Province of British Columbia

Transcription

1 Province of British Columbia CASCADE WILDERNESS STUDY - OPTIONS Ministry of Forests Ministry of Lands, Part

2 BACKGROUND Almost ten years ago, the Okanagan-Simi1kameen Park Society advocated that the Provincial Government set aside an area north and west of, and adjacent to, E. C. Manning Provincial Park as parkland. This proposal was based upon the historic, recreation and wilderness values that the area still possesses today. In response to repeated public requests, the Cascade Wilderness Study was initiated in February of 1980 when the Environment and Land Use Committee (E.L.U.C.) of Cabinet directed that an inter- Ministry program of resource evaluation be undertaken over some hectares. The resource evaluation resulted in the publication of the Cascade Wilderness Study Status Report which documented the major values 1n the area including forest potential, heritage resources, mineral values, parks and outdoor recreation opportunities, grazing values, and fish and wildlife habitat. The report also noted concerns and recommendations of several provincial government agencies and in turn, made several recommendations. In August of 1981, the recommendations of the Cascade Wilderness Study Status Report were reviewed by the Technical Committee of the E.L.U.C. Following this review, the Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing were instructed by the Technical Committee to complete the study; focussing on three options suggested in the Status Report and incorporating public review, and to forward a final recommendation early in This report; prepared by the Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Lands* Parks and Housing* and to be reviewed by other provincial government agencies and the public* discusses the respective socioeconomic and resource use implications of the three alternative options outlined in the Status Report. Based on both agency and public review of these options* a final recommendation* along with the public comments* will be forwarded to the E.L.U.T.C. in February of 1982.

3 LOCATION MAP N i: CASCADE WILDERNESS STUDY AREA E.C. MANNING PROV. PARK FIGURE 1: LOCATION MAP

4 OPTIONS The major findings of the Cascade Wilderness Study Status Report included: *the recognized importance, both historical and recreational, of the major historic trails in the study area - particularly the Hudson's Bay Company Brigade Trail and the Dewdney Trail - and of adjacent corridor landscapes; *the unique scenic and recreational values of the Paradise Valley and Snass Mountain/Punchbowl Lake area> as identified by both the Forest Service Recreation Branch and the Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division; *the significance of other resource usesj particularly fores tryj to the local economies of Princeton and Merritt. Based on these findings, the Status Report forwarded three options. These options include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. PROVINCIAL PARK DESIGNATION Designation of all, or a major part, of the study area as a "Class A" extension of Manning Park. In recognition of competing demands for the resources of the study area, this option would allow for minor amendments to such a Park boundary from that boundary used for study purposes. This option recognizes the heritage and park and outdoor recreation values of the study area and the Importance of the wilderness state of the area to the appreciation of these same values.

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6 2. PROVINCIAL FOREST DESIGNATION Retention of the study area lands as Crown Forest under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Forests for "multiple use" management. This option would give primacy to timber and extractive uses throughout the study area. The Forest Service Recreation Branch would be responsible for designation of recreation sites - Paradise Valley Meadows and Snass Mountain (Punchbowl Lake) areas, for example, and trails such as the Dewdney and Hudson's Bay Company Brigade could be protected by designation under the Forest Act or through implementation of a revised Joint Historic Trails Administration Agreement between Heritage Conservation Branch and the Ministry of Forests. Logging to prescribed environmental and aesthetic standards could also protect water and fish and wildlife values in the study area. 3. PROVINCIAL PARK/PROVINCIAL FOREST DESIGNATION Creation of a core Park area encompassing Paradise Valley Meadows, Snass Mountain/Punchbowl Lake and all of the drainages of Snass Creek and Skaist River; and formal protection of the Hudson's Bay Company Brigade Trail. This option recognizes the significance of specific recreational and heritage values within the study area and their potential linkage with Manning Park, yet gives primacy to timber and extractive uses in parts of the study area where the former values are less significant. This option could include joint consideration by the Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division and the Ministry of Forests of that portion of the Copper Creek drainage presently within Manning Park and of the effect that this drainage could have in offsetting timber losses by a park extension into the study area.

7 SUMMARY While these three options do not exhaust the possibilities for designation and management of lands within the study area, they are representative of the Okanagan-Similkameen Park Society's proposed status ("Class A" Provincial Park), the present situation (Ministry of Forests Provincial Forest), and an option that is currently preferred by the staff of the Ministry of Forests, the Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing, and the Ministry of the Provincial Secretary and Government Services. The Cascade Wilderness Study Status Report, in conjuctlon with the various Ministry and public submissions, outlines, in considerable detail, the resource values found in the area. This report concentrates on the resource use and socioeconomic implications of the options derived from that, as well as supplemental, data. In preparing and comparing the options* it must be realized that this issue involves non-priced recreational benefits and market priced resource benefits* and* as such* a straight cost/benefit analysis is not possible. What is possible* though* is an evaluation, based on various Provincial Ministry objectives and the inherent resources of the area* of best land use at this time.

8 OPTION 1 - PROVINCIAL PARK This option emphasizes the heritage and wilderness values of the study area. Provincial Park designation under the Park Act would see management responsibility move from the Ministry of Forests to the Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division of the Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing. The area would then be administered as part of E. C. Manning Provincial Park. RESOURCE USE IMPLICATIONS Under this option, the main focus of resource use would shift from forest management to park management. Land uses normally not associated with parks and wilderness values, such as forest harvesting, transportation or utility corridors, and mining, would not be permitted. Other resource or recreational uses such as grazing, hunting, snowmobiling or heli-skiing, would continue in the indefinite future but would eventually be evaluated as to their suitability within the overall park concept and master plan for Manning Park. SOCIOECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS The inclusion of this area within E. C. Manning Provincial Park would, like any other land use proposal, have both a positive and negative impact on society. The benefits would include the addition of hectares of land for wilderness use although there are hectares of land currently zoned wilderness in the Skagit Valley Recreation Area and Manning and Cathedral Provincial Parks. North Cascades National Park and the Pasayten Wilderness Area, two large wilderness tracts in the United States, also contribute significantly to the wilderness opportunities in the North Cascade Mountains. The benefits would also include the preservation of significant portions of the Hudson's Bay Company Brigade Trail, the Dewdney Trail, the Whatcom Trail, the Hope Pass Trail and Blackeye's Trail; thus meeting one of the basic goals of the Heritage Conservation Branch of the Ministry of the Provincial Secretary and Government Services.

9 CASCADE WILDERNESS STUDY AREA

10 Based on the combination of the amount of mature timber volume and the productivity of the immature timber, the withdrawal of this area from timber production would reduce the gross annual allowable cut in both the Merritt and Fraser Timber Supply Areas by nvyyear (Appendix 2). The net annual allowable cut, which takes into consideration environmental protection areas, unsalvageable losses, problem forest types and inaccessible areas, would be approximately nvvyear. Depending upon market conditions and using stump- C age values of between $1.25 m^ and $10.00(+) m^, this reduction ] reflects a potential annual stumpage loss to the Crown Provincial (^of between $96,000 and $768,000(+). The Strategic Studies Branch of the Ministry of Forests has estimated that this area represents potential employment in the logging and sawmilling component of the forest industry of some 83 direct jobs. This figure is based on an Interior employment figure of 1235 m3/job/year and a Coastal figure of 750 m3/job/ year. Although the mineral potential has never been proven, the area is in a mineralized belt with several occurrences surfacing in the western portion of the study area. Provincial Park designation would eliminate the contribution to the mining segment of the economy through claim staking and the purchases of goods, services and supplies associated with prospecting and future development. The range values found in Paradise Valley and Granite Mountain and currently representing 1,209 animal unit months (AUM's) with the potential of 2,144 AUM's, would be affected under this option through increased recreational use. The range use of the area, which is an integral part of two ranch operations, would continue under this option.

11 , OPTION 2 - PROVINCIAL FOREST DESIGNATION This option emphasizes the industrial resource use of the area. The Podunk, Tulameen and Upper Skaist River drainages would remain in the Similkameen Provincial Forest and the Sowaqua, Snass, Seventeen and Twenty Mile Creek drainages would form part of the proposed Dewdney Provincial Forest. The entire area would be managed by the Ministry of Forests through their regional offices in Kamloops and Vancouver. i RESOURCE USE IMPLICATIONS Under the management of the Ministry of Forests, the entire area would continue to contribute to the timber supply. Mineral exploration and development could occur and the area could also be used for transportation or utility corridors. These uses would substantially preclude the heritage and wilderness values now associated with the area, at least during the time of development and for a considerable time after. Other recreation values would be provided within the context of the overall forest management plan. The historic trails would be given Recreation Trail status under the Forest Act. SOCIOECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS As with the first option, provincial forest designation also presents both a positive and negative impact. The retention of the area for timber production would mean the continued availability of hectares of productive and capable forest land and its annual contribution of m^/year to the gross annual allowable cut of both the Fraser and Merritt Timber Supply Areas. The economic factors reflecting stumpage revenue and jobs that were discussed in OPTION 1 would remain under this option as a positive benefit. Expenditures associated with mineral exploration and development would also continue.

12 PRINCETON SIMILKAMEEN PROVINCIAL CASCADE WILDERNESS STUDY AREA \. \L PARK\ LAKE

13 The major societal loss centers around the elimination of wilderness opportunities linked with the historic trails due to both logging and mining activity. Although the historic trails (tread) could be preserved, a major goal of the Heritage Conservation Branch, the opportunity (option value) to use the trails as a significant component of an overall wilderness recreation system in the North Cascades would disappear and their social preservation value would be non-existent. As mentioned in OPTION 1, the modest contribution to the economy of the Province by tourism and the promotion of the area as part of the Ministry of Tourism's development strategy through establishments of wilderness recreation enterprises and on the sale of associated recreation goods and services would largely be foregone because of the unattractive surroundings, at least during, and in the thirty year or more period following, industrial use. Some forms of recreational use such as backroad camping and hunting would continue, but these opportunities currently abound, as many of the drainages in the area, including both the lower Sowaqua and the lower Tulameen, are accessed by industrial roads The diversity of opportunity in the Tulameen area would be reduced. The range values mentioned in OPTION 1 would also remain under this option; however, the increase and change in recreation use( patterns brought about by road access would have an impact on r the operation of the existing grazing leases. ^

14 OPTION 3 - PROVINCIAL PARK/PROVINCIAL FOREST DESIGNATION This option reflects recent boundary reviews of both E. C. Manning Provincial Park and the Similkameen Provincial Forest as well as the resource values outlined in the Cascade Wilderness Study Status Report. Under this option, the south half of the Copper Creek drainage in Manning Park would be united with the north half that is currently in the Similkameen Provincial Forest. The Paradise Valley, Skaist River and Snass Creek areas of the Cascade Wilderness Area would be added to E. C. Manning Provincial Park. The Podunk drainage would be retained in the Similkameen Provincial Forest and the Sowaqua, Seventeen Mile-Twenty Mile Creek areas would be included in the proposed Dewdney Provincial Forest. RESOURCE USE IMPLICATIONS From an optimum land use standpoint, this option maximizes the conservation, heritage, tourism and wilderness recreation values as well as the forest and mining values. Inclusion of Paradise Valley, Snass Creek, and Skaist River within E. C. Manning Provincial Park protects significant portions of the original Dewdney, Hope Pass and Whatcom/Blackeye's historic trails as well as the wilderness atmosphere the area now possesses. Paradise Valley itself is a unique geographical feature in the North Cascades Mountains and its addition to the park will complete the Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing objective of having representative landscape units of the Cascade Mountains. Inclusion of the south half of Copper Creek within the Similkameen Provincial Forest represents a significant increase to the Merritt Timber Supply Area of an area where timber values are high and park values low. The 7800 hectare south half of Copper Creek that is currently included with the boundary of E. C. Manning Park is not critical to meeting the park objectives. The prime park value of this area is in the mature forest habitat it

15 SIMILKAMEEN PROVINCIAL FOREST CASCADE WILDERNESS STUDY AREA -^, PROPOSED BO ft ADJUSTMENT V:E.C; MANNING \j PROVINCIAL PARK L.- ROSS LAKE

16 provides for a variety of wildlife and the northern backdrop it provides for the Three Brothers Area and the Heather and Bonnevier Trails. There are no park developments in, nor any planned for, Copper Creek. There is significant ungulate winter range on the south face of Copper Creek, within the Similkameen Provincial Forest. Retention of the Podunk drainage within the Similkameen Provincial Forest recognizes the forest capability of the Podunk, particularly its lower reaches, and the mineralization of Granite Mountain, regardless of its yet unproven capability. The inclusion of Sowaqua Creek and the flank of Mount Outram in the proposed Dewdney Provincial Forest also recognizes the forest capability of both areas and the evidence of mineralization straddling Sowaqua Creek. The significant heritage values of the Hudson's Bay Brigade Trail and that portion of Blackeye's Trail outside the proposed park would be recognized with a Recreation Trail designation under the Forest Act. The Hudson's Bay Company Brigade Trail and a suitable corridor of varying width, including Palmer Pond, Conglomerate Flats, Horseguard Camp, and Encampement de Chevreuil, would be determined jointly by the Ministry of Forests and the Heritage Conservation Branch of the Ministry of the Provincial Secretary and Government Services. Access road crossings of these corridors, which would see these heritage trails move from wilderness trails to recreation trails, would be minimized. SOCIOECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS Optimal land use normally reflects optimal socioeconomic impacts and this option is no different. The proposed addition of approximately hectares of the Cascade Wilderness Area protects, under park status, almost 50 kilometres of the approximately 80 kilometres of heritage trails in the original proposal. Included in this proposed addition is

17 the Oewdney Trail, which the Ministry of Tourism noted was an excellent focus for its Pioneer Settlement/Resource Development theme. The remaining trails (Hudson's Bay Company Brigade Trail and northern portion of Blackeye's Trail) would be given Recreation Trail status; thus meeting a major goal of the Heritage Conservation Branch. The majority of the component parts (natural, historical and scenic features, linked trails, wilderness atmosphere) of both the option values and the social preservation values would be realized under this alternative. The proposed addition would include almost 6,000 of the estimated 7,000 visitor days ($90,000 of the expected $105,000 expenditure) expected under OPTION 1 - PROVINCIAL PARK DESIGNATION, as the area contains the majority of the high recreational and visually significant landscapes in the study area. It would also include the area and trails most capable of supporting guiding and outfitting enterprises that could represent up to six jobs and a value of approximately $100,000. From an industrial standpoint, the option maximizes the availability of land capable of meeting resource development needs. The area that is proposed to be included in Manning Park has exhibited little mineral potential, while the area either remaining Provincial Forest or proposed to be included within Provincial Forest has known medium-sized mineral deposits and several mineral claims and would be available for further mineral exploration. The proposed area to be withdrawn from Manning Park and the remaining area to be designated Provincial Forest have both significant forest resources now as well as the capability to grow commercial forests in the future (Appendix 1).

18 10 Under this option, the total gross annual allowable cut would be nvvyear. The net annual allowable cut would be m^/ year or about 88% of that currently available under OPTION 2. Using the range of stumpage values under the first two options, this represents an annual return to the Crown Provincial of between $85,000 and $677>000(+). This option also represents about 71 direct jobs to the forest industry. In addition, under this option almost 62% of the forested land has a good or medium site class. Under OPTION 2, only 39% of the forested land had a similar site capability. The range values in Paradise Valley would be affected by the increased recreational use under this option. Additional range would come available through the harvesting of Copper Creek, but the extent of new range is not known.

19 REFERENCES B. C. Research, Visitors '79. Department of Regional Economic Expansion, Ministry of Industry and Small Business Development, and Ministry of Tourism. 71pp. Fox, Lucy, The Backcountry of Manning Provincial Park - Management and Use.Masters Thesis, School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia. 181pp. Hendee, John C., Stankey, George H. and Robert C. Lucas, Wilderness Management. Forest Service Miscellaneous Publication # pp. Irland, Lloyd C., Wilderness Economics and Policy. Lexton Books, D. C. Health and Company, Lexington, Massachusetts. 225pp. Kofoed, Peter, Sub Unit Planning: A Procedure for Economic Analysis of Constraints. Ministry of Forests, Kamloops. 50pp. Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Status Report. 80pp. Cascade Wilderness Study Ministry of Tourism, British Columbia Tourism Development Strategy - A Discussion Paper.48pp. Reed, F. L. C., and Associates, The British Columbia Forest Industry - Its Direct and Indirect Impact on the Econorr\y. B. C. Forest Service, Victoria, B. C. Spencer, Edward L. et al, "Trends in Hiking and Backcountry Use" in Proceedings, 1980 National Outdoor Recreation Trends Symposium'Volume 1, U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, Broomall, Pennsylvania. 4pp. Travers, 0. R., Cathedral Provincial Park Expansion Proposal - Impact Evaluation. E.L.U.C. Secretariat. 60pp.

20 APPENDIX 1 AREA-VOLUME SUMMARY OF STUDY AREA TOTAL AREA MATURE IMMATURE N. S. R. NON-FOREST AREA (ha) PROPOSED PROVINCIAL FOREST Copper Creek Podunk fc T l g"< l 452 l Sowaqua ttsca, Mile TOTAL: PROPOSED PROVING :AL PARK Skaist River 40-/L, l Paradise Valley 3 Z.^^" : * Snass : TOTAL:

21 APPENDIX 1 AREA-VOLUME SUMMARY OF STUDY AREA TOTAL RE N.S.R. NON-FOREST AREA (ha) MATURE VOLUME (m ) SITE CLASS GOOD MEDIUM POOR ! ) *

22 APPENDIX 2 ANNUAL ALLOWABLE CUT CALCULATIONS [(Mature Volume/Rotat AREA MATURE VOLUME (m3) ROTATION (YR) MEAN ANNUAL GOOD PROPOSED PROVINCIAL FOREST COPPER CREEK PODUNK SOWAQUA MILE ; PROPOSED PROVINCIAL PARK SKAIST RIVER PARADISE VALLEY SNASS *The gross annual allowable cut has been reduced by 20% to allow for environmental p types, and inaccessible areas. This percentage reduction is based on the average r as a detailed EPA inventory is not available for Copper Creek or the drainages curr unies shown for the Sowaqua, Snass, and Mile drainages reflect existing EPA da

23 ENDIX 2 re Volume/Rotation) + Mean Annual Increment] "MEAN ANNUAL INCREMENT (IMMATURE, m3) ANNUAL ALLOWABLE CUT (m3 YEAR) GOOD MEDIUM POOR GROSS NET * '/ (, * ; Cp': 0; *^ * 1 > ( %oi 9 702* J *4 % nvlronmental protection areas (EPA), unsalvageable losses, problem forest the average reduction reflected in the Merritt Timber Supply Area report, drainages currently In the Similkameen Provincial Forest. The net volcisting EPA data for those drainages.

24 PUBLIC REVIEW As part of the Ministry of Forests' and the Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing's desire to forward the best possible land use recommendation to the Environment and Land Use Committee, it would be greatly appreciated if you would spend some time and comment on this review and the preferred option. Your comments will be recorded and submitted along with the final recommendation in February. Please forward to: J. C. Leman Regional Director Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing 1610 Indian River Drive North Vancouver, B. C. V7G 1L3 OR A. B. Robinson Regional Manager Ministry of Forests 515 Columbia Street Kami oops, B. C. V2C 2T7 Thank you.

25 WHICH OPTION DO YOU FAVOUR? OTHER (Please elaborate) WHY?