When land use changes are planned by government or the private sector, there are legal and moral requirements to investigate what wildlife habitats will be affected by the change in land use. Department staff gain knowledge of sites and areas used by wildlife during the course of their other duties.
Many areas are significant due to their limited distribution or sensitivity to disturbance.
These sites can be included in the Department's Geographic Information System database for reference by GIS users. While a complete inventory of all significant habitats found in the province is currently beyond the Province's fiscal means, methodology to capture habitat information as it becomes available to government departments is necessary. Objective Capture information on significant habitats known by Department staff and gather information from other government and non-government agencies. Ensure procedures are in place to keep the database current, and open avenues of communication with other agencies to receive any map-based information they collect regarding wildlife habitats. Input attributes of each habitat to FoxPro files.