Islands Trust Conservancy Management Plan Standard

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Management Plan Standard 
Revised May 10, 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Introduction 
Islands Trust Conservancy Policy 2.3 requires that a management plan is prepared and 
approved for each property it acquires as a Nature Reserve. There are also instances when a 
conservation coveant may require a management plan. The Management Plan Standard is 
intended as a guide for those preparing management plans for areas protected by the 
Islands Trust Conservancy. 
 
What is a “management plan” and why is it important?  
Islands Trust Conservancy management plans are completed by approved qualified 
individuals and are used to provide direction and guidance for the management, 
maintenance, and protection of its protected areas. A management plan:  
 Provides general and descriptive information on the property, including location, 
history, and land use;  
 Sets out the conservation goals and objectives for the property; 
 Identifies the property's ecological and/or cultural values and features; 
 Assesses risks to ecosystems and safety and describes the management issues 
associated with the property; and,  
 Provides reasonable management recommendations as action items or tasks. 
 
Once a management plan is complete, the Islands Trust Conservancy will work to carry out 
the management actions or strategies identified in the plan as resources allow. As a general 
practice, the Islands Trust Conservancy aims to update each management plan every ten 
years. 
 
How detailed does the management plan need to be? 
The number of management issues associated with the land and its landscape context will 
dictate the level of detail required in the plan. The management plan serves as a record of 
the values present on a property, emphasizing the geographical, historical, natural, and 
cultural values. 
 
Management recommendations (action items or tasks) broken down by immediate (1-2 
years), short (3-5 years) and long-term (5+ years) needs on relevant issues such as: invasive 
species management; species at risk protection; public access and safety; educational and 
research opportunities; and signage are the focus of the management plan. They should be 
rooted in the identified protected area values and prioritized, listed and explained as 
achievable action items. 
  
Management plans should be as concise as possible with a focus on management actions or 
tasks. Ideally they will be less than 30 pages in length, excluding appendices. Items like the 

 ITC Management Plan Standard 
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Ecological Inventory may be included as appendices if there are many ecological 
communities present. Terminology used throughout the management plan should be 
respectful of First Nations. The words “provincially-managed land” or “federally-managed 
land” should be used in place of “Crown”. “Privately managed” should be used in place of 
“private” and “land holder” instead of “land owner”. Use the format provided in the 
Contents of the Management Plan below with the 

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