BC Parks Closing all Back Country and access

[Gone_Fishin_]

https://www.facebook.com/YourBCParks/posts/2877557968959012


https://scontent.fcxh2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-1/p112x112/15203407_1174638305917662_1449587095400357399_n.jp g?_nc_cat=1&_nc_sid=dbb9e7&_nc_ohc=qDnqOkEH7DsAX-XFQp3&_nc_ht=scontent.fcxh2-1.fna&_nc_tp=6&oh=69d042906acf3104987ca242f576f2a8&oe=5EB48204


BC Parks (https://www.facebook.com/YourBCParks/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARCRAgkkPxRb0K-9bftVaOBkymd_3WMVU1rSQBmwZfwp9C9Eep-CL-ihUIlbYz1jsxk22yshqx82QHH7&hc_ref=ARSHZHseG4SdO0FJqav5h67FQlGjBAR_GmF-4h8ckCdgO3dpt0Kc89FwHfoiO-Y4oBw&fref=nf&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARD7jcSNqdOik1Jg8diZAWmib4QWv6Ht OdeG2i3Y7SsH5l0wGIc5OHGFuZ36KPs5enBdtjb6QeX8zKVlRZ btVG_6mUTz0InhrkbEb1-ehUUb48m1d2sOwC_Fj2db6K5ELWxXXUpgo33lVrqguBohJl6Ja w8-d8Uq4q-7DXFrrAotT7UA7BSPWdsvs5ihACB0i4GKyZwsrKw-lsTdRBxIpXzxY-CGQgnUVUdpv0jCLFI3Z2aSooshL3MiVWk_2qDg-6Xw4dvEQzyqweMPO1SAnaYrOtEpvxJQlNHTp49rEZwocw38txs PFUFqCynKzwfX3A6uAJTWGiKHST8zWLIBRFHzmw)3 hrs ·





BC Parks Response to COVID 19: Full BC Parks System Closure
BC Parks is immediately closing the entire BC Parks system, including all parks, protected areas, conservancies, recreation areas, and ecological reserves. All camping (front and backcountry) is now banned until May 31st, 2020. This action is being taken in response to the call for increased action to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the desire of the public to get outdoors, many parks have already experienced peak season levels of use that have resulted in overwhelmed parking lots, trails and trailheads, making physical distancing difficult, if not impossible in some locations. It has also resulted in damage to our facilities and the environment.
This closure is also necessary to ensure the continued health and safety of our visitors, employees, park operators and their staff, volunteers, and park contractors. By taking this action, we align with federal and provincial directives for people to stay home to reduce COVID-19 transmission risk.
This temporary measure means public and vehicle access is prohibited until further notice. All trails, roads, day-use areas, beaches, lakes, boat launches, and backcountry areas are closed to the public. Park closures will be enforced through regular monitoring and patrols and anyone found in a closed park will be evicted and could face a $115 fine.
In addition to the full system closure, the campground closure has been extended to May 31st, 2020. Full refunds will continue to be automatically provided to those with existing reservations during this time. Please do not initiate a request for refund. The Discover Camping reservation system has been suspended for all new reservations. A public notice will be issued once facilities are reopened and the system is able to accept new reservations.
BC Parks continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic closely and is following the recommendations set out by the Provincial Health Officer and the Minister of Health for decisions related to closure and reopening of parks and facilities.

[Bigdoggdon]

Umm.... No

[REMINGTON JIM]

LOL ! What a JOKE ! $115.00 is NOT going to deter the ASSHOLES who are going to break the LAW ! during the Pandemic closure ! jmo RJ

[Pocahontas]

"BC Parks" means all provincial parks and the "backcountry" within those parks. This is including all of the backcountry recreational sites that you need to buy permits for. I do not see it listed anywhere that you cannot go into the woods where there is no campsites or provincial park.

[triggerhappy]

"BC Parks" means all provincial parks and the "backcountry" within those parks. This is including all of the backcountry recreational sites that you need to buy permits for. I do not see it listed anywhere that you cannot go into the woods where there is no campsites or provincial park. That is how I read it to. BC Parks would not announce the closure of non-park land.

[igojuone]

Park closures will be enforced through regular monitoring and patrols and anyone found in a closed park will be evicted and could face a $115 fine.
This sentence says it all, all of BC backcountry is not a park.

[Pauly]

I don’t shoot bears in parks so it doesn’t matter. It’s a common sense closure

[Gone_Fishin_]

Should have rephrased the title, my bad.

Meant all BC Parks Back Country. Not crown back country.

[warnniklz]

This is just a ploy by my employer as I've told them if rona keeps everything shut down until May Long I'm headed to the woods until probably December 11.

[russm86]

What is their definition of a park road? Any road that passes through a park or are there specific roads? What about passing through a park to other areas? Many FSRs pass through random provincial parks in the middle of nowhere, many nobody have ever even heard of and aren't normally monitored/maintained in anyway. Also, half of Kamloops is bordered by provincial parks which the FSRs pass through in order to get to other parts of the back country, is this a park road and thus you are no longer allowed to even pass through the park?

[45freezer]

I don’t shoot bears in parks so it doesn’t matter. It’s a common sense closure

Seems to be the popular sentiment of the day, any particular reason why? Definitely bears to be found and legal to hunt in quite a few provincial parks (see list below,) obviously not gonna be very good in some of the more popular ones but some are pretty remote and even boat access/fly in only. Don't discount a patch of dirt just because they call it a park! ;)

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/hunting/regulations/docs/PARKS_HUNT.pdf

Edit: I had zero plans to hunt any parks this year, just food for thought.

[walnutz]

If i undertand this correctly it looks like only Camping at pay sites is banned. It shows Boss and Davis lake (Merritt region) as closed but Buck lake is not. Not sure if thats correct but if so it will be very busy coming up for all free camp sites.

[Bubbacanuck]

camp and hunt crown land. Should still be able to drop a bear in May :)

[BeerMan]

If i undertand this correctly it looks like only Camping at pay sites is banned. It shows Boss and Davis lake (Merritt region) as closed but Buck lake is not. Not sure if thats correct but if so it will be very busy coming up for all free camp sites.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/recreation/camping-hiking/sites-trails/alerts

[Gun Dog]

At sitesandtrailsbc.ca (http://www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca/) "ALL OVERNIGHT CAMPING AND GROUP GATHERINGS AT RECREATION SITES AND RECREATION FACILITIES IS PROHIBITED. Many recreation sites are CLOSED to all use."

If I look at Bonaparte River Bridge (http://www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca/search/search-result.aspx?site=REC2981&districtCode=RDMH&type=Site) rec site -- a tiny site in the middle of nowhere -- it says "Site Closed. This recreation site is closed to all public recreation use to address public health and safety concerns regarding the spread of the COVID-19 virus.".

It makes hunting and other outdoor activities a little challenging.

[Treed]

Yes, closing rec sites is a tool to keep the lower mainland in the lower mainland. Fishing season is about to get going and I assume they don’t want guys driving all over BC. Not a big deal to drive out from Kamloops for a day is fishing. Harder to drive out from Vancouver and have to haul your boat out each night to a camp in the bush.

[The Donald]

My 2 cents on this, yes go out and chase bear, follow the rules about hunting alone or only with family members from the same house. Do not have a big hunting party, practice physical distancing, if there are a lot of cases in the bush that aren't following the rules, they will shut all of the back woods down. We just don't have the man power to police it so it is easier to just shut it down then we are all screwed, be smart and be safe!!

[walnutz]

So if a lake with a campground isnt listed on that list is it ok to use?? Confusing why some lakes i use are not listed while others are.

[barongan]

I think Covid-19 has ruined all the world orderhttps://babang.xyz/assets/10/o.png

[Yuritau]

I think Covid-19 has ruined all the world orderhttps://babang.xyz/assets/10/o.png

Are you implying that it had very much of it to begin with?

[Taurusguy]

I concur! This a petition? 😜

[Drillbit]

At least we can all still fly commercial!
https://flightaware.com/live/

[hickman]

Parks has jurisdiction over land with a park, not crown land. They can only close the "backcountry" within their park boundaries. A general closure of backcountry, i.e. crown land would have to come from different ministry that actually has jurisdiction over crown land.

[tigrr]

Some guys from Prince George went fishing in WILLISTON lake through a park. On the way back they were stopped and fined and the fish confiscated.
Your choice.

[GreyDog]

Power tripping run amok. GD

[KodiakHntr]

Well that is pretty clear, they went through a park. Parks are closed. Not sure why that would be a surprise to get a fine if you are coming out of a park.

[bensonvalley]

Well that is pretty clear, they went through a park. Parks are closed. Not sure why that would be a surprise to get a fine if you are coming out of a park.
Think I’ll disagree with you here. There are plenty of examples and luckily many are considered as precedent where folks travel through areas with game in their possession that was was killed legally in a different area. If I get stopped in say Revelstoke Mountain National park with an elk in my truck that I shot up north I'm
not getting a ticket. This story is either bogus, or if it’s true those guys better contest the ticket and make those officials look like amateur goofs.

[KodiakHntr]

The context as I read it is completely different from what you are indicating though. My take on it was that they either parked in the park with their vehicle and launched a boat or they walked through the park and fished from shore in the park.

Good point though, could be bs or could be completely different scenario. My scenario is the only way that a person could be legally ticketed at this time.

[GreyDog]

Chickenshit regardless. GD

[KodiakHntr]

Chickenshit regardless. GD

Oh I completely agree there. Doesn't get more restrictive than telling subjects they can't be outside.

[Ride Red]

And yet Trudeau made a trip to see his family for Easter and is now back paddling saying how he abided by all the rules. All phucking hipocrits.

[stan]

It’s unbelievable the loss of freedoms that’s are exponentially occurring , how does it make sense to close forestry sites , which 2/3 of the list have no access to for at least a month, but allow golf courses to open , Peachland zip line operation etc.? This covid thing is serious for sure, but the actions of government are deplorable. To top it off our piece of shit pm heads out to his lake cottage for Easter. Frickin unbelievable is an understatement.

[Ron.C]

It’s unbelievable the loss of freedoms that’s are exponentially occurring , how does it make sense to close forestry sites , which 2/3 of the list have no access to for at least a month, but allow golf courses to open , Peachland zip line operation etc.? This covid thing is serious for sure, but the actions of government are deplorable. To top it off our piece of shit pm heads out to his lake cottage for Easter. Frickin unbelievable is an understatement.

I have to agree. I think every motorcycle and classic car on Vancouver Island drove by my place on the weekend enjoying the weather (wonder how many of these folks bitched and signed the petition about Ferry traffic coming onto the Island). Lots of local businesses open still serving them.

Our mayor made a statement supporting closing the ferries on long weekends and the closing of Prov parks, but our local farmers market was open and town looks like business as usual and I guarantee you it's mostly locals.


But don't dare go into the backcountry or a park and enjoy some solitude.

[Iron Glove]

And yet Trudeau made a trip to see his family for Easter and is now back paddling saying how he abided by all the rules. All phucking hipocrits.

And Scheer and friends took off in a Challenger Jet.
Pretty poor "leadership" from both of them.