For planners or developers wanting an in-depth look into all of the sensitive areas in the Sea to Sky corridor, they'll have to look no further than a newly published document.
Thanks to an ambitious undertaking to collect data from all different areas within the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, the information is included in a document known as the Sea to Sky Sensitive Habitat Atlas.
Developed in anticipation of projected urban and rural development and the 2010 Olympics, the atlas will integrate a number of features important to planning, which include streams, rivers, trails, land parcels, fish and wildlife habitat, parks and protected areas, watershed boundaries and aerial photographs.
"It's useful as a planning document for development and land expansion," said Coun. Sonja Lebans. "It identifies the environment in Squamish and what's really here."
The Sea to Sky Sensitive Habitat Atlas will provide up-to-date information for planners, developers, federal, provincial and local governments, First Nations, community organizations and local businesses through a series of detailed maps and charts all stored on computer in a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) database.
"This area needs it and all of this complex environmental and natural resource information needs to be compiled," said project coordinator Rob Knight of the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection.
" It's a collection of the best available information for sensitive habitats in the Sea to Sky corridor, and a starting point for planners, developers, and community organizations to look at the issues for urban growth and development."
In the atlas, there are maps indicating where fish are present, where there are grizzly bear linkage routes, as well as overview maps of all different areas throughout the SLRD. The atlas hopes to serve as a tool for bringing community groups together by raising awareness about important sensitive areas, generating support for their protection and for helping to identify opportunities for enhancement and restoration.
"Short term, it will make land planning and development easier," said Knight.
"And in the long run, it will help council and staff have a better shot at making Squamish a sustainable community."
Although there is a bound, soft-cover edition of the atlas, all of the information will be housed in the Community Mapping Network (CMN) website at www.cmnbc.ca. The CMN uses an on-line mapping system called AutoDesk Mapguide.
In the website, natural resource information is integrated to promote conservation and protection of sensitive habitats, and to raise awareness and respect for ecological values.
Knight presented the goals of the atlas to members of the Squamish Council and the SLRD at an informative meeting at municipal hall on Wednesday (July 21).
The $37,000 project was initiated through a partnership with the District of Squamish, Village of Pemberton, Resort Municipality of Whistler, SLRD, 小蓝视频 Conservation Foundation, Ministry of Land, Water and Air Protection, and Fisheries and Ocean Canada.
The Sea to Sky Sensitive Habitat Atlas is one of a series of nine other atlases published in the Georgia Basin over the past decade.
