 127 Wildlife Species at Risk 130 Invasive Alien Species 132 Crops and Livestock 133 Conflicts with wildlife 138 Beyond the farm 139 Action Plan 141 5 GLOSSARY 143 Endnotes 151 6 APPENDIX 153 Appendices 153 1 OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION TO THIS GUIDE Planning for Biodiversity: A Guide for BC Farmers and Ranchers (the guide) is designed for farmers and ranchers who wish to increase their understanding of biodiversity and what it means to their operations. It offers ideas on how agricultural producers can manage for biodiversity, and it provides some tools for doing so. The guide can be used in designing, implementing, and monitoring a Biodiversity Management Plan. The information is intended to apply primarily to privately owned farm and ranch lands in BC. How Does This Guide Fit with My Environmental Farm Plan? The Canada–BC Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) Program was designed to help producers identify environmental risks associated with their operations and opportunities to reduce those risks. The EFP Reference Guide provides information on various environmental regulations and makes suggestions for implementing environmentally sound practices. It is the main reference for completing the worksheets in the EFP Planning Workbook. Those worksheets ask some basic questions about biodiversity on agricultural lands. This biodiversity planning guide is the next step beyond the EFP process. It is not intended to address regulatory issues specifically. The guide will be revised over time as science and on-farm experience provide additional information on biodiversity and related agricultural management practices. This guide is intended to be used along with the other publications in the EFP series: ▶ Drainage Management Guide ▶ Grazing Management Guide ▶ Irrigation System Assessment Guide ▶ Nutrient Management Reference Guide ▶ Riparian Management Field Workbook Riparian Management FIELD WORKBOOK for Streams and Small Rivers CANADA – BRITISH COLUMBIA ENVIRONMENTAL FARM PLAN PROGRAM CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW 5 What if I Haven’t Developed an Environmental Farm Plan Yet? Although this guide can be used independently of the EFP Reference Guide and Planning Workbook, it is intended to complement those documents and complete the package of supplemental publications that are part of the EFP process. Producers are encouraged to complete an Environmental Farm Plan as part of enhancing their overall farm stewardship. How Do I Use This Guide? This guide provides a step-by-step approach to developing a Biodiversity Management Plan. By working through the guide, producers will enhance their understanding of biodiversity