MOUNT ASSINIBOINE PROVINCIAL PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN BACKGROUND DOCUMENT DRAFT 4P Prepared for Ministry of Environment Environmental Stewardship Division Kootenay Region November 2005 Wildland Consulting Inc. Table Of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................II Figure 2: Summer and Winter Mean Temperatures (in ºC) 15....................................... 0 MAP #5: CULTURAL SITES, EXISTING FACILITIES AND TRAILS 55.......................................... 0 MAP #6: MOUNT ASSINIBOINE PROVINCIAL PARK LAND TENURES 77 ................................... 0 PREFACE....................................................................................................................................... 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................3 PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT HISTORY ..................................................................................... 3 PARK ESTABLISHMENT, LEGISLATION AND MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ....................................... 6 1989 Master Plan Highlights................................................................................................... 7 Direction from the Kootenay Boundary Land Use Plan and Implementation Strategy .......... 9 NATURAL VALUES..................................................................................................13 CLIMATE..................................................................................................................................... 13 PHYSIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................... 15 Ecoregion Representation...................................................................................................... 15 GEOLOGY ................................................................................................................................... 17 LANDFORMS ............................................................................................................................... 19 SOILS.......................................................................................................................................... 23 WATER AND HYDROLOGY .......................................................................................................... 24 VEGETATION .............................................................................................................................. 25 Biogeoclimatic Zones ............................................................................................................. 25 The Engelmann Spruce -Subalpine Fir Zone ......................................................................... 26 The Alpine Tundra Zone (ATun) ............................................................................................ 29 Rare and Sensitive Plants and Ecosystems ............................................................................ 29 FISH............................................................................................................................................ 30 WILDLIFE ................................................................................................................................... 32 Inventory and Research..........................................................................................................32 Birds ....................................................................................................................................... 32 Amphibians............................................................................................................................. 33 Reptiles................................................................................................................................... 33 Butterflies and Moths ............................................................................................................. 33 Mammals ................................................................................................................................ 33 Species of Specific Note ......................................................................................................... 38 Rare and Sensitive Species..................................................................................................... 38 ECOSYSTEM REPRESENTATION, BIODIVERSITY AND DYNAMICS................................................. 39 Representation........................................................................................................................ 39 Natural Disturbance Types .................................................................................................... 40 Predator/Prey Relationships.................................................................................................. 42 Wildlife Movements and Connectivity.................................................................................... 42 Identified Threats and Stressors to Ecological Integrity ....................................................... 43 Conservation Risk Assessment ............................................................................................... 44 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 45 ii Management Plan Background Document Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park Draft 4P 2005/11 PREHISTORIC RESOURCES – FIRST NATIONS............................................................................... 45 HISTORIC RESOURCES – NON-ABORIGINAL ................................................................................ 46 Overview................................................................................................................................. 46 Site Types and Information Gaps........................................................................................... 49 FLEABANE HUT, NAISET CABINS ......................................................................50 OUTDOOR RECREATION AND TOURISM FEATURES..................................52 OUTDOOR RECREATION FEATURES ............................................................................................ 52 VISUAL VALUES ......................................................................................................................... 52 OUTDOOR RECREATION AND TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES............................................................. 53 EXISTING FACILITIES AND SERVICES .......................................................................................... 54 Permanent Accommodation Structures.................................................................................. 54 Campgrounds ......................................................................................................................... 56 Roads and Trails .................................................................................................................... 56 Services .................................................................................................................................. 57 Other....................................................................................................................................... 58 PARK ACCESS ............................................................................................................................. 58 PARK VISITOR PROFILES............................................................................................................. 62 Introduction............................................................................................................................ 62 Visitor Use Levels .................................................................................................................. 63 Visitor Origins and Patterns of Use....................................................................................... 64 Park User Attitudes ................................................................................................................ 65 Existing Use and Occupancy ................................................................................................. 68 Future Trends......................................................................................................................... 69 LAND ...........................................................................................................................72 TENURES, OCCUPANCY RIGHTS AND RESOURCE USES...........................72 TENURES, RIGHTS, PERMITS, INHOLDINGS AND RESOURCE USES............................................... 72 PARK USE PERMITS .................................................................................................................... 72 GUIDE TERRITORIES ................................................................................................................... 72 Map #6: Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park Land Tenures ................................................ 73 TRAPLINES.................................................................................................................................. 74 INHOLDINGS, LEASES, RIGHTS OF WAY AND RESERVES ............................................................. 74 Water Rights..........................................................................................................................