Ellison Parking Lot Expansion

Ellison parking lot work in underway and is expected to take up to 3 months to complete. Ask this expansion happens, please park on one side of the road, down from the parking area and access the park at the lower yellow gate.

Nov 2022

NOTICE

Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park Ecosystem Maintenance and Wildfire Mitigation Project

BC Parks will be conducting an ecosystem maintenance/wildfire mitigation project in Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park. The project will begin October 1, 2022 and run until the end of March 2023.

The project focus is ecosystem maintenance that will have an additional benefit of wildfire risk reduction. The project will focus on removing forest ingrowth. The Kalamalka Lake Park ecosystem has historically been an open forest grassland that relied on frequent low intensity wildfires to maintain healthy flora and fauna. With the Park’s proximity to urban interface this natural fire regime has been suppressed. The treatment will replicate the effects of historical wildfire on the area by removing forest ingrowth and opening the forest canopy, which will benefit grassland species. Removing ingrowth and opening the canopy will also benefit wildfire risk reduction. By removing these fuels, we will be reducing the risk of a high intensity wildfire.

The project area is comprised of three treatment units. TU 1 is located above Cosens Bay Beach along the Sidewinder Trail, TU 2 is located by the Twin Bays Parking along the Grassland and Crest Trails, TU 3 is located along Cosens Bay Road.

Project methodology will follow a developed prescription for the treatment unit and will involve
hand treatment activities. Crews will cut and remove conifer ingrowth and prune and limb larger diameter trees. Slash and debris will be both burned and removed off site.
For safety purposes, the public can expect temporary trail and area closures associated with the work.
BC Parks wants to remind our neighbours and communities that these projects are only one step in reducing wildfire risk to our communities and we encourage our neighbours to explore what can be done on their respective properties to increase their resiliency to wildfire events. Please visit the BC Fire Smart website for more information:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/prevention/firesmart

If you have any questions or comments regarding this upcoming project, please contact BC Parks at 778-

622-6904 or email ryan.elphick@gov.bc.ca

Nov 4th. 2020

Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park Ecosystem Maintenance and Wildfire Mitigation Project

BC Parks in partnership with the Ministry of Forest, Lands, Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) and the District of Coldstream will be conducting an ecosystem maintenance/wildfire mitigation project in Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park. The project will begin in November 2020 and run until the end of March 2021.

The project focus is ecosystem maintenance that will have an additional benefit of wildfire risk reduction. The project will focus on removing forest ingrowth. The Kalamalka Lake Park ecosystem has historically been an open forest grassland that relied on frequent low intensity wildfires to maintain healthy flora and fauna. With the Park’s proximity to urban interface this natural fire regime has been supressed. The treatment will replicate the effects of historical wildfire on the area by removing forest ingrowth and opening the forest canopy, which will benefit grassland species. Removing ingrowth and opening the canopy will also benefit wildfire risk reduction. By removing these fuels, we will be reducing the risk of a high intensity wildfire.

The project area is comprised of four treatment units, located in the Red Gate and Twin Bays area, totaling 31 hectares of land.

Project methodology will follow a developed prescription for the four units and primarily involve hand treatment activities. Crews will cut and remove small diameter conifer ingrowth and prune and limb larger diameter trees. Slash and debris will be burned in a smoke free air curtain burner on site.

This is the second phase of a multi-year project. 5 hectares where treated in March of 2020 in the same area.

For safety purposes, the public can expect temporary trail and area closures associated with the work. A portion of the Twin Bays parking area will be closed for the duration of the project.

BC Parks wants to remind our neighbors and communities that theses projects are only one step in reducing wildfire risk to our communities and we encourage our neighbours to explore what can be done on their respective properties to increase their resiliency to wildfire events. Please visit the BC Fire Smart website for more information: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/prevention/firesmart

If you have any questions or comments regarding this upcoming project, please contact BC Parks at 250-490-8250 or email ryan.elphick@gov.bc.ca

Starting on July 3, BC Parks will begin closing and decommissioning select trails in the core area of Kalamalka Lake PP. During last years management planning process a number of trails where identified to be either redundant, unauthorized or in ecologically sensitive areas. Trails to be closed will include Snakes and Brakes, Base Lift and other no name trails. We understand that the public has grown to love many of these trails and realize that this may come as a disappointment to some. But we need to ensure that we are balancing recreational opportunities with conservation and there are many, many trails within the Park that will continue to provide excellent opportunities for recreating. We are asking for cooperation with the closures and that users respect and adhere to them. Park Rangers will be monitoring and patrolling the closures for non-compliance.

Thank you for your cooperation.

BC Parks.

Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park Ecosystem Maintenance and Wildfire Mitigation Project

• BC Parks in partnership with the Ministry of Forest, Lands, Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD), the Okanagan Indian Band and the District of Coldstream will be conducting an ecosystem maintenance/wildfire mitigation project in Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park. The project will begin the week of February 24 and run until the end of March.

• The project focus is ecosystem maintenance that will have an additional benefit of wildfire risk reduction. The project will focus on removing forest ingrowth. The Kalamalka Lake Park ecosystem has historically been an open forest grassland that relied on frequent low intensity wildfires to maintain healthy flora and fauna. With the Park’s proximity to urban interface this natural fire regime has been suppressed. The treatment will replicate the effects of historical wildfire on the area by removing forest ingrowth and opening the forest canopy, which will benefit grassland species. Removing ingrowth and opening the canopy will also benefit wildfire risk reduction. By removing these fuels, we will be reducing the risk of a high intensity wildfire.

• The project area is comprised of two treatment units, located in the Red Gate and Twin Bays area, totaling 5 hectares of land.

• Project methodology will follow a developed prescription for the two units and primarily involve hand treatment activities. Crews will cut and remove small diameter conifer ingrowth and prune and limb larger diameter trees. Slash and debris will be chipped and removed off site. • This is the first phase of a multi-year project. Other treatment units will be identified, and project plans developed in the Spring/Summer of 2020 for potential implementation in the winter of 2020/21. Further information will be made available to the public once those projects have been developed. • For safety purposes, the public can expect temporary trail and area closures associated with the work.

• BC Parks wants to remind our neighbors and communities that theses projects are only one step in reducing wildfire risk to our communities and we encourage our neighbours to explore what can be done on their respective properties to increase their resiliency to wildfire events. Please visit the BC Fire Smart website for more information: