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Biodiversity Offsetting - Proposed Process for Consideration
- 1. Biodiversity Offsetting A Process for Consideration Information Session – Balls Falls January 27, 2016
- 2. Primary Purpose • Determine whether biodiversity offsetting could be an appropriate tool for selective use within NPCA’s watershed
- 3. Process for Consideration 1. Establish Guiding Principles 2. Partner with Academia 3. Select Pilot Sites and Confirm Existing Conditions 4. Confirm and Assess Potential Offsetting Scenarios 5. Prepare Recommended Offsetting Plan 6. Make Final Decision
- 4. Establish Guiding Principles o Project Kick-off Meeting o Prepare Consultation Strategy o Orientation Session o Legislative Review o Best Practices Review o Draft Offsetting Principles
- 5. Partner with Academia • Establish well-defined research parameters • Determine baseline data • Joint restoration program • Ongoing monitoring program • Collaborate on Technical Report
- 6. Select Potential Pilot Sites and Confirm Existing Conditions o Identify Potential Sites for Offsetting o Select Pilot Sites for Offsetting Assessment o Confirm Existing Conditions for the Pilot Sites
- 7. Confirm & Assess Offsetting Scenarios o Prepare Draft Offsetting Scenarios for Site#1 o Prepare Draft Offsetting Scenarios for Site#2 o Identify Issues, Opportunities & Constraints
- 8. Prepare Recommended Offsetting Plan o Prepare Recommended Offsetting Plan for Sites 1 & 2 o Prepare Draft Technical Report o Present Key Findings o Prepare Final Technical Report
- 9. Thank you!
Editor's Notes
- My name is Peter Graham, Director of Watershed Management at the NPCA. I truly appreciate your patience in allowing staff the opportunity to provide context around what is admittedly a very complex and significant subject. My presentation provides a draft outline of a process for your consideration. This process would only proceed IF the province approves the possible utilization of biodiversity offsetting in a pilot project setting within well-defined parameters. To reiterate, the Primary Purpose of this review is to determine…next slide
- …determine whether (or “IF”) BO is an appropriate tool for SELECTIVE use within our watershed.
- Key Points: Transparency is critical
- Core Principles: Would help guide the overall process. Would be used to communicate the intent and scope of the exercise – public and stakeholder engagement Would help guide the technical work Some examples of principles: Employing a clear Mitigation Hierarchy (Avoid, Minimize, Mitigate, Compensate – BO) Establishing criteria to determine whether a particular wetland is suitable for offsetting Prepare Consultation Strategy: It is recognized that this assignment will need to involve a mix of governments (local, regional and provincial – MNRF, MMAH, possibly the NEC), agencies and boards (NPCA board, CLAC), interested stakeholders (environmental and agricultural groups), the public-at-large, etc. The purpose of this task is to identify a detailed consultation program for engaging the various stakeholders.
- Science-based approach
- All potential sites should be informed and assessed using the guiding principles established in Phase 1. Site selection should also consider factors such as: the potential for net environmental gain, availability of baseline information, and identifying the general need for offsetting.
- Each potential site would include different scenarios to test the potential range of options for achieving a net environmental gain. Support analysis would include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following: Biological changes (i.e. wetland boundary changes, changes within vegetative communities, linkages, etc.) Social changes (e.g. educational and/or recreational aspects of the wetland, ownership changes, etc.) Hydrological changes (i.e. potential changes to floodplains, water quality)
- Then make final decision. Important note: Depending on the analysis, there remains the possibility that offsetting may not be considered appropriate for one or both of the selected sites.