An Ecosystem-Based Approach: Strategic Planning and Decision-Making in Wells Gray Provincial Park

Managers of protected areas (PAs) face growing challenges to conserve biodiversity while responding to multiple land uses such as recreation, tourism, and resource extraction. These pressures are intensified by the impacts of climate change on ecosystems. This highlights the need for planning approaches that support decision-making in the short, medium, and long term. This article profiles Wells Gray Provincial Park as a case study to demonstrate how an ecosystem-based planning approach can be incorporated into PAs planning. Wells Gray is situated in a unique ecosystem in the interior of British Columbia (Canada). We present an innovative model that integrates land cover types, ecosystem mapping, and Biogeoclimatic (BGC) zones derived from the Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification (BEC) system using GIS tools to identify ecosystems and their associated services as Critical Decision Factors (CDFs). By explicitly linking ecosystems, land cover, and spatial patterns, this approach supports the systemic inclusion of ecosystems in management decisions. To account for future uncertainty, BGC zones were projected under climate change scenarios to inform interpretations of potential ecosystem impacts. The results indicate that this integrated analysis can initiate strategic thinking and facilitate dialogue to collaboratively plan with stakeholders. This approach can improve ecosystem-based planning processes in PAs across Canada.