About SERNbc

Vision

"Healthy and resilient ecosystems in Northern BC."

Mission

To manage the structure and function of vulnerable and degraded ecosystems in Northern BC to achieve a desired condition that will sustain ecological services and socio-economic needs.

Mandate

• To identify, treat, and monitor vulnerable and degraded ecosystems in Northern BC;

• To foster collaboration and coordinate ecosystem restoration programming in Northern BC;

• To acquire technical information on ecosystem restoration and disseminate to partner organizations, First Nations, and other stakeholders; and,

• To inform and advocate for current ecological vulnerabilities to land managers, First Nations, and other stakeholders.

Values

• Collaboration - We embrace the opportunity to work with, grow, and learn from each other;

• Equity - We ensure appropriate representation from all regions in Northern BC including diverse representation from SERNbc Board of Directors and Membership;

• Growth - We will support the development of ecosystem restoration activities at all scales in Northern BC;

• Impact - We will measure our effectiveness against science-based, defensible, goals and be able to demonstrate tangible, on-the-ground results at the appropriate scale; and

• Continue Improvement - We strive to learn, improve, and do better tomorrow than we did today.

Collaborators

SERNbc is interested in collaborating with all organizations interested in planning, implementing, and funding ecosystem restoration programming in northern British Columbia.

Membership

Membership includes anyone interested in Ecosystem Restoration in Northern British Columbia. SERNbc has a diverse membership including the Provincial government, academia, First Nations, non-profit and non-government organizations, industry representatives, and other important stakeholders.

To become involved in the society, please email the coordinator.

Funders

Ministry of Forest, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development, Land Based Investment Program, Habitat Conservation Trust Fund, Fish and Wildlife Compensation Programs Environment and Climate Change Canada – Habitat Stewardship Program and the Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk, Forest Enhancement Society of British Columbia, and the Forest Carbon Initiative.

Operational Principles

The following principles are fundamental to the development of SERNbc and to the effective delivery of strategic ER priorities. These principles will guide decision-making as an organization:

• SERNbc is a partnership driven organization recognizing the critical need to develop collaborative programming with governments, First Nations, NGO’s, academia and other proponents in Northern BC.

• SERNbc may add value to the activities of industrial partners in support of ecosystem services; where industrial activities do not consider ecosystem values. SERNbc will not assume the obligations of industry but may improve and provide mechanisms for holistic delivery. Where SERNbc is approached with ecosystem restoration opportunities; their alignment with SERNbc’s vision, mission, and values will be assessed.

• SERNbc is interested in growing the restoration economy and supporting the development and delivery of ecosystem restoration programming across Northern BC, through a variety and multitude of independent delivery agents. Where invited, SERNbc will seek to collaborate, augment, or support all initiatives.

• The authority to implement ecosystem restoration programming on public lands rests with the Province, First Nations, and other land managers. Where SERNbc is approached by private landowners and other proponents with ecosystem restoration opportunities, their alignment with SERNbc’s vision, mission, and values will be assessed.

• SERNbc relies on an array of external funding sources to develop and deliver ecosystem restoration programming. Where possible, opportunities for revenue generation will be explored.

• The development of ER programming will be supported by a regional and/or landscape level understanding and the identification of at-risk ecological priorities.

• SERNbc will strive to implement an ecosystem-based management approach that recognizes the full array of interactions within an ecosystem, including humans, rather than considering single issues, species, or ecosystem services in isolation.

• SERNbc recognizes the need to consider and balance ecological, social and economic values in the development and delivery of ecosystem restoration programming and will engage in a collaborative stakeholder-focused processes to ensure benefits to multiple values.

Governance

SERNbc is governed by a Board of Directors who represent SERNbc’s membership. The Directors provide valuable expertise and strategic direction for SERNbc and help to assess program priorities, develop and approve policy, evaluate program outcomes, and conduct many other important functions. There are three executive positions on the board including the President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer.

SERNbc has one full-time manager whose role is to implement SERNbc programming, manage ecosystem restoration projects, support Board activities, and assist with fund raising and outreach and extension activities.

SERNbc governance is detailed in its constitutions and bylaws which are updated and approved by the Board. SERNbc is also guided by a number of policy and procedures such as:

• Board and Committee Compensation and Expense Reimbursement
• Conflict of Interest Policy
• Membership Policy
• Policy On Board Composition