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Critics slam South Chilcotin Park decision

Park boundaries shrink as government announces resolution of land use plans

Reactions were swift last week to a government announcement that would see the boundaries of the South Chilcotin Mountains Park reduced 20 per cent from 72,000 hectares to 55,000 hectares to allow mining and motorized recreational opportunities in the area.

Logging however, will not be permitted in the original park boundaries.

It took the government almost three years to reach the decision, following an extensive review of the Lillooet Land and Resource Management Plan. Although public feedback was overwhelmingly in favour of the park, the provincial government said the agreement, as well as the agreement that will finalize the creation of 14 new parks and protected areas, is a good compromise for the region.

"These recommendations, with their broad community support, will help protect over 180,000 hectares, while opening up new economic opportunities by creating certainty on the land base," said George Abbot, Minister of Sustainable Resource Management.

"That gives families who live and work in the area the chance to build a solid, sustainable future for their communities, themselves and their children."

The boundaries of the South Chilcotin Mountains Park were originally created by an Order In Council by the outgoing NDP government in 2001.

The land use planning process in the Lillooet area had been underway since 1997, but in the end the stakeholders couldn’t resolve a number of contentious issues, including the size of the South Chilcotin Mountains Park. As a result both sides of the issue, representing conservation values and resource industries respectively, agreed to let the government decide on two options. The NDP went with the conservation issue.

The new Liberal government never recognized the park, believing that the previous cabinet acted unilaterally in their decision without taking resource industries and the needs of local communities into account. Mining has been one of the most outspoken opponents of the conservation option, suggesting that creation of new parks and protected areas was causing the industry to lose confidence in the viability of operating in province. Some advocates for the mining industry further suggested that the park be shrunk down to just 3,000 hectares to show the resource industry that the province is open for business.

Even though the creation of a 55,000 hectare park in the area will wipe out dozens of existing mining claims, the Mining Association of British Columbia is happy with the decision.

"This was probably the best decision that could have been made, and it was such an important land use decision for the whole province," said Brian Battison, the association’s interim president and CEO.

"It puts an end to the uncertainty hanging over that area for a lot of different industries, and it maps the way forward in that it sets out what can be done and what can’t be done, and where.

"It proves that tough land use decisions can be concluded in B.C. – I think that’s an important signal that needs to be sent to investors, whether in mining, or tourism and recreation, that everything’s not being held in limbo."

Battison says the decision also reflects a new spirit of cooperation between mining and tourism, which is reflected in the recently created Mining and Tourism Accord.

"This decision also reflects the compatibility of mining and tourism and recreation interests," said Battison. "I think it considers all interests, whether those are environmental, economic, recreational, First Nations, local communities.

"Yes, it’s a compromise decision. Did everybody get what they wanted? No, but I think it’s the best decision that they could have made"

According to Battison, investment in mining exploration has made a resurgence in recent years. In 2002 just $25 million was spent on mining exploration in the province. In 2003 that figure jumped to $55 million, and this year the investment will be between $90 million and $120 million.

That’s still shy of the 1980’s, where $200 million (not adjusted for inflation) a year was spent on mining exploration. Every $75 million spent on exploration, says Battison, results in the creation of one new mine. There are currently just 13 active mines in the province.

While a large part of the recent increase in exploration is due to the growth of the oil and gas industry and rising prices for minerals, Battison says at least part of the new investment has to do with the completion of land use plans around the province.

There are no mines currently planned for the 14,600 hectares left out of the South Chilcotin Mountains Park, although there are several claims in the area. The region is known for gold, copper and other precious metals.

On the tourism and recreation side, various tour operators out of Gold Bridge and Lillooet didn’t want to see a park in the area because official park status would limit the kinds of tours and recreation taking place in the area, including horseback tours, motorized recreation, and even mountain biking. Spruce Lake, one of the most popular destinations in the park, already has cabins and camping areas, and float planes regularly bring campers, anglers, cyclists, hikers and other visitors to the area,

The Council of Tourism Associations of B.C. applauded the decision.

"The province has come up with the best possible proposal to further sustainable growth opportunities and allow for the ongoing balance of everyone’s economic, social and environmental needs," said COTA Vice-President Deane Strongitharm.

Currently the tourism and recreation industry for the area is valued at over $10 million, and growing as more people discover the region.

Environmentalists are staunchly opposed to any reduction of the park boundaries as set by the Order In Council of 2001. The area is considered to be valuable grizzly bear and mountain goat habitat, and the larger park was required to keep it that way. In addition, they wanted a buffer zone around the park to prevent logging and other activities that would impact on the beauty of the area.

The South Chilcotin Mountains Wilderness Society, which has been active for the past 25 years – efforts to protect the area in a park actually go back to the 1930’s – says the Liberals aren’t creating a new park in the South Chilcotin Mountain, they’re cutting an existing park by 21 per cent.

" This unilateral decision by the government just isn’t right, and is yet another act confirming that the Liberals have no regard for our conservation and wilderness values," said SCMWS chairman Michael Pitt.

The new "tourism mining zone" includes high value conservation and recreation areas, he adds, including Taylor Basin and the upper Relay and Slim valleys.

Pitt was also concerned that the government was not specific about the kinds of activities that would be allowed in the tourism mining zone.

"The extent to which the South Chilcotin Mountains Park retains its wilderness values will also depend greatly on the long term integrity of mining and tourism’s commitment to have to permanent tourism infrastructure and no motorized access in the tourism mining zone," said Pitt.

In addition, Pitt says the government should also address concerns outside of the park boundaries, including the recent logging around the entrance of the park in the Bonanza Basin. That area was designated as a special management zone by the 2001 Order In Council, which has since been removed by government.

Jay Macarthur, SCMWS president and founder, says that it’s not too late to keep the pressure on the B.C. government – until the park boundaries are finalized by legislation, change is still possible. Form that perspective, he would like to find out what specific activities can occur in the tourism mining zone.

"The only positive where I stand is the prospect of getting this resolved. I’ve been involved in this 25 years… but eternal vigilance is what’s required to protect our parks," he said. "This (park announcement) was a trial balloon in a lot of ways. They still have a whole First Nations process to go through, so we’ll be watching this very closely."

The B.C. Chapter of the Sierra Club of Canada says that the recent government announcement of new parks in the Lillooet and Morice land use plans was "pure spin" – a case of the Liberals taking credit for parks created by the NDP.

"The consensus that emerged from the planning process represented an enormous amount of hard work," said Lisa Matthaus, a campaign coordinator for the Sierra Club of B.C. "To throw this out and erode the core components of the consensus is a slap in the face to those who dedicated years to the process."

She hopes that the St-at-imc First Nation will undo a lot of the provinces’ work when they release their own land use plan in the near future.

Consultation with the local First Nations was the next step of the land use planning process, before the government’s plans for the South Chilcotin Mountains and other areas in the Lillooet and Morice regions can be finalized.

Reactions to the government’s decision:

"This announcement is yet another example of how government is facilitating the rejuvenation of the mining industry in B.C., which has seen exploration spending rise from between $90 and $120 million this year compared with expenditures of $29 million in 2001… In addition the mining and tourism industries should be congratulated on a memorandum of understanding that underpins this agreement as an example to be replicated of cooperation and compromise between two industries in the interests of the greater good."

  • John Winter, President and CEO, B.C. Chamber of Commerce

"This plan strikes a true balance that will provide job opportunities for those families that work and live in the region, while still protecting the natural environment that is such a draw for this area."

  • Dave Chutter, Yale-Lillooet MLA

"This reversal is a travesty, which undermines government-public planning and decision making process… If there is a saving grace it is that the promised Bill 46 designation of this zone will prevent logging in these critical areas even though it will allow for mineral development. On the other hand, if a mine were ever developed in this zone it would be a disaster for the Park."

  • Michael Pitt, Chairman, South Chilcotin Mountains Wilderness Society

"The certainty and access that the Lillooet proposal provides will ensure tourist dollars continue to flow into the region and that five star areas like the South Chilcotin Mountains Park will stay a magnet for visitors worldwide… The province has come up with the best possible proposal to further sustainable growth of opportunities and allow for the ongoing balance of everyone’s economic, social and environmental needs."

  • Deane Strongitharm, Vice-President, Council of Tourism Associations of B.C.

"I can’t believe they have the audacity to spin this new plan as ‘park creation. The NDP created these parks and ever since the Liberals gained office they have been trying to dismantle them… The consensus that emerged from the (original) planning process represented an enormous amount of hard work. To throw this out and erode the core components of the consensus is a slap in the face to those who dedicated years to the process."

  • Lisa Matthaus, Sierra Club of Canada, B.C. Chapter

"It is inappropriate and in bad faith that this government has caved in to resource industry lobbyists to reduce the park significantly. Minister (of Sustainable Resource Management Bill) Barisoff recently stated that this government is committed to a parks system that is second to none, yet dismantling one of B.C.’s precious parks in response to industry lobbyists is not the way to show that commitment to British Columbians."

  • Eva Riccius, Ecosystem Specialist, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, B.C. Chapter

"People are astounded. We had been hearing rumours about the proposed (Park boundary) cutbacks for months, but everyone was hoping that the government wouldn’t cave in to the mining lobby. This is unprecedented. We haven’t lost a park in B.C. since the 1960’s. It’s a disastrous decision and shows that no park is safe in the province under (Premier) Gordon Campbell… Is this what the government means when they say that B.C. is open for business? They are carving the province up piece by piece and selling it to the highest bidder."

  • Joy Foy, National Campaign Director, Western Canada Wilderness Society