Lower Dean River Lodge Heli-Sports Management Plan December 2019
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Lower Dean River Lodge Heli-Sports Management Plan December 2019 Prepared for William Blewett Mandi Blewett Jeff Vermillion Lower Dean River Lodge Box 6, Bella Coola, BC, V0T 1C0 250.847.9046 [email protected] Planning by Brent Harley and Associates Inc. (BHA) 4 – 1005 Alpha Lake Rd. Whistler, BC, V8E 0H5 604.932.7002 [email protected] www.brentharley.com This page is intentionally left blank This Management Plan has been approved by: Ministry of Forestry, Lands, Natural William Blewett Resource Operations and Rural Lower Dean River Lodge Ltd. Development Date December 6, 2019 Date Lower Dean River Lodge Heli-Sports Management Plan | i Dean River, BC. Credit: Lower Dean River Lodge Contact Information Lower Dean River Lodge Brent Harley and Associates Inc. Tel: 250-847-9046 Tel: 604-932-7002 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] ii | Brent Harley and Associates TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 PROJECT OVERVIEW .............................................................................................. 1 1.2 NATURE AND TYPE OF TENURE ............................................................................... 2 1.3 THE PROPONENT ................................................................................................... 2 1.4 FIRST NATIONS ENGAGEMENT ................................................................................ 2 2.0 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION AND ACTIVITIES 3 2.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AREA ............................................................................ 3 2.2 LOCATION JUSTIFICATION/RATIONALE ..................................................................... 3 2.3 ACCESS ................................................................................................................. 4 2.4 SEASONAL EXPECTATIONS OF USE ......................................................................... 5 2.5 ACTIVITY ZONES .................................................................................................... 6 2.6 BASE OPERATIONS ................................................................................................. 6 3.0 COMMERCIAL RECREATION ACTIVITIES OFFERED ON CROWN LAND 7 3.1 DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES ................................................................................... 7 3.1.1 Winter ....................................................................................................... 7 3.1.2 Summer .................................................................................................... 9 4.0 INTENSIVE USE SITES 10 4.1 SITE PLANS ......................................................................................................... 10 4.1.1 Lodge – Existing LDRL Lodge ................................................................ 10 4.1.2 Supporting Infrastructure ........................................................................ 10 4.2 INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS ..................................................................... 12 4.2.1 Utility Requirements and Sources .......................................................... 12 4.2.2 Water Supply .......................................................................................... 12 4.2.3 Waste Collection, Treatment and Disposal ............................................ 12 5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL 12 5.1 LAND IMPACTS ..................................................................................................... 12 5.1.1 Vegetation Removal ............................................................................... 12 5.1.2 Soil Disturbance ..................................................................................... 13 5.1.3 Riparian Encroachment .......................................................................... 13 5.1.4 Pesticides and Herbicides ...................................................................... 13 5.1.5 Visual Impacts ........................................................................................ 13 5.1.6 Archeological Sites ................................................................................. 13 5.1.7 Construction Methods and Materials ...................................................... 14 5.2 ATMOSPHERIC IMPACTS........................................................................................ 14 5.2.1 Sound, Odor, Gas, or Fuel Emissions .................................................... 14 5.3 IMPACTS TO WATER OR LAND COVERED BY WATER ............................................... 15 5.3.1 Drainage Effects ..................................................................................... 15 5.3.2 Public Access ......................................................................................... 15 5.3.3 Flood Potential........................................................................................ 15 5.4 DISTURBANCE TO FISH, WILDLIFE, AND HABITAT .................................................... 15 5.4.1 Fish and Aquatic Habitat ........................................................................ 16 5.4.2 Old Growth Management Areas ............................................................. 16 5.4.3 Wildlife Habitat Areas ............................................................................. 16 5.4.4 Protected Areas and Conservancies ...................................................... 16 5.4.5 Species At-Risk ...................................................................................... 16 5.4.6 Other Species of Concern ...................................................................... 18 Lower Dean River Lodge Heli-Sports Management Plan | iii 6.0 SOCIO-COMMUNITY 21 6.1 LAND USE ............................................................................................................ 21 6.1.1 Local Government .................................................................................. 21 6.1.2 Land Management Plans and Regional Growth Strategies ................... 22 6.2 SOCIO-COMMUNITY CONDITIONS .......................................................................... 24 6.2.1 Existing and Adjacent Users .................................................................. 24 6.2.2 Existing Services .................................................................................... 25 7.0 APPENDICES 26 7.1 FIGURES .............................................................................................................. 26 7.2 INTENSIVE USE SITES ........................................................................................... 42 7.3 FIRST NATIONS ENGAGEMENT .............................................................................. 43 iv | Brent Harley and Associates 1.0 Introduction On behalf of the Lower Dean River Lodge (LDRL), Brent Harley and Associates (BHA) is pleased to submit this Management Plan to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources Operations, and Rural Development (FLNRORD). This Management Plan details a proposed helicopter recreation operation on Crown lands along BC's Central Coast. 1.1 Project Overview The Lower Dean River Lodge is an existing fly-fishing operator and wilderness lodge that has been welcoming guests to the Dean River since 1960. Its current operations are permitted under a Park Use Permit awarded by BC Parks. This Management Plan describes LDRL’s vision to expand its operations from a single season, fly fishing business into a four-season commercial recreation operator, and in doing so, operate on Crown lands outside Provincial Parks and Protected Areas. The Management Plan has been created to complement the Park Use Permit while meeting the requirements for commercial recreation tenure under the Adventure Tourism Policy. As envisioned, the LDRL will offer world-class helicopter-based recreation opportunities and heli- assisted touring throughout the proposed tenure area. The LDRL would extend its operations into the winter with the addition of heli-skiing and backcountry touring (non-mechanized) in the winter and would add heli-hiking and heli-mountain biking in summer to complement its existing fishing experiences. The LDRL is proud to offer one of the most highly regarded fishing experiences in world and is excited by the opportunity to offer that same quality of experience to heli-sports guests through all four seasons. Helicopter recreation operations will be based from the Lower Dean River Lodge, located in the Dean River Conservancy, approximately 50 kilometers north of Bella Coola, BC. The Lodge has been used for almost 60 years as the site of world-class, fly-in fly-fishing experiences, hosting guests from around the world. Helicopter operations have been integral to the LDRL’s ongoing success and the proposed additions are a logical extension, building on LDRL’s knowledge of the land and experience operating a remote tourism business. The proposed operations will extend from December to May (Winter), and July to October (Summer), and will initially have the capacity to host up to 12 guests at one time. The proposed tenure area is comprised of two areas, referred to as North and South. The South area runs from the Dean River Watershed, where the LDRL’s existing Park Use Permit and fishing lodge are located, north and is enclosed by Tweedsmuir Provincial Park – South and the Huchsduwachsdu Nuyem Jees / Kitlope Heritage Conservancy. The North area extends from the northern boundaries of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park – South and the Huchsduwachsdu Nuyem Jees / Kitlope Heritage Conservancy to the southern boundary of