From the Background section of the report's Introduction:
"A biodiversity conservation strategy is an environmental policy framework that sets priorities for identifying, preserving and restoring important natural areas. The strategy promotes a ‘big-picture’ landscape view of the region and provides a framework for considering conservation options for entire ecosystems and watersheds that go beyond municipal or rural boundaries. Various jurisdictions throughout North America have prepared biodiversity strategies as a response to increasing urban and rural development pressure. The development of a strategy for the Central and North Okanagan Regional Districts is timely as the combined population is projected to increase by more than 1.5% per year to reach in excess of 348,000 people by 2031..."
