Protecting the Coastal Douglas-Fir Zone & Associated Ecosystems Toolkit

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Protecting  
the Coastal 
Douglas-fir Zone
& Associated Ecosystems
  An Islands Trust Toolkit
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Contents
4 Executive Summary
7 Coast Salish Stewardship of the Coastal 
Douglas-fir Zone 
8 Coastal Douglas-fir and Associated 
Ecosystems 
11 The Islands Trust Area Mitigates 
Impacts of Climate Change
12    Threats to the CDF Zone
14    Objectives for Coastal Douglas-fir 
Protection in the Islands Trust Area
15    The Islands Trust Tool Box
24   Outside of the Box — Partnering for 
CDF Protection
29   Conclusion
31    Resources
32   References
33   Endnotes
34   Appendix 1: Legislative and Governance 
Context 
36   Appendix 2: First Nations with 
Asserted Interests in the Trust Area
Photo: Kristine Mayes
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Acknowledgements
The development of this tool kit was assisted with feedback and contri-
butions from a number of Islands Trust staff and by drawing on the work 
of the Coastal Douglas-fir Conservation Partnership. Of particular note 
are the following people who provided data and resources to support this 
project:
Lisa Wilcox 
Kate Emmings 
William Shulba 
Shelley Miller 
Madeleine Koch 
Kim Stockdill 
Nuala Murphy 
Sonja Zupanec 
David Marlor 
Robert Kojima 
Local Planning Committee 
Unless otherwise noted, all photos were taken by Justine Starke.  
Cover photo by Kristine Mayes.
October 2018
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Executive Summary
Across the Islands Trust Area, the Coastal Douglas-fir (CDF) zone and 
associated ecosystems make up much of the forested landscape; these 
lush and magnificent forests are the most visual indicator of the Islands 
Trust’s success in achieving its mandate to protect the Islands Trust Area. 
Islands Trust Area forests are primarily in the CDF Zone which constitutes 
only 0.25% of British Columbia and includes globally rare ecosystems. 
Coastal Douglas-fir ecosystems are biologically, culturally, and physically 
important. These forested landscapes maintain local climates, the  
sustainability of freshwater systems, and the biodiversity of the islands. 
They are home to many endangered plant communities and are ranked as 
a high priority for preservation, globally and provincially. With the majority 
(68%) of CDF land across the Trust Area privately held, it is the residents 
and landowners who have the most responsibility and ability to carefully 
steward the CDF zone. Many special places on the islands are still special 
because of the care with which islanders take to preserving the land.
This toolkit proposes that Islands Trust can better use its legislative scope 
to improve protection for the CDF zone. In doing so, Islands Trust policy 
development should be guided by the following objectives when advancing 
Coastal Douglas-fir protection throughout the Islands Trust Area:
• maintain contiguous forest cover;
• protect and Restore Functioning Ecosystems;
• protect watershed ecology;
• honour Coast Salish cultural heritage.
These objectives will offer foundational direction for Islands Trust to consider 
in protecting its Coastal Do

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