Environmental Planning

The patterns and functions of biodiversity and its related ecological processes are critical components of urban sustainability. Environmental planning includes the inventory or assessment of ecological features and their incorporation into regional, municipal, or neighbourhood plans. Most of these projects are completed by interdisciplinary teams consisting of planners, landscape architects, biologists, and engineers.


Vegetation mapping and Green Infrastructure Network in Surrey, BC.

NEW! City of Richmond Environmentally Sensitive Areas Study
Updated mapping and development of strategies to protect and manage a network of natural and semi-natural areas across the City (for City of Richmond by HB Lanarc and Raincoast Applied Ecology, 2010–present).

NEW! City of Surrey Ecosystem Management Study
Inventory, mapping, and spatial analysis of significant environmental features and ecosystems in the City, development of a network of management areas using a Green Infrastructure approach, and recommendations for their management (for City of Surrey by HB Lanarc and Raincoast Applied Ecology, 2008–2010). Link to City website.

NEW! Cordova Shore Conservation Strategy
Strategy to promote improved collaborative management of ecosystems, plant, fish, and wildlife species, and human activities in the Cordova Shore area of the Saanich Peninsula on southeastern Vancouver Island (for Capital Regional District Parks, Tsawout First Nation, and Canadian Wildlife Service by Raincoast Applied Ecology, 2009–2010). Download strategy.

James Island Conservation Areas Management Plan
Science-based, collaborative management plan focussed on species and ecological communities at risk for seven Conservation Areas on James Island (for the Nature Conservancy of Canada by N.A. Page, A. Harcombe, and T. Ennis, 2009–2010).

Ecological Inventory of Queensborough, City of New Westminster
Inventory and assessent of ecological features of the Queensborough neighbourhood in the City of New Westminster as background for the development of the Queensborough Community Plan. Includes recommendations on strategies to restore and enhance of natural areas and features (for City of New Westminster by Raincoast Applied Ecology and KS Biological Services, 2009–2010).

Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for the GVRD
Interdisciplinary planning study for regional-scale conservation planning (Lees +Associates, Holland Barrs Planning Consultants, and Raincoast Applied Ecology, 2006–2007). More information.

East Fraserlands Community Planning
Ongoing review and advice to City of Vancouver Planning on the protection and restoration of environmental features in the planned East Fraserlands community (for City of Vancouver by Raincoast Applied Ecology, 2005–2006). More information.

University of British Columbia Natural Features and Systems Study
Inventory and analysis study for UBC Community Planning (Landinc and Raincoast Applied Ecology, 2007).

City of Port Moody Environmentally Sensitive Areas Strategy, Phase 2: Management Recommendations
Environmental inventory and management guidelines for the City of Port Moody. (I. Robertson, M. McPhee and N. Page, 1999). More information.

City of Coquitlam Environmentally Sensitive Areas Study
GIS analysis and report for City of Coquitlam. (I. Robertson, A. McIntosh, N. Page, and M. McPhee, 2002). More information.

Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory: East Vancouver Island and Gulf Island 1993–1997. Volume 2: Conservation Manual
Technical Report Series No. 345, Canadian Wildlife Service, Pacific and Yukon Region, B.C. (M. McPhee P. Ward, J. Kirkby, L. Wolfe, N. Page, K. Dunster, N.K. Dawe, and I. Nykwist, 2000). Download report.

Establishing Fisheries Reserve Zones in Settlement Areas of Coastal British Columbia
Published in Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences No. 2351 (J. Millar, N. Page, M. Farrell, B. Chilibeck and M. Child, 1997). Download report.