Retallack Application for Adventure Tourism Tenure in the Purcells

[kootenaihunter]

Here are links (other were broken?) to the two proposed recreational land use tenures that will encompass much of the Southern Purcell range and encroach on some of the last remaining wilderness in the area.

https://arfd.gov.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/viewpost.jsp?PostID=54933
Comments for this application will be received until 2018-05-06.

https://arfd.gov.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/viewpost.jsp?PostID=54966
Comments for this application will be received until 2018-06-13.

BC for Sale: no peak left untouched!

If someone wants to go on an 'Adventure' I suggest they load up a backpack and bear spray and start walking uphill.

Thanks to all that commented. Believe it or not these things make a difference! A Lodge proposed just north of the Kish was withdrawn after overwhelming negative comments regarding it.

[markathome]

Submitted my comments. PM me if you need a simple message template that speaks to limiting commercial enterprise within some of BC's last remaining mostly intact habitats.

These are the principals I follow when communicating with the BC government around habitat and wildlife management. Borrowed from the Kootenay Wildlife Coalition:

• Wildlife and habitat need to be a government priority and appropriately funded.
  
• Need clear objectives and management plans that are sustainable, enforceable and enforced.
  
• Setting objectives must be prioritized within FLNRORD or it will not happen.
• This requires having appropriate data that utilizes science-supported wildlife objectives and management plans.
• Implementation will require changes to policy and legislation as wildlife and habitat are presently largely managed under legislation shaped to accommodate other resource priorities
  

[oldkoot]

Beautiful shots Mike.
That particular creek is probably the only one that is relatively safe in the entire St. Marys valley, its one of the two watersheds that supply Kimberley.
Unfortunately, that's not a guarantee.
It would be nice if the sacred burial ground argument worked for everyone, I know of many wilderness wanderers whose ashes lay in some of the alpine basins , as well as several whose grave became the river itself as they were never recovered.
I am hopeful that a good number will voice their concerns over this proposal.
When people hear about hunting in the E.K. . especially regarding mountain elk hunting, the St.Marys is usually in the same conversation as the Bull river, the Elk valley, the White Swan and a couple others.
I know of many groups from around the province that have been enjoying this area for decades, hopefully they will speak up before we lose another area to enjoy our passion in.

[mike31154]

Being a ski tourer I am admittedly biased, but the Northwest tenure application seems relatively benign compared to Retallack. Most ski touring operations use very limited mechanized resources. Typically a heli flight in/out usually during the weekend. After you are at the lodge, you are literally on foot for the duration of your stay. Minimal impact on wildlfe during winter operations. A number of lodges now offer summer hiking & some mountain biking. This is more of a concern for sure, but still nothing like a fully mechanized cat or heli operation. Take the time to read the tenure application documentation before submitting your concerns. All of the ski touring lodges I've been to are run by folks that respect the outdoors & the tenures entrusted to them. They are typically smaller in area than mechanized since there is only so much area you can cover on foot.

I've been on a few cat skiing trips & one heli skiing trip way back when.

These were/are tiny tenures compared to the Retallack proposal.

Worthwhile experiences if for no other reason than to realize I prefer to earn my turns on foot these days. Way too hectic a pace sitting in the meatlocker of a cat to get to the goods.The difference in attitudes of clientile between mechanized & non mechanized ops is remarkable. I've met some real dorks (& dorkettes for that matter) cat skiing & made friends for life ski touring. There's a lot of time for conversation when you climb for 40 minutes to ski for 5. I do believe there are sufficient mechanized opportunites in place & we don't need any more. I don't have an issue with the Northwest application.

[sawmill]

If this outfit gets all that they are proposing , it will be the death of the St.Mary's.
Please help stop this from happening.
I am not a supporter of Wildsight , but if you go on their sight there is any easy to use form to sign and forward to the Gov. to voice opposition for this proposal.
Again...please do this...or don't complain when another area gets closed to hunting.

Well St. Marys lake is already screwed. Canfor sold the whole lake front where we used to camp. Signs everywhere...No Camping..No campfires...Private Property....Must be gone by 8 P.M. Permission to launch boats. Folks around here camped for decades every summer, it was a community of friends.
It is the only acsess to the lake for vehicles and boats.. Somebody is going to build there( a multi unit lakeside development) and cut us residents off from the lake. How the HELL can that be? They have put in steel gate posts at the entrance.The day the gates close is the day you see me on the news. When I get back from the hospital I am going to camp there for a week if I can.With a CAMP FIRE. Who ever comes to kick me out better be packing a Cop.

[kootenaihunter]

The Retallack application is ridiculous, including dogsleding, hiking, filming, biking, the whle nine yards. It'll be a year-round resort. Albeit, their application is much more professional that the the NWME.

The Northwest is not as big as Retallack, but I have issues with the fact that they chose the site specifically because it sees low usage and is primarily undisturbed. Shouldn't that be a good reason to leave it alone?

[Seeker]

I have a feeling we are going to see a LOT more "remote" areas become developed as land is at a premium now and people will do whatever they can to make money. We as wildlife conservationists trying to get funding should be putting the information in politicians ears that we need to do 2 things: 1) have land put aside for wildlife only and 2) all outdoor recreation user groups need to pay a user tax th at goes directly back into wildlife and habitat protection/restoration. Make the policy makers aware we are here and need to be listened to.

[LBM]

I have a feeling we are going to see a LOT more "remote" areas become developed as land is at a premium now and people will do whatever they can to make money. We as wildlife conservationists trying to get funding should be putting the information in politicians ears that we need to do 2 things: 1) have land put aside for wildlife only and 2) all outdoor recreation user groups need to pay a user tax th at goes directly back into wildlife and habitat protection/restoration. Make the policy makers aware we are here and need to be listened to.

So your Number 1 says have land put aside for wildlife only, does this mean humans can not go on there at all.

[Ourea]

So your Number 1 says have land put aside for wildlife only, does this mean humans can not go on there at all.

LBM, your statements leave me scratching my head at times.
Gov, industry and the general public, are becoming more aware of the plight wildlife is in.
Wildlife is finally on the radar...... money, support, meaningful dialogue and projects are starting to happen.

Yet here we go right into the gutter with nonsense comments such as this.
Tribalism at it's finest.

I fully understand and respect that hunters may want/need to support numerous entities that are hunting friendly and promote wildlife initiatives. Were I start to get get annoyed is that some are going out of their way to undermine other groups that have the best interests of wildlife and our hunting heritage at heart.

[LBM]

LBM, your statements leave me scratching my head at times.
Gov, industry and the general public, are becoming more aware of the plight wildlife is in.
Wildlife is finally on the radar...... money, support, meaningful dialogue and projects are starting to happen.

Yet here we go right into the gutter with nonsense comments such as this.
Tribalism at it's finest.

I fully understand and respect that hunters may want/need to support numerous entities that are hunting friendly and promote wildlife initiatives. Were I start to get get annoyed is that some are going out of their way to undermine other groups that have the best interests of wildlife and our hunting heritage at heart.

Your opinion, I feel the same about much of what you say.
You keep saying things are starting to happen but will never explain any of them.
Why is the comment/question nonsense.
Who is trying to undermine groups that have the best interest of wildlife and hunting heritage and who are these groups?