The UNESCO Victoria World Heritage Project

A group of citizens seeking the recognition of Camossung/Victoria as an Urban Biosphere Region within the global family of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

PROJECT MISSION

UNESCO Victoria World Heritage Project Terms of Reference

GOAL

Recognition of Camossung/Victoria as a UNESCO Urban Biosphere Region.

TASK

The Greater Victoria NatureHood and the UNESCO Victoria World Heritage Group, in collaboration with those organizations who steward the diverse natural and cultural environment of Greater Victoria meeting at Government House, under the patronage of Her Honour Janet Austin the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, on Thursday August 29, 2024 do resolve:

That Greater Victoria NatureHood forward a request from this Forum to the Capital Regional District (CRD) that – in consultation with appropriate local indigenous, political, academic and civil organizations – the CRD compile a set of supporting documents, as required, and forward same to the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, for the International Coordinating Council to nominate the Victoria Region as an Urban Biosphere Region.

TIMELINE

Obtain recognition by 2029.

RATIONALE

A UNESCO Biosphere is ‘a designation only’ recognition; however, it provides an international moral force for habitat conservation and an organizational framework to coordinate the social and economic initiatives of the several hundred local institutional, civil and corporate actors in the CRD. Once established, it is able to obtain technical support from the national and international Biosphere Reserve network. (Access to Federal grant funding to Biospheres: this year: $11.7 million). 

Biosphere designation would support the CRD as a region in its sustainable development, including supporting the region in identifying and implementing climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies that will, by necessity, be unique to our island region. The designation also opens doors to cooperation and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. 

There are currently 759 Biosphere Reserves globally, with a total of 19 in Canada and 3 in British Columbia: Clayoquot Sound, Howe Sound and Mt. Arrowsmith. 

Biosphere reserves are organized into 3 interrelated zones (core, buffer, transition – and these may be distributed) from lowest to highest human influence on nature. Four key objectives are related to sustainable development: conserving biodiversity, honouring Reconciliation, addressing climate change and supporting science and education. 

Timeline: As the Canadian Association of Biosphere Reserves will be hosted by the Mt. Arrowsmith- Nanaimo Malahat Biosphere Region group in August 2026, it has been suggested that this be the target date for the compilation of our nomination papers. A target date for Declaration would be 2029. 

First Steps: the organization process starts with creating a Community Roundtable, which would work with the CRD and local government to assemble the UNESCO nomination documents. To date, we have 12 individuals who have volunteered to work as a provisional “Community Roundtable”. 

In 2025, the CRD established a regional Biodiversity and Environmental Stewardship Service to coordinate a regional approach to biodiversity, protection of ecological assets, and environmental stewardship. The Service can lead the process for assembling the proper UNESCO documents. Once established this Service can support a Greater Victoria UNESCO Urban Biosphere program by facilitating research, developing environmental stewardship strategies, and developing collaborative partnerships with local governments, First Nations, landowners, government agencies, and community groups.  

We propose that the sacred waters of Camossung, the Gorge Waterway, the protected grounds of Government House and Uplands Park, the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary, and the Sea to Sea Green Blue Belt form core zones of Victoria’s Biosphere Region. The Lək̓ʷəŋən (Xʷsepsəm/Esquimalt) community has given the organizing committee permission to use the name “Camossung” for Victoria’s Urban Biosphere.