Management Plan
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MANAGEMENT PLAN November, 2004 for E. C. Manning Provincial Park and Ministry of Environment Environmental Stewardship Cascade Recreation Area Division E. C. Manning Provincial Park and Cascade Recreation Area MANAGEMENT PLAN Prepared by Environmental Stewardship Division Okanagan Region Penticton BC Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data British Columbia. Environmental Stewardship Division. E.C. Manning Provincial Park and Cascade Recreation Area management plan. Cover title: Management plan for E.C. Manning Provincial Park and Cascade Recreation Area. “November 2004” Available also on the Internet. ISBN 0-7726-5416-6 1. E.C. Manning Park (B.C.). 2. Cascade Recreation Area (B.C.). 3. Provincial parks and reserves - British Columbia - Management. 4. Recreation areas - British Columbia - Management. I. Title. II. Title: Management plan for E.C. Manning Provincial Park and Cascade Recreation Area. FC3815.M35B74 2005 333.783’097115 C2005-960182-5 F1089.M35B74 2005 Vision Statement E. C. Manning Park has significant conservation and recreation values that will continue to draw large numbers of tourists and residents, particularly from the southwestern part of the province. The park will be managed to protect its natural values and provide a range of all-season intensive and backcountry recreation opportunities on a long-term sustainable basis. Management emphasis will increasingly be on protecting conservation values. Much of the park’s recreation potential has been realized. Demand will continue to grow placing increasing pressure to expand facilities or to introduce new opportunities. Future expansion will be evaluated in terms of its environmental impact, sustainability and cost/benefit to the park and limited to that which has little impact on existing use and poses no serious threat to the conservation values. Visitor capacity limits, innovative management techniques and appropriately developed facilities will be needed to ensure use does not exceed physical carrying capacity, particularly in the backcountry. The Cascade Recreation Area continues to be managed as a remote wilderness area with limited facilities requiring the user to be self-reliant as much as possible. Its significant conservation and recreation values have resulted in its reclassification to Class A park status. E. C. Manning Provincial Park and Cascade Recreation Area Management Plan - - - Table of Contents Executive Summary......................................................................................................... iv Introduction....................................................................................................................... 1 THE MANAGEMENT PLANNING PROCESS .....................................................................................................1 BACKGROUND SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................1 RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER LAND USE PLANNING......................................................................................1 Management Issues........................................................................................................... 4 MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREA VALUES .............................................................................................4 LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT.............................................................................................................................4 ACCESS MANAGEMENT................................................................................................................................4 PROVISION OF BACKCOUNTRY RECREATIONAL FACILITIES .........................................................................5 GIBSON PASS RESORTS INC..........................................................................................................................5 FIRST NATIONS INTERESTS...........................................................................................................................5 GRIZZLY BEAR RECOVERY...........................................................................................................................5 TENURES ......................................................................................................................................................6 Role of the Park and Recreation Area ............................................................................ 7 PROVINCIAL AND REGIONAL CONTEXT........................................................................................................7 SIGNIFICANCE IN THE PROTECTED AREAS SYSTEM ......................................................................................7 PROTECTED AREA ROLES.............................................................................................................................8 Conservation............................................................................................................................................8 Tourism and Outdoor Recreation ............................................................................................................8 Cultural Heritage .....................................................................................................................................9 VISION STATEMENT .....................................................................................................................................9 RELATIONSHIP WITH FIRST NATIONS .........................................................................................................10 Protected Area Zoning ................................................................................................... 11 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................11 INTENSIVE RECREATION ZONE...................................................................................................................11 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ZONE.................................................................................................................11 SPECIAL FEATURE ZONE ............................................................................................................................12 WILDERNESS RECREATION ZONE...............................................................................................................12 WILDERNESS CONSERVATION ZONE ..........................................................................................................12 Natural and Cultural Heritage Values Management .................................................. 17 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................17 GEOLOGY, SOILS AND LANDFORMS ...........................................................................................................17 WATER.......................................................................................................................................................18 VEGETATION ..............................................................................................................................................18 WILDLIFE ...................................................................................................................................................20 CULTURAL HERITAGE ................................................................................................................................21 LANDSCAPE SETTING AND FEATURE VALUES ............................................................................................22 LAND USES, TENURES AND INTERESTS ......................................................................................................23 Access Management..............................................................................................................................23 Existing Tenures, Alienations and Encumbrances Management...........................................................24 Gibson Pass Resorts Inc. .......................................................................................................................25 Outdoor Recreation Opportunities Management........................................................ 27 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................27 OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES AND FACILITIES..........................................................................27 Vehicle-Accessible Day Use Activities.................................................................................................28 Camping ................................................................................................................................................28 Boating ..................................................................................................................................................29 Hiking, Mountain Biking, Horseback Riding........................................................................................30 Fishing and Hunting ..............................................................................................................................31 Winter Recreation..................................................................................................................................32