Evaluating protected area management planning: a case study of British Columbia's protected areas master planning process.

Abstract

This paper outlines a method for evaluating planning processes and tests the method in a case study application. The method is based on 35 evaluation criteria for planning processes. The 35 criteria are divided into three categories: process (13 criteria), outcome (9 criteria), and implementation (13 criteria). The methodology is illustrated by a case study evaluation of the protected area planning process in British Columbia, Canada. A survey of 19 stakeholders divided into two groups (nongovernmental organizations and park planners) was completed to verify the criteria and to determine the extent to which the criteria were met in the planning process. Based on the survey results, weaknesses in the planning process are identified. Respondents ranked 10 of 35 evaluation criteria as met, 25 as neither met nor unmet, and none as unmet. Ranking varies significantly by criteria category with outcome criteria having the highest met rate (6 of 9), followed by process criteria (3 of 13), and implementation criteria (1 of 13). Park planners provided much more favourable rankings for criteria than non-governmental organizations.

Resume

Les auteurs de cet article exposent une methode d'evaluation des processus de planification et mettent a l'essai cette methode en l'appliquant a une etude de cas. La methode est fondee sur 35 criteres d'evaluation des processus de planification, qui sont repartis en trois categories: processus (13 criteres), resultats (9 criteres) et mise en oeuvre (13 criteres). La methodologie est illustree par l'evaluation d'une etude de cas sur le processus de planification des aires protegees de la Colombie Britannique, au Canada. On a effectue une enquete aupres de 19 intervenants repartis en deux groupes (organismes non gouvernementaux et planificateur des parcs) afin de verifier les criteres et d'etablir la mesure dans laquelle on a repondu a ces criteres lors du processus de planification. Les faiblesses du processus de planification ont ete degagees a partir des resultats de l'enquete. Les reponses fournies par les repondants revelent que l'on avait entierement repondu a 10 des 35 criteres, et que l'on plus ou moins repondu a 25 des criteres; aucun repondant n'a indique qu'on n'avait pas du tout repondu a un critere. Le classement varie de maniere significative en fonction de la categorie, celle portant sur les resultats etant la categorie presentant le plus grand nombre de criteres auxquels on avait entierement repondu (6 sur 9), suivie de la categorie portant sur le processus (3 sur 13) et de la mise en oeuvre (1 sur 13). Les planificateurs des parcs ont classe le degre de respect des criteres plus favorablement que les organismes non gouvernementaux.

Keywords

Protected area planning, stakeholder involvement, British Columbia parks, planning evaluation

Introduction

The Brundtland Commission (WCED 1987) identified the need to increase protected areas as a key step in achieving sustainable development. Over the last two decades, governments have responded by designating a larger proportion of their land base as protected. British Columbia, for example, more than doubled its protected areas from 6% to over 13% of its land base since 1992. Now that jurisdictions have increased their protected areas, they face the challenge of properly managing their new protected area systems to meet sustainability goals.

In their recent review of protected area planning in North America, Nelson et al. (2003) identify new challenges that protected area planning must meet including: achieving a broader set of often competing objectives ranging from conservation to economic development; integrating protected area plans with regional plans for the surrounding region; ensuring local participation in protected area management to meet local needs; integrating private and public stewardship; and using participatory planning processes instead of more traditional technocratic approaches.

Given the increase in protected areas, it is increasingly important that protected area planning be properly designed and managed to meet the challenges identified by Nelson et al. (2003). The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for evaluating protected area planning processes based on best practices criteria. The method will then be tested by a case study evaluation of the protected area planning process in British Columbia. British Columbia is chosen as a case study because it has used innovative planning processes and has experienced a large increase in protected areas over the last decade, which has heightened the need for preparing protected area management plans. The paper will begin with an overview of the British Columbia protected area planning process, followed by a description and application of the method for evaluating protected area planning.

Protected Area Planning in B.C.

The first comprehensive policy statement on protected area planning in British Columbia was issued in 1988 with publication of Striking the Balance (BC MEP 1988). Striking the Balance identified a number of tools for managing the protected areas system including the Park Act and Park Classification system (which distinguishes protected area types such as Class A, B, and C Parks or Recreation Areas). Planning for protected areas was divided into two components: overall system planning for identifying potential lands to be added to the protected area system and protected area management plans (also known as master plans) to set management direction.

The development of protected area planning advanced with implementation of the Protected Areas Strategy and the Land and Resource Management Planning process in the early 1990s, which resulted in a more than doubling of protected areas in British Columbia (Day et al. 2003). It is important to note that the planning for protected areas was integrated into a regional land use planning process as recommended by Nelson et al. (2003). The growth of the protected area system brought new challenges related to managing a larger land base for competing interests within a constrained budget. Over the last decade, BC has doubled the number of provincial parks from just under 400 to over 800. Fewer than 300 of the 800 parks have approved management plans (Ronmark 2005). In recognition of the need to develop management plans, the Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks announced BC's Park Legacy Project in 1997 to review protected area planning. A panel of experts was appointed by the Minister "to provide Government with community-based perspectives and practical recommendations for enhancing long-term planning and management of the protected areas system, while at the same time encouraging the strengthening of relationships between communities and provincial parks" (Legacy Panel 1999: 3).

The Legacy Panel consulted extensively with a wide variety of user groups, communities, First Nations, diverse cultural groups, and youth. The Legacy Panel released their final report, entitled Sustaining Our Protected Areas System, to the provincial government in 1999. Based on public input, the Legacy Panel made recommendations on protected area planning and management issues. A key recommendation of the Panel was the urgent need to prepare management plans for protected areas (Legacy Panel 1999: 70).

In response to the Panel, the provincial government issued the Policy for the Development, Review and Approval of BC Parks Management Plans (BC Parks 2000). This policy document states that the primary goal of BC Parks' management planning program is to "deliver, in a timely fashion, at the appropriate level of detail and public consultation, protected area management plans that provide long-term vision and strategic guidance for the stewardship and management of [protected areas]" (BC Parks 2000: 1).

Protected area management plans describe protected area values, management issues, and detailed objectives and strategies for protected area management. The management planning process may involve the preparation of a background report, data gathering, research and consultation over a period of two to three years. Public involvement can range from open houses and workshops to the creation of public advisory groups, depending on the complexity of the project (BC Parks 2000).

Figure 1 describes the current management plan development and approval process (BC Parks 2000: 3), which is based on the rational model of planning. Management options are developed in step 5 (Assess Information) and in step 6 (Establish Management Direction). The plan is then distributed to the public for review and comment after it is reviewed and endorsed internally.

Evaluation Methodology

Despite the work of several researchers such as Mackinnon and Mackinnon (1986), development of protected area planning evaluation methodology remained peripheral to the protected area research agenda until the 1990s when the development of evaluation methodology for protected area planning took a major step forward when the IUCN published a comprehensive methodology (Hockings et al. 2000).