Vol.31 No.1 Winter 2012 Published by the Wilderness Committee FREE REPORT BENDOR AND CAYOOSH MOUNTAINS TRIBAL PARK PROTECTION NEEDED NOW! BEAUTIFUL LANDS OF THE ST'ÁT'IMC Joe Foy National Campaign Portage, Shalalth, Samahquam, Skatin which means they have pockets of both proposed tribal parks encompassing Director, and Douglas are strategically located on types of habitat. Unfortunately both the Bendor and Cayoosh mountains. Wilderness Committee trail and canoe routes that are thousands ranges are under threat from proposed This is an important step forward of years old near some of the world's industrial developments including that needs to be taken, and one most productive wild salmon rivers.1 logging and a proposed ski resort. So that is long overdue. Read on to Within St'át'imc territory are some of far the rugged nature of the Bendor and learn how you can help gain tribal here do I go when I want my favourite protected areas, including Cayoosh mountains and the courageous park protection for the Bendor and Wto see some of the wildest, portions of Garibaldi Provincial Park, nature of the St'át'imc people have Cayoosh mountains! most beautiful landscapes in the Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage been able to fend off the worst of the world? Where do I go when I want to Park and South Chilcotin Mountains industrial projects, which is why these Learn about the experience a place and a culture where Provincial Park. areas are still so wild and beautiful. But St'át'imc people people have lived for centuries upon However, two wilderness mountain for how long? centuries? I go to St'át'imc of course! ranges located in the heart of St'át'imc The St'át'imc have produced a land- and their land Several hundred kilometres to territory that are critical to the region's use plan for the northern portion of at statimc.net the north of Vancouver, BC lies the ecological and cultural well-being are their territory. The land-use plan was mountainous country of the St'át'imc not yet protected. The Bendor and developed using an ecosystem-based (pronounced Sta-at-lee-um). Cayoosh mountains have amazing planning process, relying on traditional St'át'imc communities at Lillooet, flower-filled alpine meadows, extensive knowledge of the St'át'imc people and Cayoose Creek, Bridge River, Fountain, old-growth forests, cascading wild rivers supported by scientific research.3 Pavilion, Mount Currie, N'Quatqua, Seton and spectacular peaks. The Bendor and Cayoosh mountains Both the Bendor and are highlighted in the St'át'imc land- Cayoosh mountains have a use plan as being very significant for rich legacy of ancient St'át'imc the protection of St'át'imc culture, as travel trails and archaeological well as for grizzly bears, old-growth sites.2 Hiking through these forests and sensitive ecosystems.4 The ranges is like taking a step two mountain ranges also harbour back in time when trade important mule deer habitat, which routes wound through forests are an essential cultural food source for and alpine passes to link the St'át'imc people. tribes to one another. These important wild areas deserve Photo top: Headwaters of the Lost Valley, Cayoosh Mountains (Jeremy Sean Williams), These mountains straddle protection. It's time that the BC Photo above: Grizzly bear (John E Marriott), the transition zone between government honour the St'át'imc land- Photo left: St’át’imc and Wilderness Committee trail finders in the headwaters of the coast and the interior, use plan by legally designating the two Melvin Creek, Cayoosh Mountains. BENDOR AND CAYOOSH MOUNTAINS A WILDERNESS WONDERLAND! WHAT ARE TRIBAL PARKS? BENDOR TRIBAL PARK ribal parks in British Columbia recognized by the provincial and/or sanctuary for marine and seashore he 69,019 hectare proposed has been working for years with about 100 km west of Lillooet near valleys. McGillivray Creek is a Twere designated for the first federal government, they are managed wildlife, as well as a protected area TBendor Tribal Park lies the St'át'imc in the Bendor Range the village of Seton Portage. Now popular access for backcountry time by First Nations in the 1980s on by the First Nation in cooperation with encompassing many ancient villages to the west of Anderson and to restore their old trails. BC Timber the battle is on to save the trees hiking as well as routes that begin Meares Island in Clayoquot Sound, and the governments, who also fund the and spiritual gathering places. It has Seton lakes, and is bound on the Sales (BCTS), a taxpayer subsidized, so St'át'imc youth, hunters and on the roads leading out of the on Haida Gwaii off the northwest coast operations of the tribal park. been managed cooperatively by the north by Carpenter Lake. The money-losing BC government- food/medicine plant collectors can old mining town of Bralorne up of BC.5 For example, the 110,000 hectare governments of the Haida Nation and proposed tribal park boundaries run logging company is currently continue their age old use of trails Cadwallader Creek.12 Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park Canada since 1993. encompass the eastern portion threatening to log a patch of for traditional purposes unimpeded The Bendor Range is very was declared a co-managed provincial The proposed Ha'uukmin and of the Bendor Mountain Range, scraggly telephone pole-sized by clearcuts and logging debris. important habitat for grizzly bears. protected area in 1995 after a 25 Meares Island Tribal Parks in Clayoquot which has more of the remaining Douglas fir trees along the route of In the southern Bendors, the A recent grizzly study identified 47 year-long campaign by First Nations Sound are old-growth rainforest pristine valleys than the western one of the ancient traditional trails Wilderness Committee is helping individual grizzlies within the area.13 and conservationists that sought wilderness areas and sites rich in part of the range, where there in the northern part of the Bendors. the people of N'Quatqua clear This range is an important habitat wilderness preservation and protection archaeology, where the Tla-o-qui-aht has been more industrial The trail is in a pristine and their ancient traditional trails - connector for grizzlies between of tribal heritage. The Stein River Valley First Nation practice restorative justice, development, including logging, isolated area with no road access also threatened by logging - that the South Chilcotin Mountains 8 is a very important spiritual place and cultural and spiritual training. Photo: Enjoying In-Shuck-ch Days mining and hydropower project. encompassing Upper Whitecap, travel through the D'Arcy, Phelix, Provincial Park, the Cayoosh Photo: Mouth of Nosebag Creek that runs for both Nlaka'pamux and St'át'imc In the 2000s, the BC government community celebration. The Wilderness Committee Nosebag, Tommy and Keary creeks, McGillivray and Cadwallader creeks Mountain Range and the Stein into Carpenter Lake, Bendor Mountains. people, a habitat for wild plants and brought in new legislation to better over 100 conservancies have also been Valley Heritage Park. Although typically grounded in animals sacred to the tribes, as well incorporate tribal parks into the designated in the Great Bear Rainforest F Genetic testing has Ya la r 10 South Chilcotin a ka environmental concerns for nature, as an important ancient travel route protected areas system. Protected and on Haida Gwaii. m s revealed that grizzly Mountains Provincial Park e r R such as protection of old-growth linking the Fraser River Valley to the areas, called conservancies, specifically The newest tribal park to be Fred bear populations R i i v 6 v er Antoine e forests, endangered species and Lillooet River Valley. recognize First Nations' rights on declared by a First Nation is 90,000 r in BC’s southern Provincial Pavilion roadless wilderness, tribal parks also Another long campaign by the land and provide for economic hectares in size and straddles the C Coast Mountains are ar Park pen te r have a dominant social, cultural and First Nations and conservationists development opportunities consistent Alberta-BC border near Fort St John. r L e becoming isolated. ake iv spiritual function. eventually resulted in the 147,000 with the protection of nature. In 2007, K'ih tsaa?dze, the proposed name of R Providing for greater Gold Bridge Bri dge Tribal parks are typically designated hectare Gwaii Haanas National Park several of the Squamish Nation's Wild the tribal park, means "old-growth connectivity between R Downton Lake Mt Bridge iver Proposed ek by a First Nation within their territory. Reserve and Haida Heritage Site on Spirt Places were protected under the area" and was designated in 2011 by Truax k e ge areas of grizzly habitat e r id C k Br River e 7 9 11 r e e When they are eventually legally Haida Gwaii. It was designated as a conservancy legislation. Since 2006, the Doig River Nation. C y is key to the bears’ r a r y e C K g Bralorne m a continued survival. m b e Big o s 97 T o Creek N Fountain It is also very British r Bendor Shalalth Provincial e p Creek v Whiteca i C Whitecap S important to respect Park R a et Columbia d Seton on Ts'yl-Os w Mtn Lillooet Clinton South Chilcotin a Mt e Provincial y ll g Portage St'át'imc culture and e a L Mountains l d McGillivray n ak Park r e a e F u r C R r Provincial Park H r a management authority 99 e e s Cache Creek e k Proposed e k a Cayoose r Tribal L R 1 n i of the lands directly Proposed Ashcroft o 99 v in rs e Creek er Lillooet e k Kamloops P a d g to the north of the t n e 0 25 km Tribal h Lil n A e n l e r ooe u Creek a t F 1 l ay C i o 99 r illivr R proposed Bendor R x G iv Parks a Mc y M e r s 5 C e l e l Cr r n r Cayoosh Downto e R a Tribal Park to maintain e i Park V map inset ve Birkenhead Lake k t s Stein Valley r Mt.Currie o k deer and moose Pemberton L Provincial Park n L e i i l e l o r Nlaka'pamux r a C o Lytton D'Arcy t populations.