Submitted by Nick Reynolds of the Joint Technical Team for the Haida Gwaii Strategic Land Use Agreement-On Dec. 3, the Integrated Land Management Bureau advertised proposed Land Use Objectives for Haida Gwaii. With these proposed objectives, the province and the Haida Nation are following through on a commitment to establish ecosystem-based management on Haida Gwaii as agreed to in the Haida Gwaii Strategic Land Use Agreement signed by Premier Gordon Campbell and CHN president Guujaaw in December 2007. The public is invited to comment on the proposed objectives until the close of the review period on Feb. 12.These draft objectives are the culmination of 18 months of 'detailed strategic planning' between the province of BC and the Council of the Haida Nation. Detailed strategic planning was undertaken to transform parts of the strategic land use agreement into a form consistent with provincial legislation that directs activities in defined planning areas. Land use objectives describe the desired future condition of listed values and features, and specify management measures aimed at achieving the objectives. In many cases, the areas associated with the various values have been identified on maps. In other cases, the areas containing values will be identified in the field as part of the forest development planning process.The proposed Haida Gwaii land use objectives are divided into five parts: cultural, aquatic habitats, biodiversity, wildlife and forest reserve objectives. The cultural objectives provide measures to protect Haida traditional heritage features, Haida traditional forest features, cultural cedar, yew, culturally modified trees, and cedar stewardship areas. The aquatic objectives address protection of fish habitat, active fluvial units, upland stream areas, and sensitive watersheds. The biodiversity objectives cover common and rare forest ecosystems, forested swamps and red and blue-listed ecological communities. The wildlife objectives include protection measures for Queen Charlotte goshawk habitat, marbled murrelet nesting habitat, northern saw-whet owl nesting habitat, black bear dens, and great blue heron nesting habitat.Finally, forest reserves were created to meet the conservation targets for ecosystem representation and marbled murrelet habitat, and to contribute to a conservation network across the islands.In most objectives, there are provisions to vary the required measures through an intergovernmental process.The anticipated effective date of the order is late spring of 2010. The proposed order includes a six-month transition period following the effective date, by which time these objectives must be incorporated into forest stewardship plans. The strategic land use agreement's major socio-economic consideration is a commitment to an initial annual all-island harvest opportunity of no less than 800,000 cubic metres. The impact of the proposed land use objectives on potential harvest opportunities has been assessed to determine whether the objectives are consistent with this commitment. Although the review indicates that this is the case, one has to bear in mind that there are many other factors, including market conditions and cost, which influence the actual amount of timber that will be cut in a given year.A public review period is now in effect until closing on Feb. 12. The province and the CHN will jointly host public open houses in island communities between Jan. 18 and Jan. 23 to provide information about the draft objectives and solicit public comment. Look for a notice in the Observer for locations, dates and times for the open houses.To view the proposed order, visit www.ilmb.gov.bc.ca/slrp/legalobjectives/advertisedLUORs.html. Other information can also be found at www.ilmb.gov.bc.ca/slrp/lrmp/nanaimo/haidagwaii/index.html.Comments and suggestions can be sent to Roxy Picard, Integrated Land Management Bureau, West Coast Service Centre, Suite 142, 2080 Labieux Road, Nanaimo, V9T 6J9, or fax 250-751-7081, or email Roxy.Picard@gov.bc.ca.