Lac Du Bois Grasslands Park
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LAC DU BOIS GRASSLANDS PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN BACKGROUND DOCUMENT Prepared for BC Parks Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks 1210 McGill Road Kamloops BC V2C 6N6 MARCH, 2000 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................................... 2 PARK HIGHLIGHTS...................................................................................................................................................................... 2 HISTORY OF PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT .......................................................................................................................... 2 PARK ESTABLISHMENT , LEGISLATION, AND MANAGEMENT DIRECTION. ......................................................................... 5 NATURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................................................. 9 CLIMATE....................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 PHYSIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................................................................................... 9 GEOLOGY.................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 SOILS........................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 WATER........................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 FLORA......................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 FAUNA ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 22 RED- AND BLUE-LISTED SPECIES............................................................................................................................................ 27 VISUAL, RECREATION AND TOURISM VALUES.......................................................................................................... 30 FEATURES AND ATTRACTIONS................................................................................................................................................ 30 VISUAL VALUES........................................................................................................................................................................ 35 EXISTING ACCESS AND FACILITIES........................................................................................................................................ 35 EXISTING USE ............................................................................................................................................................................ 37 CULTURAL VALUES................................................................................................................................................................. 42 SIGNIFICANCE IN THE PROTECTED AREA SYSTEM .................................................................................................. 46 TENURES, RIGHTS, JURISDICTIONS AND INTERESTS............................................................................................... 48 LEASES AND PERMITS............................................................................................................................................................... 48 RESEARCH INTERESTS.............................................................................................................................................................. 48 PRIVATE LANDS......................................................................................................................................................................... 49 ADJACENT LAND STATUS........................................................................................................................................................ 49 RECREATION INTERESTS.......................................................................................................................................................... 53 GRAZING RIGHTS...................................................................................................................................................................... 53 WATER RIGHTS......................................................................................................................................................................... 57 TRAPPING LICENSES.................................................................................................................................................................. 57 STATUTORY JURISDICTIONS.................................................................................................................................................... 57 SPECIAL REGULATIONS............................................................................................................................................................ 58 OTHER AGENCIES’ INTERESTS................................................................................................................................................ 58 OTHER STAKEHOLDER INTERESTS.......................................................................................................................................... 59 RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF KAMLOOPS..................................................................................................................... 59 FIRST NATIONS INTERESTS...................................................................................................................................................... 59 RECREATION AND TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES............................................................................................................ 60 RELATIONSHIP WITH ADJACENT LAND USES........................................................................................................................ 63 RESOURCE LIMITATIONS.......................................................................................................................................................... 64 KEY ISSUES FOR MANAGEMENT PLANNING............................................................................................................... 64 MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES............................................................................................................................. 64 MANAGEMENT FOR GRAZING USE......................................................................................................................................... 66 MANAGEMENT OF RECREATION USE ..................................................................................................................................... 68 NEED TO BALANCE CONSERVATION, RESOURCE USE AND RECREATION USE................................................................ 69 PUBLIC SAFETY......................................................................................................................................................................... 72 PRIVATE PROPERTY.................................................................................................................................................................. 73 POTENTIAL ADDITIONS TO THE PARK.................................................................................................................................... 74 INFORMATION AND EDUCATION............................................................................................................................................. 75 i APPENDICES: Appendix 1: Related Planning Documents Appendix 2: Recreation Users Survey Appendix 3: Grazing Licences and Use Appendix 4: Resource Lists Draft Wildlife Species and Occurrence List Draft trees, Shrubs, Plants List Appendix 5: References Appendix 6: List of people contacted FIGURES: Figure 1: Park Location Figure 2: Park Boundaries Figure 3: Physical Features Figure 4: Biogeoclimatic Zones Figure 5: Biotic Features Figure 6: Recreation Features and Opportunities Figure 7: Existing Recreation Facilities and Use Figure 8: Surrounding Lands Figure 9: Grazing Pastures ii Preface and Acknowledgements This Background Document provides an information resource base on the Lac du Bois Grasslands Park. It covers natural and cultural resources, recreation and tourism values and opportunities, and the history of planning and management of the area. The Background Document also identifies key issues for management planning, some of which have arisen through LRMP and LRUP processes. While not an exhaustive resource atlas, this report provides sufficient background information for BC Parks and the Lac du Bois management planning team to address plan issues and provide management direction in the Lac du Bois Grasslands Park Management Plan. Acknowledgements This Background