Langley City Habitat Compensation Areas

Langley City's Official Community Plan maps out Environmentally Sensitive Areas in our community on a scale of low to high.

Low areas include grass fields and some treed areas. Low to moderately low areas can be developed, though subject to requirements such as replacing any lost habitat at a ratio of 2:1.

Moderate to high areas cannot be developed. These areas include all stream and river areas, including the Nicomekl River floodplain.

Langley City staff recently presented a report to Council that outlined some proposed habitat compensation areas. These are where enhancement or restoration would have to occur if a low or moderately low area in another part of our community was developed.

The proposed areas include:

• Nicomekl Park/208 Street Causeway
• East Powerline Trail
• Uplands Dog Park
• Brydon Park
• Hunter Park
• Nicomekl Floodplain and Trail System
• Boulevard Tree Plantings

Council asked staff to identify further areas in our industrial and Langley Bypass parts of our community that could benefit from habitat compensation.

Going through the Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood planning process several years ago, I learned that many areas of the Nicomekl River Floodplain have been altered in the past. The grassy areas are remnants of past farms, and the floodplain is full of invasive plants such as the Himalayan blackberry. There is a significant opportunity to restore the floodplain as it is a continuous habitat area that runs throughout our whole community.

For more information on compensation areas, please read the full report.