This dataset contains area-based management measures that have been recognized as 'other effective area-based conservation measures' (OECMs). It also contains basic information about OECMs, specifically their names, size, objectives, associated prohibitions, and DFO region. Spatial data for OECMs will be evaluated regularly, taking the most recent available information into account. In addition new 'OECMs will be identified over time. Therefore, this dataset may change over time.

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are one among a number of spatial management tools, and are defined as areas that are established for the long-term, and managed through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.Currently, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a number of MPAs designated under the Oceans Act and Areas of Interest for new MPAs at various stages of progress towards designation. These areas are ecologically significant, with species and/or features that require special management consideration.  An Oceans Act MPA can be established for any of the six conservation purposes outlined in the Act:• The conservation and protection of commercial and non-commercial fishery resources, including marine mammals, and their habitats;  • The conservation and protection of endangered or threatened marine species, and their habitats;  • The conservation and protection of unique habitats;  • The conservation and protection of marine areas of high biodiversity or biological productivity; • The conservation and protection of any other marine resource or habitat as is necessary to fulfill the mandate of the Minister; and• The conservation and protection of marine areas for the purposes of maintaining ecological integrity

The selection of an Area of Interest (AOI) marks the beginning of the Oceans Act Marine Protected Area (MPA) establishment process led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The process includes completing detailed ecological and socioeconomic assessments, setting conservation objectives, determining boundaries and management measures, and eventually developing the regulations under section 35 of the Oceans Act. Collaboration, consultation, and engagement occurs with stakeholders and partners throughout each step of this process.

The Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) is the authoritative source of data on protected and conserved areas in Canada. The database consists of the most up-to-date spatial and attribute data on marine and terrestrial protected areas in all governance categories recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as well as Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs, or conserved areas) across the country. Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) are also included if they are recognized as protected or conserved areas. CPCAD adheres to national reporting standards and is freely available to the public.CPCAD is compiled and managed by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), in collaboration with federal, provincial, territorial, and other reporting authorities that provide the data. The database contains combined data from all these Canadian reporting authorities, who have determined that their areas meet the Canadian criteria as protected or conserved areas. CPCAD is used by a wide range of organizations, including governments, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), academia, land managers, industry, and the general public. CPCAD supports many of the Government of Canada’s priorities including Canada’s national reporting on protected areas, Canada’s international reporting on protected areas as a result of Canada’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, and Canada’s protected areas program by providing baseline information.More detailed information on CPCAD is available by downloading the User Manual.The data is current as of the date of the most recent revision. For prior years, please reach out to scf-geocarto-cws-geomapping@ec.gc.ca.

The data contains the following mapping layers from the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan: * Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan outer boundary * Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan designations, including: * natural core area * natural linkage area * countryside area * rural settlement * Palgrave Estates residential community * settlement area The data also contains associated policy designation mapping.

A Priority Place is an area of high biodiversity value that is seen as a distinct place with a common ecological theme by the people who live and work there. As part of the Pan-Canadian approach to transforming species at risk conservation in Canada, a total of 11 Priority Places were affirmed by federal, provincial, and territorial governments in December 2018. One additional priority place was affirmed in 2024. The places selected have significant biodiversity, concentrations of species at risk, and opportunities to advance conservation efforts. In each Priority Place, the federal and provincial or territorial governments are working with Indigenous Peoples, partners, and stakeholders to develop conservation implementation plans.This dataset captures a small sample of the projects that are underway in these Priority Places. Over time, it will be expanded to include more projects. Some projects span various areas of a Priority Place but are reflected in this dataset as a single center point. This dataset is not to be used for legal purposes.

Ecosection boundaries with percent protected, number of overlapping protected areas and other attributes added as a result of geoprocessing in the Protected Area System Overview (PASO) application. Protected area and park representation by ecosection provides a landscape context for natural resource planning processes such as; management plans, land use zoning, environmental risk assessment, landscape analysis, habitat supply, and management of high priority species. Ecosections are distinguished from each other by enduring characteristics such as minor physiographic and macroclimatic or oceanographic variations. For more information on ecosections and the Ecoregion Classification System see: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/index.html. For important warnings about using this data for spatial analysis see the Data Quality section of the metadata

These themes present the compilation of protected areas in Quebec. They also include important territories. Protected areas include a variety of different legal or administrative designations.Territories registered on the Register of Protected Areas must meet the definition of protected area under the Natural Heritage Conservation Act (LCPN; RLRQ, chapter C-61.01) or that of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The definition of the LCPN is “A protected area is a territory, in a terrestrial or aquatic environment, geographically delimited, whose legal framework and administration are aimed specifically at ensuring the protection and maintenance of biological diversity and associated natural and cultural resources”. While IUCN defines it as “A clearly defined, recognized, recognized, dedicated and managed geographic space, by any effective legal or other means, in order to ensure the long-term conservation of nature and associated ecosystem services and cultural values.” An area of importance for conservation is a geographically delimited territory, for which the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change (MELCC) or an authority of the Government of Quebec has expressed its intention to prioritize its allocation for the purposes of protected areas.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

This dataset is a combination of landscape unit, biogeoclimatic zone/subzone/variants and Cariboo Chilcotin Land Use Plan (CCLUP) leading group type (PineGroup or FirGroup) used to roll up seral stage assessments in the Cariboo Natural Resource Region. Refer to the **Cariboo Regional Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Update Note #2: Amalgamation of Small NDT-BEC Units in Relation to Assessment of Seral Objectives and Old Growth Management Area Planning** and **Cariboo Regional Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Update Note #3: Definition of the Fir Group and Pine Group for Purposes of Seral Stage Assessments within NDT 4 of the Cariboo-Chilcotin** (see below under "Related Links") for more information on how seral stage assessment amalgamation units are derived.

The Natural Resources Conservation Board Service Area dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent Natural Resources Conservation Board Service Areas in Alberta. The dataset is the administrative boundary for the 4 regional offices of Natural Resources Conservation Board.