New land added to B.C.’s parks and protected areas
March 25, 2019
VICTORIA – Proposed amendments to the Protected Areas of British Columbia Act will expand B.C.’s parks and protected areas system, adding approximately 107 hectares of new land to six existing Class A parks.
To reflect ancestral connections and support reconciliation efforts, the amendments also include renaming John Dean Park to ȽÁU,WELṈEW̱/John Dean Park (pronounced Tlay-will-nook), which means “place of refuge” in the language of the W̱SÁNEĆ people.
“Giving this park a traditional Indigenous name connects us all with the original history and cultures of our province and supports ongoing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples throughout B.C.,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “I was moved when I received a number of letters from young Indigenous students who all requested this change and expressed so clearly the meaning it would have for them. This legislation also expands our parks and strengthens protection of sensitive lands, so British Columbians will be able to enjoy beautiful natural spaces for years to come.”
The proposed additions are the result of private land acquisitions and include:
- 29 hectares to Bridge Lake Provincial Park in the Cariboo region;
- 2.5 hectares to Harmony Islands Marine Provincial Park along the Sunshine Coast;
- 17 hectares to Kikomun Creek Provincial Park in the Kootenays;
- 19 hectares to Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park in the Okanagan;
- Four hectares to Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Provincial Park in the Kootenays; and
- 35 hectares to Syringa Provincial Park near Castlegar.
The amendments will also replace boundary descriptions with official plans for two ecological reserves (Gilnockie Creek and Trout Creek) and three Class A parks (Conkle Lake, Jewel Lake and Johnston Creek). Official plans provide a clearer description of where the parks or protected area boundaries are located, leading to less chance of unintentional trespassing.
In addition, a minor administrative correction will be made to the boundary description of McDonald Creek Provincial Park and a new official plan has been prepared for Fintry Provincial Park to reflect a boundary modification completed in spring 2018.
One of the largest park systems in North America, British Columbia has 1,033 provincial parks, recreation areas, conservancies, ecological reserves and protected areas covering more than 14 million hectares, or approximately 14.4% of the provincial land base. The majority (628) of provincial parks in the system are Class A — lands dedicated for the preservation of their natural environment and for public use and enjoyment.
Amendments to the Protected Areas of British Columbia Act are regularly required to add land to parks and conservancies, modify or correct boundaries and improve boundary descriptions.
Quick Facts:
- BC Parks manages the third largest parks system in North America behind the United States’ National Park Service and Parks Canada.
- B.C. has the highest percentage of its land base dedicated to protected areas of all provincial Canadian jurisdictions.
- B.C.’s provincial parks receive more than 23 million visits each year.
Learn More:
For a summary of the parks and protected areas system, visit: www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/about/park-designations.html
For more information about BC Parks, visit: www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks
A backgrounder follows.
Contact: | |
Media Relations Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy 250 953-3834 |
BACKGROUNDER
Proposed new land additions to Class A parks
Bridge Lake Provincial Park addition (29 hectares): Located in the Cariboo region between 100 Mile House and Clearwater, Bridge Lake Provincial Park is a popular recreation area protecting a lengthy stretch of undeveloped shoreline and islands in the lake — except for one. A 29-hectare island, known as Heritage Island, will be added to the park. The total area of this park will be 434 hectares.
Harmony Islands Marine Provincial Park addition (2.5 hectares): A popular destination for boaters, Harmony Islands Marine Provincial Park is among a group of small islands that make up the Harmony Islands in Jervis Inlet, located approximately 90 kilometres from Vancouver. The addition brings the east side of Hotham Island into the park, which will span the entire island. The total area of this park will be 46 hectares.
Kikomun Creek Provincial Park addition (17 hectares): The additional land featuring a wetland and small lake secures an inholding that was completely encompassed within the park boundaries and was identified as a priority shortly after the park’s establishment in 1972. Located on Koocanusa Lake southeast of Cranbrook, Kikomun Creek Provincial Park protects a rare open forest and grassland, and is a popular area for camping, mountain biking, hiking and boating. The total area of this park will be 699 hectares.
Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park addition (19 hectares): Situated in the northern section of the park that borders Kelowna, the addition contains an open forest, grassland ecosystem and significant wetland. It also addresses long-standing trespass issues in the area known for mountain biking and hiking trails that intersect within the park. In addition to the 16.4-hecatre property acquired in 2018, a road access to the acquired parcel, previously exempted from the park, is being added. The addition also contains habitat that supports various wildlife, some of which is considered at-risk in the province. The total area of this park will be approximately 7,696 hectares.
Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Provincial Park addition (four acres): The Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Park is an undeveloped mountain landscape home to at least 90 species of birds and several animals, such as elk, goats, black bears and grizzly bears. Located northeast of Kaslo near the community of Birchdale, the addition provides an important habitat connection to the larger portion of the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Park. The total area of this park will be 198,120 hectares.
Syringa Provincial Park addition (35 hectares): Syringa Provincial Park not only protects provincially significant interior Douglas fir forests, it also preserves one of the few remaining examples of grassland ecosystems in the Kootenays. The addition to the park is within a rare ecosystem and provides important winter range for deer and bighorn sheep. Located in south central B.C. near the southeast end of Lower Arrow Lake, the park is a popular destination for camping, fishing and boating. The total area of this park will be 4,538 hectares.
NT5
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