B.C. has bought 109 hectares of land to expand five provincial parks.
“An old-growth forest on Haida Gwaii, a popular swimming hole in southern British Columbia and a lush hillside along a world-renowned canoe circuit” are among the parcels of land, the province announced Tuesday (Nov. 7). The lands are located throughout the province in the Cariboo, the Kootenays and Haida Gwaii.
The Environment Ministry said the five parcels of land is valued at $1.9 million.
At Naikoon Park in Haida Gwaii, the province has bought 64 hectares of land, which is surrounded by an existing park that contains old-growth forest deep in the park.
READ MORE: B.C. mogul sells private Naikoon properties to parks system in $1 million deal
Three hectares of land was bought for Bowron Lake Park near Quesnel. It’s located on the forested hillside above the lake and it includes lower-elevation mature spruce, subalpine fir and western red cedar forests.
The province bought 8.28 hectares for Gladstone Park near Grand Forks in an area that contains the popular swimming area known as the potholes. The expansion is meant to improve the existing trail network and connectivity through the park.
Wells Gray Park near Clearwater will be expanded by 33.25 hectares of land, which contains wetlands, advanced second-growth forest and habitat for black bears, moose, deer, birds and small mammals.
At Mount Pope Park near Fort St. James, 0.15 hectares as been purchased to connect the existing climbing area to a planned parking/turnaround space on the existing road.
The ministry says the province is consulting with First Nations’ governments prior to making decisions about legally establishing the lands as parks and protected areas.
READ MORE: Feds promise $500M to ‘fast track’ old-growth, habitat protection work in B.C.