The Topsoil Bylaws Toolkit is a companion to the OBWB’s Groundwater Bylaws Toolkit and a supplement to the Green Bylaws Toolkit (www.greenbylaws.ca). This Toolkit was developed to give local governments practical tools that support smart topsoil policies.
A community that takes care of its topsoil will need less water for its landscapes during dry times and will have fewer problems with flooding and runoff during storms. As our changing climate becomes more variable, it will bring more frequent, heavier storms and longer, hotter droughts—making smart topsoil management key to caring for our water resources.
The Toolkit presents the basics of topsoil science, outlines the jurisdiction for managing topsoil, and provides practical policy tools and sample bylaw wording that local governments can use to improve their topsoil requirements.
The Topsoil Bylaws Toolkit is a project of the Okanagan Basin Water Board, the Green Infrastructure Partnership, and the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia. Financial support for the project was provided by the OBWB and the Government of British Columbia’s Ministry of Community, Sport, and Cultural Development.