Overview:
Tom Barratt Ltd. & Cascade Environmental Resource Group Ltd. were retained to carry out the South Chilcotin Mountains Facility Design Concept Plan. The Facility Design Concept Plan was deemed a high priority strategy in the implementation plan from the South Chilcotin Mountains Park and Big Creek Park Management Plan (final public review draft).
Details:
Project Type: Recreation Management & Master Plan
Location: Canada
Client: South Chilcotin Mountains Park (SCMP)
Contract Period: Summer 2016
Tasks for the Facility Design Concept Plan Included:
- Consultation with government agencies, public interest groups, stakeholders, and the general public. Complete a Bear Hazard Risk Assessment & Archaeological Overview Assessment
- Determine types of use for all trail systems, trail heads/access points, and campsites and categorize range of use. Complete a full trail inventory of each trail requested by BC Parks.
- Provide GPS location coordinates, facility inventory conditions, and recommendation.
- Complete signage and kiosk inventory assessment and recommendations for current and any new signage.
- Complete a full facility assessment and inventory of campgrounds as requested by BC Parks.
- Complete a facility recommendation for a proposed Ranger Headquarters
- Complete floatplane dock assessments.
- Create maps of trail systems, campgrounds, access points, signage, and other facilities.
Results:
While SCMP has become a popular recreation trail destination due to its incredible landscape, unique trails, and variety of options on how to experience the park, the trail system has not necessarily kept pace with this status as a world class trail destination. Most users of wilderness trail systems expect to encounter many different types of terrain and trail conditions in environments like SCMP, however with this increased attention comes the expectation that the trails need to be maintained to a much high standard to ensure their long-term sustainability and allow the various user groups to interact safely on the trails.
The vast majority of trail use in the park takes place on a number of key trails (High Trail, Lick, GunCreek), and as such those trails should see most of the effort to maintain them to a higher standard, while some of the more remote and less used trails can make do with less on a year to year basis in the short term.
