43 replies to this topic

[Jackerbie]

There's nowhere to put this so thought I'd start a Provincial Parks thread

 

The BC government has published the complete list of park land acquisitions over the 2019-2020 fiscal year. A handful of Vancouver Island parks saw expansion, including Octopus Island Marine Park (Quadra Island), Cowichan River Park (Duncan), and Cape Scott (North Island). In total, 16 parks were expanded.

 

Via https://www.cowichan...park-expansion/

[Nparker]

That's a lot of additional space for homeless campers.

[AllseeingEye]

There's nowhere to put this so thought I'd start a Provincial Parks thread

 

The BC government has published the complete list of park land acquisitions over the 2019-2020 fiscal year. A handful of Vancouver Island parks saw expansion, including Octopus Island Marine Park (Quadra Island), Cowichan River Park (Duncan), and Cape Scott (North Island). In total, 16 parks were expanded.

 

Via https://www.cowichan...park-expansion/

 

 

Great news: any policy or legislation that further protects the Cowichan ecosystem is by definition a progressive move. The Cowichan is one of only 40 heritage rivers in Canada, proposed initially in 1997 and formally so designated in 2003. Its diverse topography and geography is truly a gem therefore anything and everything governments can do to enhance and fortify it is something that benefits all of us IMO.

 

Fun fact: the region was so renowned for its salmon/trout runs its season by season fishing conditions and results were posted in fishing clubs in London as far back as the 1900's.

Edited by AllseeingEye, 13 January 2021 - 06:41 PM.

[JanionGuy]

Fun fact: the region was so renowned for its salmon/trout runs its season by season fishing conditions and results were posted in fishing clubs in London as far back as the 1900's.

 

Haig Brown was born in england.  Probably sent back news.

[JanionGuy]

Mike Harcourt's NDPs spearheaded much land preservation in B.C.

[AllseeingEye]

Haig Brown was born in england.  Probably sent back news.

 

More likely as a result of news sent and brought back by the earliest European settlers and their families, the first of which arrived decades before Haig-Brown, in 1862 in the case of the first "white" Cowichan Bay settlers from England. Either way it points to the very long and productive history of this special place.

[JanionGuy]

More likely as a result of news sent and brought back by the earliest European settlers and their families, the first of which arrived decades before Haig-Brown, in 1862 in the case of the first "white" Cowichan Bay settlers from England. Either way it points to the very long and productive history of this special place.

 

yes.  But I think Haig Brown popularized the "Cowie" among others as a fly fishing destination, centuries after Izaak Walton popularized "the ancient and modern practice of fishing".

[todd]

That's a lot of additional space for homeless campers.

and octopus.

 

 

https://youtu.be/LFDccEaBHQU

Edited by todd, 14 January 2021 - 10:32 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

https://www.timescol...an-park-9869455

 

 

Some of the last old-growth stands of Douglas fir and Garry oak on the Peninsula are part of a 15-acre parcel of land added to the border of John Dean Provincial Park on Tuesday, after being acquired by the B.C. Parks Foundation from a private landowner for $1.63 million.

 

Andy Day, chief executive of the B.C. Parks Foundation, said the addition expands the park on Mount Newton to more than 450 acres.

 

John Dean was a noted naturalist and former mayor of Rossland who built a cabin in the woods on the Peninsula. He originally donated 80 acres to the province to be preserved as a refuge for people and animals in 1921, making it the first provincial park in Canada donated by an individual.

 

Dean’s philosophy of preserving natural landscapes for future generations convinced other landowners to follow his lead.

 

[...]

 

Funds to acquire the latest 15 acres came from individuals and businesses and larger donors such as the Wilson 5 Foundation, led by Lululemon founder Chip and Summer Wilson, as well as Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Nature Smart Climate Solution Fund.

 

The Wilsons, in a statement, called old-growth forests “an irreplaceable gift — purifying the air, inspiring movement and grounding us in the beauty of nature.

 

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 November 2024 - 02:45 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The largest remaining tract of old-growth and mature Douglas-fir forest on the Saanich Peninsula is in the beautiful LAU,WELNEW/John Dean Provincial Park in North Saanich.

 

It sits next to six hectares of land which is now designated as a protected extension of the park.

 

On Tuesday (Nov. 26), BC Parks Foundation announced the purchase of three parcels of land that run along the park's edge which will now protect one of the last stands of old-growth Douglas fir and Garry oak on the Saanich Peninsula.

 

 

https://www.vicnews....-forest-7669229

[Bambam]

Important notice from the Muni of Cowichan for those who enjoy tubing the river; over the last couple of years due to flooding then drought etc. the river has significantly changed its course specifically between Little Beach and Skutz Falls. Tubers should at all costs avoid that section of the river:

 

200-metre logjam along Cowichan River a 'deathtrap' for tubers: SAR groups

 

I can confirm the river is markedly changed from last year. We were up there last weekend walking the river and scouting for an upcoming fishing weekend. Typically we drift fish the Cowichan for maximum access to the fish or wade into the river between Marie Canyon and Sandy Pool. Above that however from Skutz Falls going west the river has radically changed course due to repeated flooding and is not safe for tubing.

 

Log jams are literally everywhere on that section of the river as large portions of the Cowichan now wind their way literally into and out of thick old growth forest meaning the logjams are huge and immovable. If you get caught in one of them say your prayers because you're almost certainly done. Obey whatever the revised regs tubing say as the life you save will be your own.

 

 

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[Mike K.]

I have nightmares about log jams. As in literal nightmares of swimming in a river or lake and getting caught up in underwater logs and debris. It scares the bejesus out of me.

[max.bravo]

If you know, you know. Even a lifejacket is a liability in those situations as the straps can snag a tree branch and hold you under.
We used to float down the puntledge river in Courtenay many summers ago - you learn pretty quickly just how powerful and treacherous any river can be.

[Blair M.]

I was out at Goldstream Provincial Campground for a couple of nights earlier in the week testing out some of my new camping equipment, and to my surprise, the campground operator has equipped his staff with gas powered, backpack mounted leaf blowers.

Staff diligently walk around the campground throughout the day blowing pine needles off the road, playground, washrooms, etc.

 

Large leaf blowers operate at around 120db, which is as loud as a jet plane if you're reasonably close to it.

The campground operator and staff use's leaf blowers at the same time they're enforcing the Provincially mandated RV generator ban in Provincial campsites.

It was ridiculous.

To say the leaf blowers somewhat ruined the camping experience would be an understatement. 

 

I was more surprised initially, but that quickly turned into disappointment after listening to the leaf blower operating adjacent to my campsite for about half an hour.

The real take-away though, is how the use of high powered leaf blowers in Provincial Campgrounds demonstrates how little involvement the Province of B.C. actually has in operating its namesake campgrounds, and how little oversight the Ministry exacts on its contracted campsite operators, who apparently now use back-pack leaf blowers throughout Goldstream Provincial Campground, for the listening enjoyment of the resident campers.

[Mike K.]

As someone who has the largest backpack gas powered leaf blower on the market, I can attest that nothing quite beats that level of efficiency. If you have a lot of ground to cover, you need the right tools for the job or you’re there all day.

[Victoria Watcher]

Do we need to blow leaves from most campsite areas though?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 May 2025 - 06:05 AM.

[Mike K.]

It gets messy if you don’t. Nobody wants to camp on slop after leaf matter and other debris decomposes. You also get spinning out wheels causing ruts, etc.

Nice and tidy and free of loose debris is the only way to go.

[lanforod]

Perhaps they should have invested in electric ones, those are rivaling the power of gas ones now, you just need a couple of extra batteries. They are a lot quieter.

This one has similar or higher air volume and only a little lower air speed than most gas backpack ones: https://www.lowes.co...0-AH/5015408027

[Mike K.]

How to say you’ve never done professional landscaping without saying it

[lanforod]

We already know you have a bias against electricity.