Press Release
July 22, 2004
A Travesty for British Columbians: Government Cuts Back South Chilcotin Mountains Park
VANCOUVER - The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) expressed its extreme disappointment today and voiced its opposition to the BC Government's decision to reduce the size of South Chilcotin Mountains (Spruce Lake) Provincial Park. Government announced today that the park will be reduced by 20 per cent, and will allow mining and tourism in the areas removed.
"This park was established by the BC government in 2001 after years of work by the Lillooet Land and Resource Planning table," says Eva Riccius, Ecosystem Specialist at the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. "It is inappropriate and in bad faith that this government has caved in to resource industry lobbyists to reduce the park significantly."
"Minister Barisoff recently stated that this government is 'committed to a parks system that is second to none,' yet dismantling one of BC's precious parks in response to industry lobbyists is not the way to show that commitment to British Columbians," says Riccius. "We are extremely concerned by this poor decision."
The South Chilcotin Mountains Park also known as Spruce Lake Park is located 150 kilometres north of Whistler. Until it was protected by an Order in Council in 2001, it was BC's longest standing park proposal since 1937.
The park is unique in that it represents the merging of two very different ecosystems: the wet coastal forests and the dry interior grasslands, creating some very unique environments that accommodate a vibrant diversity of plants and animals. It is home to many wildlife species including: mountain goat, grizzly bear, mule deer, cougar, moose and black bear.
The park is internationally known and is intensely used by people hiking, trail riding, camping, mountain biking, ski touring, wildlife and wildflower viewing.
The South Chilcotin Mountains Park is just one park that was brought forward in the Lillooet Land and Resource Plan. The 2001 Plan included 13 other areas that were to be protected. In the government's revised land use plan only 9 of these have been designated by Order in Council as no logging areas. They are not formally designated under the Protected Areas Act or the Environment and Land Use Act.
"We are very disappointed that government has not followed through on the recommendations of the Land and Resource Planning table to protect all of the areas identified," says Lynne Holt, Director of CPAWS. "Along with new parks, the land use plan included a number of measures to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat. Those measures have been significantly reduced and we are worried that the future of endangered species in the region will be compromised."
With the pending release of the St'at'imc First Nation’s Draft Land Use Plan, negotiations are set to begin between the St'at'imc First Nation and BC government.
"We are hopeful that these negotiations will result in increased land and resource conservation," says Holt. "We will do what we can to support the St'at'imc in their conservation goals."
Contact:
Eva Riccius
Ecosystem Specialist, CPAWS-BC
Tel: 604 685 7445
Chloe O'Loughlin
Executive Director, CPAWS-BC
Tel: 604 685 7445
CPAWS - British Columbia Chapter