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IRM Definitions:

Listed below are IRM categorization guidelines, as described by the Department of Natural Resources. The Department has modified the guidelines several times. A complete set is not publicly available. This version, believed to be the most recent, is from August 9, 1999:

Category 1 Lands (C1): General Resource Use

Local Level planning within Category 1 lands will involve the application of Provincial policies and guidelines (e.g., DNR policies of Forests, Minerals, Parks, and Wildlife: the proposed Forest practices Code for Nova Scotia, the Forest/Wildlife Guidelines: Nova Scotia's Protected Areas strategy; the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy). The IRM process will be a tool for continued involvement of program managers in the development of local area plans.

Crown lands assigned to this category will be available for the full range of resource uses, and include lands for which a low level of conflict among competing uses is anticipated. Lands will be managed in accordance with provincial acts, policies, and commitments ensuring that provincial environmental standards are met, that biodiversity is maintained, and resource development is carried out according to the principles of sustainability.

Land within which identified values may lead to a requirement for treatment for special values but which is too small to be mapped separately, may be included in larger C1 blocks and these would be subject to special management considerations at the Local Planning Level.

The following list illustrates some examples of special management sites within C1 areas:

Recreational trails
Old forest areas, as per DNR's Old Forest Policy, less than 50 ha
Wildlife Habitat (outside of Significant Habitat database)
Sensitive River Habitats

Category 2 Lands (C2): Multiple and Adaptive Resource Use Areas

Lands with conflicting values for land and resource use would normally be assigned to Category 2 areas. The purpose of this category is to ensure that all values are taken into account in the planning process in areas where land use conflicts have been identified. Balancing the interests of all resource sectors may require that management practices for one resource use be modified in order to enhance compatibility with others. In some instances, critical values may be identified for overriding consideration in establishing management practices, whereas compromise may be the most appropriate approach in others.

Resource values and land uses may make it more difficult to manage resources so as to optimize the benefits of multiple use and minimize land use conflicts. Within this category of lands, the full range of land/resource uses may be permitted, but they must be planned in such a way as to protect the integrity of predominant values which may be impacted by other uses. Some sites may be moved to Category 3 after scientific evaluation.

The Local Level planning process for these lands will be fully integrated, and internal zoning of lands within blocks of C2 lands will be required product of that process.

The following list illustrates some of the sites or land uses which would normally be assigned to C2 areas:

Community water supply areas
Wildlife Management Areas
Lands on which resource use activities could negatively impact parks or protected areas if not managed appropriately
Sites of outstanding scenic, recreational, cultural, or natural value, not in C3 (Category 3)
Some Land Administration Leases, licenses and easements
Classic old growth, as per DNR's Old Forest Policy, of any size that will require some degree of protection
Listings on the Significant wildlife habitats database including endangered species habitat at the "vulnerable" or Provincial "yellow" designation
Forestry provedence and research trial sites
Significant Wetlands

Category 3 Lands (C3): Protected and Limited Use Areas

Responsibility for management decisions on these lands will normally reside with the responsible program, but allowed uses should be identified and included in the regional strategy. Management activities that will enhance of maintain the values for which the land is classified Category 3 would be encouraged. Planning at the local level may identify some other program interests that may be accommodated and, in such circumstances, input and assistance from other program areas must be sought.

This category includes lands that are specifically allocated to special uses and where other resources activities may be very limited, modified, or denied. In most cases these lands are designated under legislation or are planned for designation. Additional designations could only occur after the impact of such a designation on the other resource sectors has been studied.

Examples of C3 areas include:

Provincial Parks, Operating Parks and designated Park Reserves
Wilderness Areas
Nature Reserves
Protected Beaches
Endangered species habitat above the Vulnerable, or Provincial "red" designation
Consensus from all sectors that this is truly a unique feature and impact on other sectors is acceptable.