The BC government has acquired 109 hectares of land that will be added to five provincial parks including Mount Pope Park near Fort Saint James.
It is to enhance protection of BC’s biodiversity.
“Our government continually looks for opportunities to acquire more ecologically and culturally significant land for conservation purposes, and for people to enjoy,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
“Acquiring these lands enhances protection of important ecosystems and wildlife habitat and improves access to outdoor recreation experiences.”
Mount Pope is a day-use park popular with hikers and rockclimbers. A 6.5 km hiking trail to the peak provides a panoramic view of Stuart Lake and the mountains to the north. There are 39 climbing routes documented.
Natural values of Mount Pope park include rare plants and animal species associated with limestone rock formations and caves, as well as valuable winter range for mule deer.
The newly acquired land is valued at $1.9 million dollars and includes:
* Naikoon Park (Haida Gwaii): 64 hectares of an inholding (land surrounded by existing park) that contains old-growth forest located deep inside the park.
* Wells Gray Park (near Clearwater): 33.25 hectares of an inholding that contains wetlands, advanced second-growth forest and habitat for black bears, moose, deer, birds and small mammals.
* Gladstone Park (near Grand Forks): 8.28 hectares that contains a popular local swimming area known as the potholes. The addition will help improve the existing trail network and connectivity through the park.
* Bowron Lake Park (near Quesnel): Three hectares of an inholding on a forested hillside above Bowron Lake. The addition will contribute to the diversity of the park’s landscape, including lower-elevation mature spruce, subalpine fir and western red cedar forests.
* Mount Pope Park (near Fort St. James): 0.15 hectares to connect the existing climbing area to a planned parking/turnaround space on the existing road.
British Columbia has 1,039 provincial parks, recreation areas, conservancies, ecological reserves and protected areas covering more than 14 million hectares or approximately 14.4% of the land base.
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