The Federation of Mountain Clubs
of British Columbia
August 2019 NEWSLETTER
| Our submission to the Private Managed Forest Land Act public consultation Here is our submission regarding amendments to the Private Managed Forest Land Act (PMFLA). At a time when interest in outdoor recreation is growing everywhere, we are particularly concerned that the Act makes no mention of recreation as one of its core values. And, that the public’s ability to access several provincial and regional parks and recreation sites is dependent on the decisions of the PMF landowners whose roads are the only way to access them. We've been informed that the "public access to private managed forest land" aspect of our letter is out of scope of this consultation, and that the issue is in the process of being addressed as part of other government initiatives. We're looking into the government's process to review the public access question and will keep you all informed of our findings! | The latest on the fight to save the Skagit River watershed As you may have heard, Imperial Metals has applied for an exploration permit that would allow the company to build trails and trench and drill to determine mineralization in the "donut hole," a highly sensitive watershed between Skagit Valley and Manning provincial parks. The opposition continues to grow: Over 30 BC organizations, including the FMCBC, have written a new letter urging the BC government to reject the proposed mining permit. Further reading: (Photo: Screengrab from the Wilderness Committee's video above) | Update on Princess Louisa Inlet Back in June, we talked about the 800-hectare piece of unspoiled wilderness for sale in Princess Louisa Inlet on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. And, how the BC Parks Foundation (BCPF) started a campaign to raise a total of $3 million to buy the land and bundle it with an existing provincial park. Well, good news! The land transfer is so, so close to becoming a reality. Thanks to the incredible support of donors from BC and beyond, the BCPF has reached 98% of its goal! But, if the $3 million isn't in place by Aug. 28th, the seller will consider other offers. Read the full message from BCPF CEO Andrew Day. (Photo by Ann Stark, cropped / CC BY-NC 2.0) | Cloudburst submissions wanted! It's that time of year again! Summer is winding down, and that means it's time to look back on the adventures you had, the snapshots you took, the books you read, and the issues you discovered to be near and dear to your heart. If you have something to share, we're looking for submissions, including wintry cover photos, for the Fall/Winter 2019 issue of Cloudburst. Please email your submissions to stacey.santos@mountainclubs.org no later than October 15th. Need some inspiration? We have issues of Cloudburst online dating all the way back to 1984! Take a trip down memory lane to see how the face of British Columbia's backcountry has changed (and in some cases, how it hasn't!) | Public owned recreational trail at risk Recreation Sites and Trails BC is proposing to cancel the recreation trail designation for a 67 km section of the Columbia and Western Rail Trail and turn it into a road tenure. This is a precedent threatening rail trails and The Great Trail of Canada—once a section of our publicly owned rail trail is turned into a road, there's no going back. Read more from Trails BC on how to get involved and have a say in the future of this extremely valuable greenway rail trail. BC Rivers Day On September 22, 2019, thousands of British Columbians will celebrate BC Rivers Day, Canada’s largest river appreciation event. This event coincides with World Rivers Day, now the world’s largest river-related celebration and one that was inspired by this BC event! BC Rivers Day generates public awareness about British Columbia’s waterways through a series of BC Rivers Day events hosted all across BC by recreational clubs, conservation organizations, community groups, schools, and local governments to highlight the recreational, environmental and economic importance of BC’s rivers and the need for better river management. Learn more from the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC. | New Joffre Lakes Park shuttle threatens critically endangered grizzly bear population - Kamloops Matters, July 27, 2019 Squamish climber dead after fall from Stawamus Chief - CBC News, Aug 5, 2019 Accessibility Day response shows need for second TrailRider at Strathcona Wilderness Institute - Comox Valley Record, Aug 6, 2019 'Jumbo is going to stay wild': Court rules that ski resort project needs reassessment - CBC News, Aug 7, 2019 'It's a crime scene': RCMP says Squamish Sea-to-Sky gondola cable deliberately cut - CBC News, Aug 10, 2019 What will it finally take to save the Skagit River? - Vancouver Sun, Aug 14, 2019 Recreation groups slam provincial plan to turn 67 km of Kootenay trail into road - CBC News, Aug 15, 2019 Unhappy trails, packed parks, crowded campgrounds: Lower Mainland parks are being overrun - Vancouver Sun, Aug 17, 2019 Trail builders in Fraser Valley told to stop work by provincial government - Vancouver Sun, Aug 22, 2019 How do B.C.'s eco-friendly outhouses work? With foot pumps and feces-eating worms - CBC News, Aug 25, 2019 BC Parks implementing electric bike policy - BC Gov News, Aug 27, 2019 | If you're in Prince George before the end of this month, be sure to check out Back Forty Design Co.'s pop-up store at Pine Centre Mall! Their products are designed and printed locally, and 5% of sales are donated to the FMCBC! We're so grateful for Back Forty's continued support. Their donations—and those from other generous supporters—go directly into our Member Club Grant fund, which provides much-needed financial support for projects initiated by our member clubs, such as trail rehabilitation, hut upgrades, community events, and so much more. An interesting read for those who drive the Sea to Sky. Explore the geology and landscape of Highway 99 from Vancouver to Whistler, and learn all about how the region and its remarkable natural landmarks came to be. (Did you know that the Black Tusk is the root of a former volcano? Or that Shannon Falls once flowed gently into the Howe Sound Valley?) Scientists are monitoring impacts of climate change on wetlands, with their study focusing on Ancient Forest/Chun T’oh Whudujut Park along with Slim Creek Park, Sugarbowl-Grizzly Den Park and the Sinclair Mills (Meteor Lake) wetland. Read the news release.
| Thanks to Jocelyn Timmermans of the Chilliwack Outdoor Club for this month's feature photo of early morning mist on an alpine tarn. The photo was taken on the Nicomen Lake Trail while on a 4-day backpack trip in Manning Park. Hikers trekked from the Blackwall Peak parking lot, onto the Heather Trail then Nicomen Lake Trail, then the Whipshaw Road and then the Dewdney Trail, coming out at Cascade parking lot. | Click here to view our Spring/Summer 2019 issue of Cloudburst. Use our online form to report motorized recreation observed within BC Park boundaries.
Visit Canada Helps to make a donation to the FMCBC. All donations go towards our Member Club Grant Program.
The FMCBC is always looking for volunteers. Click here to find out how you can get involved. | | The FMCBC is a proud member of: | As always, the FMCBC would like to thank Mountain Equipment Co-op for supporting the FMCBC through their generous contribution of office space from which to base our administration. | | Copyright © 2019 Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC, All rights reserved.
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