city of New Westminster

Biodiversity & Natural Areas Strategy 

As New Westminster has grown along with the Metro Vancouver area, its urban areas have densified, occupying more land and creating a landscape with fragmented habitat areas and a high cover of impervious surfaces and non-native plants. To address these impacts, Diamond Head developed a Biodiversity and Natural Areas Strategy for the City of New Westminster. This includes a detailed inventory of the existing natural areas on private and public lands, a biodiversity analysis, and a prioritization of which are most valuable for supporting biodiversity. The report provides recommendations on how to increase the amount and quality of flora and fauna habitat and better connect residents to nature.  

The strategy identifies a critical network of natural areas and green spaces called the City’s Green Infrastructure Network (GIN). Outside of these core natural areas, recommendations are made for enhancing habitat features and encouraging wildlife movement throughout urbanized areas known as the “Urban Matrix”. Recommendations are also provided to ensure these areas are protected by the City’s policy and that resources are available to implement them. Consultation with staff, stakeholders, and the public was critical during the duration of the project.