A Kimberley local is applying for a Crown Land Tenure in the Dewar Creek and St. Mary Valley area in order to operate two separate hunting camps.
Brad Park hopes to establish a 1.15 hectare tenure for the purpose of legalizing existing hunting camps located on the Provincial Crown land.
As Park explained in the tenure application, the upper Dewar Creek and St. Mary camps and cabins “are for hunt guiding in May and June and September through November.”
The Guide Certificate operates under number 400907.
He says the Dewar camp has been in existence for over 25 years, while the St. Mary camp was established around 2005.
“July and August the camps are available for rental to the public for adventure tourism and in support of trail rides conducted in the BC Park’s Purcell Wilderness Conservancy adjacent to the Dewar Creek camp and private land downstream of the St. Mary camp. Currently no trails on Crown Land affiliated with certificate 400907 are used for adventure tourism; only for hunting,” wrote Park.
He adds that the upper Dewar camp is locate approximately 25 kilometres from the junction of the Dewar and West Fork St. Mary Roads, almost to the road end where the Dewar road meets the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy.
“Access is via the existing forestry roads. Traffic is limited to forestry operations (Canfor) and public recreational use and is seasonal April to November. Adjacent land use is for hunt guiding.”
In terms of the infrastructure, Park says the Dewar Creek camp includes a log cookhouse and cook’s quarters, log hunter bunkhouse, log guide bunkhouse, tack shed and hay barn, and horse corral. It is wired for gas generated power, and the water supply is gravity spring. The septic infrastructure includes one outhouse, and the kitchen grey water is put into an underground pit. All garbage is hauled out to the transfer station.
The St. Mary camp infrastructure includes two log bunkhouses, a generator building, two outhouses (one per cabin), and a rail horse corral. It is wired for gas generated power, the water supply is gravity spring, and all garbage is hauled to transfer station.
The construction of all cabins is log and/or wood framing.
“The camp locations are in previous clear-cut areas utilizing existing logging landings and skid trails,” wrote Park. “Cabins are all above [the] high water mark, outside of riparian zones and greater than 100 metres from any stream. No pesticides or herbicides are used.”
He adds that camps are located “where they are not visible from roads” and “no archaeological sites are known to exist in either camp area”.
Park’s application states that the only atmospheric impacts would be from wood heat, and no water or land would be affected by the use of water on site.
“[There is] no disturbance to fish or wildlife habitat [and] the camps are located above ungulate winter range in historic clear-cut areas,” said Park. “[For] noxious weed management, horses are fed certified weed-free export hay from Creston.”
The cabins are strictly utilized for guided hunting and adventure tourism rental, and Park says there is no extra demand for fire protection or emergency services. There is no contact with First Nations.
The Bulletin contacted Wildsight for any comment on the proposed tenure and were advised they have not yet had a chance to review the proposal.
For more information or to submit written comments concerning the application visit http//arfd.gov.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/index.jsp, click on Search, and search by file number 4400765.
Written comments can also be directed to Authorizations Specialist FLNRORD, Kootenay Boundary Region, 1901 Theatre Road, Cranbrook BC, V1C 7G1. Comments will be received up to September 1, 2018 and any response will be part of public record.
