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New Conservancy Protects Rare Ecosystem
Walking among the giant cedar, hemlock, and head-high Devil’s club of the Incomappleux River valley south of Glacier National Park, it’s easy to forget that the Pacific Ocean is 500km westward.
The Incomappleux belongs to a unique forest spanning a wet belt that’s nourished year-round by deep snowpacks in the Columbia Mtns. Measuring 15,000 sq km in size, it’s known as the Inland Temperate Rainforest, and the newly established Incomappleux Conservancy protects 580 sq kms of it.
But more importantly is that biodiversity is key for planetary health, and the Inland Temperate Rainforest is a richly biodiverse frontier of scientific discovery. In the early 2000s University of Alberta botanist Toby Spribille studied lichens in the upper Incomappleux River valley and catalogued more than 280 species, nine of them new to science. A survey of mushrooms in the Incomappleux identified 50 species, half of which are normally found only in coastal forests.
Similar temperate rainforests are found this far inland in only in two other places, southern Siberia and Russia’s far east. According to Dwayne Coxson, UNBC lichenologist, scientific understanding of these rainforests has advanced, precautionary land use decisions in BC have not kept pace.
This forest once covered more than 160,000 square kilometres and stretched 1100km from central Idaho through BC’s mountainous interior as far north Prince George. According to some estimates, more than a quarter of this rainforest has been clear-cut logged and less than 10% has been protected. But, perhaps there are positive changes arriving in the near future.
The BC Gov't recently made a significant announcement regarding the future of forest practices in our province, B.C. expands old-growth logging deferral to 2.1 million hectares, promises greater First Nations collaboration. “Our forests are foundational to B.C. In collaboration with First Nations and industry, we are accelerating our actions to protect our oldest and rarest forests,” said Premier David Eby. “At the same time, we will support innovation in the forestry sector so our forests can deliver good, family-supporting jobs for generations to come.” B.C. introduces new measures on old growth, innovation, forest stewardship
On the surface, great news, changing a fundamental tenet of resource decision-making that has been in place for decades. That tenet was directly addressed with the following comment in the BC Government's recent press release, "repealing outdated wording in the Forest and Range Practices Act regulations that prioritizes timber supply over all other forest objectives, like water quality, wildlife habitat and biodiversity".
It will be critical that implementation and a strategic framework to support this announcement follow. How will this strategy be operationalized? What direction will be given to District Managers? How will this manifest itself in Landscape Level Planning? In TSA and TFL supply reviews? In Old Growth decisions? Devil will be in the details.
Take good care.
Brad Harrison
Executive Director, BLBCA
ed@blbca.com
Marty Schaffer, Blanket Glacier Chalet
The backcountry community has been dealing with a suspect snowpack most of this winter. The Canadian Avalanche Association and Avalanche Canada have done a good job in keeping both the public and professional community aware of the challenges and changes. BLBCA member lodges have been operating at near full capacity.
Marty Schaffer is the owner and operator of BLBCA member lodge Blanket Glacier Chalet and CAPOW backcountry guiding. From Marty, “anyone that’s backcountry skiing has certainly been hearing the warnings of what’s going on this year". Many experts are reminded of the winter of 2003, a very difficult and tragic year.
Keeping the current conditions in mind, Marty has a simple message, "It doesn’t matter how much of a snow wizard you are, you’re not gonna outsmart this weakness." Marty noted that business is still good because the guiding and avalanche community have effectively communicated the situation, which has helped manage expectations. Guiding is often stressful, particularly in a winter like this. Play safe, keep your head up.
Check out Marty's extended comments in the Vernon Morning Star.
Ski Designer Al Eagleton at Burnie Glacier
Christoph Dietzfelbinger, owner/operator/guide of the Burnie Glacier Chalet recently did a bunch of major renos to his main lodge. To help with the fine carpentry, he brought in the renowned and highly skilled Al Eagleton. As Valerie Rossi's notes in an article in the KMC's Winter 18/19 Issue, "Rossland Ski Designer Al Eagleton is Killin it". Al actually builds skis from trees he harvests himself, grown on his own property. His company, Instinct Killer Ski Company has had it's products lauded by no less than Powder Magazine. One has to admire small, successful operators.
Mountain Escapes Podcast
Mountain Escapes is a podcast that aims to connect backcountry enthusiasts with the owners and operators of BLBCA member lodges throughout BC, Canada. In each episode we highlight a unique lodge through conversation with an owner. We will also feature guest appearances by other influential backcountry enthusiasts and industry experts.
Check them out on the drive to your next backcountry adventure.
