Page 1 of 33
BC Conservation Officer Service
Access Management Compliance and Enforcement Program (AMCEP) 2012 Report
Compiled by Conservation Officer Patricia Burley May 15-Nov15, 2012
Alexander Creek AMA – View of bowl from north end of Alexander/Crown Oct 12/12.
Page 2 of 33
Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 3
Maps ....................................................................................................................... 3
Contact Information ............................................................................................... 4
2012 Results – Tables/Charts .................................................................................. 5
Access Management Areas ..................................................................................... 8
Alexander Creek ................................................................................................... 8
Barnes Lake .......................................................................................................... 9
Chauncey Todhunter.......................................................................................... 11
Corbin ................................................................................................................ 12
East Flathead ..................................................................................................... 13
Galton Range ..................................................................................................... 15
Grave Prairie ...................................................................................................... 16
Sheep Mountain ................................................................................................ 17
Upper Elk Valley ................................................................................................. 18
Upper Flathead .................................................................................................. 20
Upper Wigwam .................................................................................................. 21
Weigert Creek .................................................................................................... 22
Wigwam Flats .................................................................................................... 23
Education and Outreach ....................................................................................... 24
Other Work Projects ............................................................................................. 26
2013 Recommendations ....................................................................................... 29
Summary .............................................................................................................. 30
Appendix ............................................................................................................... 31
Pictures .............................................................................................................. 31
Survey ............................................................................................................... 32
Page 3 of 33
Introduction
The 2012 Access Management Compliance and Enforcement Program (AMCEP) Report is the sixth and final report for the sixth month Access Guardian position. 2012 was the first year that the Elk Valley has had a dedicated full time Conservation Officer (CO) working as an Access Guardian for a commitment of 5 years. The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) worked in partnership with the Conservation Officer Service, District of Elkford, District of Sparwood, City of Fernie and the Columbia Basin Trust to provide funding and support to continue with a designated CO as the Access Guardian. The Letter of Agreement between the RDEK and the Conservation Officer Service was signed in January 2012. In the following results section, results are broken down in charts explaining where, when and how much time was spent in each Access Management Area (AMA) within Electoral Area A in 2012. The Access Guardians (CO Burley) primary goals was to spend most of her time providing outreach and enforcement in the AMA’s from May 15-Nov 15. For the remainder of the year, CO Burley continued her regular full time duties as a CO stationed in Fernie. During the early part of 2012, most of CO Burley’s time was spent becoming familiar with the Elk Valley and the AMA road closures. Some office time was committed to creating and widely distributing a free Outdoor Access Guide. This guide was funded in by Teck Coal Operations and includes coloured detailed maps of the AMA’s and other closures throughout the Elk Valley. In addition, educational presentations and stakeholder meetings were conducted in the spring to open the doors to communication between the recreating groups and the new Access Guardian. Aside from the committed AMA compliance and enforcement work, CO Burley had other responsibilities to conduct when working in the East Kootenay’s. Responsibilities such as; assist with problem wildlife, public safety concerns, and environmental protection issues including the extensive mud bogging in the Koocanusa area during certain weekends. “The Conservation Officer Service is a public safety provider focussed on natural resource law enforcement and human wildlife conflicts prevention and response. Our Vision: To be a progressive and respected leader in environmental compliance and enforcement, shared stewardship and public safety. The Conservation Officer Service Motto is: Integrity, Service and Protection.”
Maps To reduce document size, AMA maps have not been included in this report. If required, maps of individual AMAs are available from two sources, the Ministry of Environment website: www.env.gov.bc.ca/kootenay/eco/accessmaps.htm and the Hunting Regulations Synopsis. The hunting synopsis is available in print and online:
Page 4 of 33
www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/hunting/regulations/ The maps available from the MOE website are in colour and contain much greater detail.
Please see the attached Excel 2012 Stats for more detail of the Access Guardian’s patrols and outreach efforts from January to December 2012.
Contact Information Questions and concern can be forwarded to CO Burley at the following information: RAPP 1-877-952-7277 Desk 250-423-4264 Cell 250-423-1888 [email protected] 1621A 10th Avenue P.O Box 2877, Fernie, BC, V0B1M0
Page 5 of 33
2012 Results Table 1: Overall results of the 2012 Access Program. Total number of patrols and time spent within each AMA was recorded along with the number of persons contacted, number of charges, warnings and education delivered.
Table 2: Overall outreach results provided to the public for the 2012 Access Program.
Page 6 of 33
Table 3: Estimated time spent travelling to various AMAs. Travel time calculated by multiplying travel distance by the number of patrols conducted. (ex: Alexander Creek: Travel distance (1) x Patrols (6) = 6 hrs of travel time).
Table 4: Summary of 2012 statistics. Filtered numbers are for the months of Oct-Nov.
It should be noted that Officer Presence is calculated as the time Officer(s) were physically present in an AMA and the outreach time provided for presentations, it does not account for travel to or from the areas.
People that are educated are those defined as being encountered by a CO and discussing specific AMA facts and requirements for which the person in question was previously unaware. It should be noted that the AMCEP and general AMA facts are discussed with more than 80% of contacts.
The above tables do not include the time spent on the preparation of the slide show presentation, Outdoor Access Guide, follow up paper work, training, media article, brochures and phone conversations with questions regarding AMA’s.
Follow up investigation time on AMA’s violations have not been included in the charts.
Page 7 of 33
From January to December 2012 the COS conducted 123 patrols within the Electoral Area “A” AMAs. These patrols did not only include the Access Guardian, but other CO’s from around the East Kootenay Zone and elsewhere in the Province.
Officers spent 524.5 hours within the AMA boundaries alone. The travel time on top of that was 132.93 hours to get to and from the AMAs. An additional 110.5 hours were spent providing education and outreach to the public. Patrols that took place within the AMA’s were by truck, ATV, snowmobile or foot.
During May and June, most of the Access Guardian’s hours were contributed to creating an AMA slide show presentation, conducting education talks and creating the AMA Outdoor Access Guide for Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford.
The public had reported many AMA activity/violation reports to the COS, which takes additional time to investigate. In 2012 a total of 42 AMA files were conducted by the CO’s. Most of these reported investigations resulted in tickets or warnings.
Some of the other violations that were found while in the AMA’s were; loaded firearms, open alcohol, hunting out of season, fishing during closed time, illegal possession of wildlife/fish, hunting/fishing without a licence, fishing with prohibited gear/bait etc.
Page 8 of 33
Access Management Areas Alexander Creek
Table 5
Alexander Creek AMA is one of the more complex AMA’s in the East Kootenay’s. It has a large range of road networks in the north end that is hard to keep track of for mapping and sign purposes. Alexander has the highest number of different seasonal road closures. There have been a high number of noncompliance complaints from the public and found by the CO’s. Closed seasonal roads are being driven on, gate locks are being cut and AMA signs are being torn down. More surveillance tools and techniques will be utilized for the 2013 program to help catch the violators.
CO Burley and CO Garay patrolled Alexander AMA in June in Deadman’s and Racehorse Pass, where they encountered two separate groups of ATV enthusiasts. The first group (4 people) had travelled all the way from Cranbrook and were completing their loop back towards home. They were in compliance with all the AMA’s that they had travelled through, but were missing some documentation which is required while travelling on a Forest Service Road ($200, 000 3rd party liability insurance).
The second group of 8 people were from Alberta and Montana. They had come from Race Horse Pass and were heading home through Deadman’s Pass, but they did not even know they were in BC once they were checked by the Officers.
Phillips Pass on the south end of Alexander seemed to be busier in the fall with more hunters traveling on the open roads. 2 investigations were followed up on in Phillips
Page 9 of 33
Pass with hunters parked on closed roads. Crown Mountain, which is on the north end of Alexander, has a higher noncompliance rate in the fall when it is closed for hunting. Snowmobiles are allowed in Alexander during the winter.
Alexander Creek AMA has a high cliental of Alberta residents that frequently carry out quad trips (ATV and dirt bikes) from the Atlas staging area in the Crowsnest Pass. CO Burley met with the Alberta (AB) Quad Squad ATV Club in May to clarify their maps on the correct seasonal closures on trails from Alberta. They put up a notice on their website for their users to read. The local Outdoor Access Guide was also posted on their website.
Another task that the CO’s are responsible for is when a predator preys upon livestock. Such was a case during June in Alexander AMA when CO Burley was required to conduct a livestock verification on a domestic bull killed by a bear. The CO’s verify the kill (if found or preserved) to determine if a predator had in fact killed the animal or if it had died on its own. If it is proved that the animal was killed by a predator, compensation for the loss will be provided to the producer.
Recommendations: Late afternoon patrols on Friday-Sundays with nice weather would be the most practical time to encounter motorized recreationists from AB and BC. Since Alexander has such a large area with two separate entrances from AB by ATV, it would be recommended to focus on one area where the CO can wait to encounter people driving by or set up trail cams on nearby closed roads (eg: Deadmans Pass– sensitive wetland trail which is closed parallels open road, people prefer the closed wetland trail). CO Burley will communicate with Canfor to see if they could help ditch certain closed roads that are being constantly violated. Continuous education and communication with the Alberta Quad Squad (southern Alberta Rockies ATV club) and the CO will be utilized. CO Burley is looking to publish an AMA article in the Alberta’s Outdoor’s Magazine.
Barnes Lake
Page 10 of 33
Table 6
Barnes Lake is a beautiful alpine bowl full of wildflowers and lush plants. Once on ATV, it is a 30 minute ATV ride from the Flathead Forest Service Rd, not far from the Corbin Mine. Once in the bowl area, the open road closes and the public is required to hike 15-20 mins to the lake.
This is one of the more remote AMAs to access – time to drive to and then unload the ATV, then hike into. Barnes Lake has some good fishing opportunities for all abilities and ages.
Unfortunately, ATV’s are now pushing their limits in the riparian ecosystem with larger machines which result in more environmental damage. The Sparwood Fish and Game Club have spent a considerable amount of volunteer time to ditch out the closed road to deter motorized activity. In time these ditches wear down making it easier for people to access.
On one of the patrols CO Burley encountered a group of 3 on two machines. They said they had turned away from the closed road, upon inspection, their tracks had not gone in, but many others previously had.
Recommendations: Patrols would be most beneficial on long weekends and during nice weather in the summer. Organised group/family ATV trips to Barnes Lake would be recommended to the public to ensure a safe and ethical ATV trip and hike to the lake for a nice lunch and some fishing. The trail is somewhat challenging in places, so it would require more experienced riders. As recommended from 2011, a km and time of hike sign could be put up at the closed section of the road, as well as a Report All Poacher and Polluter (RAPP) sign ( although there is no cell service there information could be reported to the CO at a later time).
Page 11 of 33
Chauncey Todhunter
Table 7
Chauncey Todhunter is northeast of Elkford towards the Fording Mine. It has easy and quick access for the local community to get to for horseback riding, ATV, hiking or driving. It was the busiest during elk and sheep hunting season. A number of public complaints were made where vehicles were seen driving on closed roads in the AMA. It is frustrating for the hunters that hike/horseback all that way to then have someone drive by them on the closed road. Vehicle licence plates are needed in order to track the suspects down for follow up investigation.
There are no entrances from Alberta into this AMA. It was found that most motorized traffic was from BC residents. There were many hunting camps that set up for weekly periods that are checked during the hunting season. The local Outdoor Access Guide was handed out at each camp.
This area is heavily used by industrial workers. Teck and Canfor were given brochures to hand out to their employees and contractors to carry in the field with them to know what to do if they encounter someone violating in an AMA. Some of the access issues dealt with in this AMA were illegal camp sites. Also, outside of the hunting season, some workers were camped in illegal sites and were asked to leave. New employees for Teck and Canfor should be briefed on AMA boundaries.
Recommendations: CO Burley will coordinate and conduct a late to overnight patrol with another CO to monitor for hunters who drive in on a closed road after dark to pick up their kill. Other information indicates there might be some pit lamping/night hunting in the area. Most roads in this AMA
Page 12 of 33
are one way in and one way out, so most people would be encountered. On the last day of sheep season, CO Burley wrote one AMA ticket, checked 15 hunters and 2 legal sheep that hunters were driving out. Some of the signage in the Ewin Creek/Dry Creek area needs to be updated. The Chauncey/Todhunter FSR large map needs to be updated or replaced. In the spring it would be preferable to put out a newsletter in Elkford and Sparwood with the maps of Chauncey/Todhunter and the Upper Elk Valley/Fording AMAs. The Fas Gas, Municipality Office and Tourism Centre will all continue to have a stock of the local Outdoors Magazine available for the public.
Corbin
Figure 1: Corbin AMA – closed gate with no lock, road is closed, but people continue through or they go around it.
Table 8
Corbin Creek AMA was patrolled mostly at the end of July through to the end of the elk season in late October. It was relatively quiet and looks to not have been abused as much during the summer months, but that changed during the hunting season.
Michel Creek twists along the Corbin Road which makes it convenient for CO Burley to check anglers from across AB, BC and the United States while also verifying compliance within the AMA. Many fishing guides were met during the busy fishing months; their guiding licences are also checked. A number of fisheries tickets were written on Michel Creek for prohibited fishing gear (barbed hooks).
There are camps that are set along Michel Creek which is on the opposite side of the closure, but all the recreationists are educated on the AMA and are given the toll free 24
Page 13 of 33
hour RAPP number to call if they see trucks or ATV’s in the closed area. There is an open road to the south end of the closure where ATV tours come through from Alberta.
CO Burley communicated with the industrial workers (railways, mines, etc) in the Corbin area to report any violations they find.
Recommendations: Recreation camps with visible ATV’s near Michel Creek will continue to be checked and educated. Corbin is patrolled while driving to Barnes AMA, so the ATV groups camped there will most likely make a trip to Barnes Lake. The 2013 AMA project will include Corbin AMA as a patrol site. CO Burley will try to have the RCMP take part in the AMA project if they have available staff. CO Burley and CO Garay plan on conducting an ATV patrol from the Summit Lake trail into Corbin during the summer season to contact some of the AB residences and the ATV groups. The public camping in the Corbin area are also encouraged to report violations to help CO’s. There are a number of gates that are left unlocked where people are accessing the closed roads for hunting. Industry will be contacted to see if these gates can be locked again. The Railway can be contacted to see if they could assist with deactivating certain roads near their railway lines to reduce unlawful motorized access into this AMA.
East Flathead
Table 9
East Flathead is one of the most remote AMA’s to travel and patrol to from Fernie. It is a recreational haven for the outdoors enthusiasts. There are three different entrances
Page 14 of 33
the public can take to get into the East Flathead AMA; from Corbin, Morrissey and Ram/Cabin Rd.
The East Flathead seems to have a steady flow of recreational users year round. There are open roads for the snowmobilers to utilize during the winter, which many of them also bring back country skiers into. During the spring, summer and fall, it is continuous traffic for camping, fishing, hiking and hunting. It was observed that the Flathead is becoming busier than ever. New logging roads have been constructed within the AMA and as a result of increased industrial activity the roads have become more drivable for a variety of recreationists. There were numerous hunting camps set up in the flathead during elk and moose season.
An illegal camp was dealt with in the Kishenina area, which a Natural Resource Officer from Cranbrook assisted with. There are also a number of BC Forest Recreation sites within the AMA; the public is reminded that they are not entitled to leave a camp at a Forest Rec. site for more than two weeks.
Middle Kootenay Pass is one of the most utilized illegal entrance routes that Alberta residents can access into BC in this AMA. Middle Pass road is closed other than for snowmobilers. Alberta has the Castle Mountain Special Management Unit on the other side of the BC boarder, which is closed from the summit of Middle Pass to a gate. A high number of non-compliance motorists are in this area during the summer and early fall season. A side by side ATV was caught by CO’s in September where an AMA ticket was issued. Because the residents were from AB they were also reported to Pincher Creek Fish and Wildlife. This type of communication sharing between AB and BC Officers will continue.
Guide Outfitters, Assistant Guides, Trappers and local members of the communities in the Elk Valley frequent this area almost weekly throughout the year. There are large networks of open roads on the south end of the East Flathead, where education will continue to be provided to the recreating groups in the field. The CO’s worked on avalanche safety and orientation with the US Boarder Services Officers in Montana during late winter 2012.
Recommendations: More truck and ATV patrols will be conducted in the Upper and East Flathead during the summer and fall months of 2013. New signs were put up by Canfor on newly developed logging roads in this AMA. CO Burley is to keep in touch with the user groups in the Flathead to utilize their knowledge of the area and find out where the violations are taking place. Motorized activity found on the closed portion of Middle Pass will not be tolerated. There are signs on either side of the border warning people of the closed road. It is well known by the public and Alberta residents that Middle Pass is closed most of the year, but people continue to
Page 15 of 33
drive to the summit for the mountain top views and are also now doing high marking on the sensitive ecosystem (mostly during July, August and early September). The East Flathead will once again be part of the 2013 AMA project where a number of CO’s will be patrolling by truck and ATV during a busy 3 day period. Anglers will also be checked along the Flathead River throughout the year.
Galton Range
Table 10
The Galton Range was patrolled mostly in the late fall months when the deer and sheep hunting seasons were open. Fernie and Cranbrook CO’s patrolled this area almost daily in November.
The open roads wind through each drainage making it fairly easy to understand which roads are open and closed. Most roads are one way in and out. A misconception that the public seems to believe is when they look at the AMA maps if the road is not on the map and there is not a sign on the road, then it is open. This is incorrect and CO Burley needs to spend more time in the south country educating the local community on the legalities of AMA’s.
This is a common area where deer hunters go to hunt and camp. There were also dedicated hunters contacted in this area that would let a CO know if they saw something illegal taking place.
Page 16 of 33
Recommendations: Although no AMA tickets were issued in this area (one warning was written in Dec) a number of other hunting related tickets were issued. Non-compliance was seen off of Phillips Pass near Rabbit Creek which goes into Upper Wigwam AMA. There is a gate that is left open where CO Burley posted a sign, but people continue to proceed past to gain that remote hunting opportunity. There are not as many opportunities for motorized vehicles to go off of the main open roads other than onto private property.
Grave Prairie
Table 11
Grave Prairie is a critical and extremely valuable winter range for wildlife and was patrolled numerous times every month throughout the year by CO Burley and the other field officers. It was the busiest AMA for recreationist year round (especially during bow, elk and deer season).
During the patrols, the Elk River had also been checked for anglers. During those checks, tickets have been written for people fishing without a licence and for fishing with prohibited gear. As for AMA violations, it continues to be a struggle to keep people from camping in the closure with motor vehicles. There is nothing illegal about a person camping with a tent, but people continue to drive on the sensitive grasslands with their large trailers which cause more damage and puts pressure on the habitat that wildlife rely on in the winter.
Numerous camps had been evicted from the area, with violation tickets to go along with them. It is the consistency that the COS needs for enforcement in this area in order to get the message across about protecting these important grasslands. Habitat Biologist
Page 17 of 33
Doug Martin agrees that a closure is a closure and there should not be any grey areas, even though some public may feel camping in the grave prairie grasslands is not an issue. This information is slowly being passed around by the locals. Warning tickets have also been issued to understanding members of the public that have been in non-compliance.
More yellow AMA signs have been posted, but the CO’s are frustrated with the amount of signs that are being ripped down repeatedly. It is an offense under the Wildlife Act for people to remove, damage, alter or destroy any sign legally posted in support of the Access Management Program. More and more people are calling the toll free RAPP line to make these types of reports in the Grave Prairie area.
Recommendations: CO Burley is to meet with the Fernie and Sparwood High Schools before May Long weekend to educate on AMA’s. Grave Prairie ends up being a party site for many of the graduates. Ruts and donuts were seen in the thawing grasslands last May when CO Burley patrolled the area. This type of damage would also fall under the Forest Range and Practices Act under Environmental Damage which is a $575 ticket. A meeting between the CO’s, Habitat Bioligist Doug Martin and Line Creek has been planned for 2013 to look at other recommendation to help prevent non-compliance on certain roads within Grave Prairie. CO Burley met with the Sparwood Fish and Game Club in December 2012. The Club has offered to help with fund raising money to have a new Grave Prairie AMA maps/signs developed for the two entrances into the AMA. The swinging bridge gate needs to be locked during the closed time of year (Oct 1-May 15), this is being looked into. During the summer months, large groups camp in this area (12-20 people), most of which have ATV’s and dirt bikes. CO Burley will continue to monitor these large groups and will provide the education needed to help deter noncompliance.
Sheep Mountain
Page 18 of 33
Table 12
Although Sheep Mountain AMA is not in Area “A” or on the AMA priority list, it is occasionally patrolled since it is in close proximately to Elko and is used by many Elk Valley recreationists and is along the way to patrolling the Galton AMA’s.
Sheep Mountain has a large area of sensitive grasslands that elk and deer rely on for feed. These grasslands also do not recover as easily as other rugged habitats. Motorized vehicle tracks are seen driving off the main open roads and onto the grasslands. There are signs up on the closed roads which have been respected (not torn down).
There is a dirt bike park on the Northeast corner of the AMA that needs to be looked at. CO Burley would visit the area and talk to families regarding the AMA, but did not enforce the legislation. This is an area that needs to be looked into and dealt with on the AMA boundary maps. CO Burley needs some clarification from the Southern Rockies Mountain Access Committee (SRMAC) on how to continue conducting compliance checks in this area.
Recommendations: Sheep Mountain should be part of the AMA program. It was heavily patrolled in the fall during deer season. It is convenient to patrol Sheep while on patrol to the Galton Range. Signs are staying up on closed roads. There is noncompliance within the southern end of Sheep near Elk River. This is also a good area to look for people fishing for bull trout as it is a great lookout over the river.
Upper Elk Valley
Page 19 of 33
Table 13
The Upper Elk Valley-Fording AMA is a heavily used AMA throughout the summer and early fall months. It receives motorized traffic from the local communities from throughout Canada and the United States.
The Upper Elk Valley Road leaves from Elkford and is approximately an hour drive north where you arrive at Elk Lakes Provincial Park. Height of the Rockies Provincial Park also borders the AMA to the West. Before Elk Lakes Provincial Park, you have to cross the Elk River to get to the Fording side where there are a number of trails that ATV’s can access backcountry areas. Hikers, campers, bikers, anglers, hunter and ATV’s all thrive to enjoy the beautiful views of the Upper Elk Valley.
The noncompliance that takes place has to do with summer motorize access issues and hunting. The COS received a number of hunting related complaints in this area. A large number of camps reside in this AMA from summer through to mid-October.
Big Weary Ridge Trail is open on the Fording side from July 1-Aug 31. The Elkford ATV Club has been cleaning up garbage and keeping the trail trimmed. They are educated on AMA’s in their club within the Elk Valley and want to educate other ATV recreationist through the BC/ATV Club online. CO Burley provided a presentation for the group in June.
The Weary Creek Recreational Trail is a non-motorized recreation trail under the Forest Recreation Regulations within the AMA. The Hornaday Volunteer Group posted a new sign in June. Motor vehicles continue to bypass the Recreational Trail and AMA sign causing frustration for the hikers going into this area. CO Burley conducted a number of patrols in this AMA, but it was quiet during those times.
Recommendations: There is a new large map of the Upper Elk Valley AMA once you drive into the area. There were signs on all the roads during the late spring, but many of those went missing. This AMA will be incorporated into the 2013 AMA project. Increased officer presence in this AMA is definitely needed.
Page 20 of 33
BC Parks took part in the 2012 AMA project and will hopefully be a part of it again in 2013. Park Rangers are frequently working in the Elk Lakes and Height of the Rockies Provincial Parks and will be able to keep an eye out for violators. They will also have the Local Outdoor Access Guide with them that they can hand out while on patrol.
Upper Flathead
Table 14
CO Burley and other CO’s patrolled the Upper Flathead by snowmobile and ATV. It is a remote area to get to and takes a whole day to patrol. It was found to be busier during the hunting season. CO Burley communicated with Canfor staff regarding gates and signs. They have been supportive in helping with signs if they are in the area.
During September an illegal cabin was found by the CO’s and is currently being investigated by a Natural Resource Officer in Cranbrook. It is illegal to build a year round structure on crown land without a permit. There were no other investigations or illegal checks conducted while in the Upper Flathead AMA.
This AMA is open for snowmobiling in the winter. Recommendations: Having a regular presence in the hunting season would be the most beneficial way to educate people on the road networks that are in the Upper Flathead. A number of signs are missing on closed roads and need to be replaced once the snow melts. ATV patrols on the north end of the AMA would be the best way to patrol to access the Shoefly route.
Page 21 of 33
It would be recommended to have a large colored map at the Maclachie FSR from the Corbin to give the public a better understanding of the AMA closed and open roads upon entering. Upper Flathead will be part of the 2013 AMA project.
Upper Wigwam Table 15
Upper Wigwam was a quieter AMA to patrol. Angling Guides are most likely to be on the Wigwam River in the late summer. This is a popular river for anglers from Canada and the United States. It has world class bull trout fishing opportunities.
The main open road (Ram) does not give motorized vehicles many options to drive off of it. The river and the road are in fairly steep terrain which means the anglers all hike down from the road to the river. There is a locked gate over the Wigwam River, near the mouth of Ram Creek which people are driving around. A volunteer from the East Kootenay’s took it upon himself with permission to ditch around the gate to help deter the ATV’s from getting into the closed area. The gate has remained locked. The upper gate on the East side of the wigwam river also see’s considerable vehicle traffic going around it. There are not many alternatives at this upper site for constructing berms to restrict vehicle traffic from going around the gate.
On the south end of this AMA is Rabbit Creek which people access from Phillips Pass in the Galton AMA. People pass the closed gate in Rabbit Creek and violate the AMA, most of this occurring during the hunting season.
Recommendations: Both gates are on the AMA map online and in the local Outdoor Access Guide to show where the road is closed. The AMA boundaries can be explained to people who fish or hunt in this area. When the weather is hot and the river is clear, this AMA is a great area to patrol for anglers. There is a recreational site close to the Wigwam River where recreationists can be educated.
Page 22 of 33
Weigert Creek
Table 16
Weigert Creek AMA is utilized by horseback riders, hikers, hunters and 4X4 recreationists. During CO Burley’s patrols, no one was contacted while in the AMA.
Only the lower half of the AMA can be accessed by truck, the other two trails are accessed by ATV or small trackers. Since access to the AMA can be done from Elkford, it is hard to ascertain if people are in the area or not.
When CO Burley patrolled the open roads (one seasonal July 1-Aug 31) she found that the wind storm they had in early July had knocked a number of large trees over the trail to the north making in inaccessible to the top to the ridge. The other trail had a land slide over it only .5KM’s from where it closed. Later on in the season it became evident that people with bigger machines and chainsaws cleared the trail. CO Burley had two files to follow up during the hunting season where an AMA violation ticket and one warning ticket were issued to two individuals. Another report was made by the public during the moose season where a CO was able to respond in a timely manner where the CO seized the animal and tickets were issued.
Recommendations: There are signs up on all the trails except for in the cut block to the Northeast. The road will be patrolled once the snow melts to see what condition the trails are in and if the signs are still up. There are dedicated members of the public that frequently use this AMA and will report any violations they see occurring. A new Weigert Creek AMA map is needed at the entrance onto the main road from Hwy 43. Early morning or late evening ATV patrols are to be conducted during the hunting season.
Page 23 of 33
Wigwam Flats
Table 17
Wigwam Flats has breathtaking views of the China Wall on the south end of the AMA. Mount Broadwood on the north end is a caver’s paradise. Wigwam Flats has almost every species of wildlife that you can view in one given area. Wigwam River offers amazing fishing opportunities to the fly fisherman. Silver Springs are three turquoise lakes that connect to one another which offer a beautiful 15-30 minute hike. Unfortunately, this has turned into a party site for people who like to leave their garbage behind for animals and other people to pick up.
Wigwam Flats is a sensitive area for wildlife and its habitat. Invasive plants have taken over in some of the areas and are hard for the specialists to control. Specialists have advised that motor vehicles have spread the invasive plants to other parts of this AMA. This area has also become more popular for the mountain bike community, although mountain bikers are allowed in this area when motor vehicles are not, it is recommended that they try to stay on the main trails as mountain bike tires too can spread invasive plants. CO Burley did a presentation with the Fernie Bike Club to explain this concern.
It was brought to CO Burley’s attention that the Fernie Rod and Gun Club have spent many volunteer hours picking some of the invasive plants in Wigwam Flats.
Since there is an abundance of wildlife that relies on this area to range in, there are issues with wildlife harassment from motor vehicles and dogs. It is illegal to harass wildlife with a motor vehicle and for dogs to chase wildlife.
Page 24 of 33
CO Burley did a number of ATV and truck patrols in this area. One of the patrols she found a group of 4 ATV’s (5 people) driving on the closed road in the flats. It was a rainy cold day, but was on a weekend. The group said they saw the signs, but thought that the trails to the pipeline were open; CO Burley issued some tickets and gave them the local Outdoor Access Guide to refer to.
The gates to the Drinkwater, Rocky Ridge and Wigwam (off of Ram) seem to be working. People are still finding other ways to drive in the closed area; such as the pipeline. When the gates are closed hunters and anglers continue down the roads on their mountain bikes. A number of complaints were made by the public which helped CO Burley plan patrols. Signs were put up in the new Misery Flats logging roads after they fork so that people have an opportunity to turn around.
Recommendations: Wigwam Flats would be a good area to conduct day patrols on sunny days during any time of the week. It would be best to do most ATV patrols during the open time of June 15-July15 where people go off the main open roads. CO Burley did not get a chance to patrol the Shoefly Rd. ATV groups were checked coming out of the road, next year it will be a priority to patrol that road. The maps at the entrances of the seasonal open roads eventually need to be updated. They are fading and peeling off.
Education/Outreach During the Municipal Mayor, Council and RDEK meetings with CO Burley, it was brought up that AMA education and awareness for the public should be a priority within the program. In early 2012 there were AMA maps available online along with basic grey maps in the BC Hunting Synopsis. The public needed something else to refer to in greater detail that was accessible to all recreational users, not just hunters. CO Burley approached the Fernie Free Press for their assistance to help create the Outdoor Access Guide: Motor Vehicle Closed Area (Electoral Zone A). CO Burley also worked with Andy Cagle, FLNRO Spatial Information Analyst, in updating the coloured AMA maps. The magazine also included non-motorized Recreational Trails near Elkford and Teck Mine Closures. The Outdoor Access Guide became available (free of charge) to the public in early August, just before hunting season. Stock of the Newsprint can be picked up at the Cranbrook MOE Office, AB Quad Squad Office, Blairmore Ministry Office, Husky Gas Station in Coleman, Elko Gas Station, Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford’s Chamber/Tourism Offices, Service BC and the City/District Office. A Gas Station in each community was picked to distribute the magazine for a small donation amount. The Magazine was also issued in the Fernie Free Press for the week of August 16th (6000 copies were distributed throughout the Valley). The Outdoor Access Guide has been very useful for hunters and other recreational
Page 25 of 33
users during the 2012 fall season. CO Burley has check numerous hunters that have already been using the magazine while out hunting and ask her questions on the roads while on site. The tourism, city centres and gas stations will be monitored to make sure their supply is sufficient throughout the year. A big thank you goes out to Teck for donating money that went towards publishing the Magazine.
Another way to provide education to the public was to have face to face outreach presentations. CO Burley conducted slide show presentations on the AMA’s to a number of community groups. The following is a list of the presentations she took part in: Fernie Rod and Gun Club, Elkford Highschool, Fernie Mountain Bike Club, Elk Valley Integrated Task Force Team, Trout Hatchery Open House, Fernie, Elkford and Sparwood Mayor and Council Members, BC/ATV Elkford ATV Club, AB Quad Squad (Blairmore), Sparwood Fish and Game Club, SRMMP stakeholders, RDEK and the Area A Planning Committee. During these presentations, she had the opportunity to answer questions and meet a number of people that wanted to discuss their AMA concerns.
CO Burley created two separate RAPP Brochures for industrial companies in the Elk Valley. Teck and Canfor were sent the brochure to be handed out during training, orientation or review. Employees can keep the RAPP Brochure in their work vehicles and report any non-compliance they may see in the work area during work time. They are not required to approach any people committing an offence. If they are unsure if a violation is taking place, the RAPP number is 24-7 which they can always call or report it to their supervisor to call and explain what they have witnessed. Industrial workers are usually in the backcountry and it is nice to have communication with them which gives the COS more eyes and ears watching out for the resources.
Two Fernie Free Press newspaper articles were written by CO Burley on AMA education; one in the spring and one in the fall. An illegal killed sow black bear was taken from the Corbin AMA in June when CO Burley sent out a public assistance article to find more evidence towards the suspects. She also completed a weekly column during hunting season in the Free Press on legality and regulation during the hunting season called “Tips from the Conservation Officers”. The COS had been receiving a high number of complaints with shot and left illegal sized bull elk in October. The salvation army in Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford have all received wildlife meat that has either been seized from hunters or found injured.
An interprovincial partnership with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (SRD) and Alberta Fish and Wildlife Officers was developed with CO Burley throughout the summer and fall of 2012. This was a goal of CO Burley’s to have a relationship built between the Provinces to share knowledge on similar environmental non-compliance issues. CO Burley and AB SRD Access Guardian Daviduke, who patrols the Castle Mountain Special Management Area, will continue to brainstorm ideas with each other to see what works and what does not work when trying to gain voluntarily compliance from motorized recreationists. CO Burley patrolled the Alberta Castle Mountain Non-
Page 26 of 33
Motorized Closure with Daviduke on September 12th. CO Burley and Daviduke patrolled by ATV from the Castle Mountain Staging area through the Castle Special Management Area designated summer trails to the Middle Kootenay Pass Summit in the East Flathead AMA. The road past the gate had been heavily abused, where people continue into BC to the East Flathead Middle Pass road closure. AB residents were checked during this patrol and educated on the BC AMA’s.
A new Iphone Application is available for the public called PDF Maps which can be used with the Access Management Maps from the government online site. The smart phone application is free and is user friendly. CO Burley uses the application whenever she is in an AMA. A blue indicator shows her wherever she may be within the AMA, no cell service is needed. Open and closed roads, along with the different AMA boundaries are all incorporated into the program. All CO’s in the East Kootenay’s will have these maps on their iphones in 2013. The public can find instructions on how to download the maps at: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/kootenay/eco/access.htm
Other Work Projects On top of a CO’s regular duties and responsibilities, there are a number of focused enforcement projects that CO’s organise and conduct every year. It is the Officers decision whether to take part in one or not. The CO’s are to still manage and respond to reactive calls that come from the public during that time, but would be dealt with accordingly to the urgency of the complaint (public safety threat, injured wildlife, ongoing violation). The following is a breakdown of the different work projects that CO Burley took part in for 2012.
January 2-3: White Swan Lake patrol. A number of CO’s from the Kootenay’s took part in this project which involved checking ice fisherman and their daily limits of trout. This lake is a popular area to fish at that time of year. A 7 hour road block was conducted by CO Burley and RCMP for all vehicles arriving and leaving the area. A snowmobile patrol on the lake was also conducted on the second day.
February 2-3: CO Burley instructed and certified 2 Conservation Officers from the West Kootenay’s on Avalanche Skill Training Level 1 (AST1). She is an AST1 Instructor within the agency. All CO’s are required to have this up to date training in order to go on certain snowmobile patrols.
April 1: Kootenay River Patrol. Kootenay River from the head waters to Lake Koocanusa was patrolled by a number of CO’s from the East Kootenay Zone. Angler’s licences, fish limits and fishing gear were all checked.
May 19-20: May Long Weekend Project with RCMP, Forestry C&E and CVSE on Lake Koocanusa. Long work days were associated with monitoring mudbogging activities and assisting the RCMP with an enforcement presence in the Baynes Lake area. It was the
Page 27 of 33
first year that Forestry put on a Fire Ban in the Lake Koocanusa area for public safety. Office time was associated with the paper work that came from working the busy weekend.
May 29-30: CO Burley was the coordinator on the Bear Inspection Project with FLNRO Natural Resource Officers, Bear Aware and Wildlife Aware patrol the streets of Fernie and Kimberly for non-compliance of bear attractants. New Wildlife legislation allows Officers to write a $230 ticket for people who leave attractants out where bears could access it. Office time was associated with writing a media article and the debrief report.
Family Fishing Weekend took place June 15-17. Every year on Father’s Day Weekend,
people can fish the lakes and rivers in BC without an angling license; all regulations still apply and have to be complied with. CO Burley patrolled Alexander Creek and Grave Prairie AMA’s during that weekend and found that the Sparwood Rod and Gun Club had their annual 3D archery shoot. A large group of people had camped in Grave Prairie for the whole weekend. CO Burley donated a fishing rod for one of the youth prizes. It looked like a fun family event and CO Burley was happy to chat with a number of the participants. CO Burley continued to patrol the Elk River which opened on June 15, but the fishing opportunities were not the greatest for people because of the high water.
On August 19th CO Burley took part in the Kids Festival for 2 hours in Fernie. She was asked to participate by some local community volunteers. She took the opportunity to try to connect to the younger age group. Unfortunately with all the clowns, games and music entertainment, it was more of the parents that came to talk to CO Burley about hunting or problem bears, which is all positive outreach.
During the August Long weekend CO Burley took part in an interagency compliance and enforcement project on Lake Koocanusa. She worked with Environment Canada Officers, RCMP, Natural Resource Officers and other Conservation Officers from elsewhere in the Province. Anything and everything was being check for by the officers on water and by shore. Most non-compliance had to do with violations under the Wildlife Act, Federal Fisheries Act and the Small Vessel Regulations. It was a great partnership and learning opportunity to work with other officers on a large busy lake like Koocanusa.
August 8-9: CO Burley was asked to take part in a surveillance file in the Fernie area that was dealt with during that time on the Elk River. This file utilized CO Burley to collect evidence, take statements, notes and pictures. One individual was arrested along the river and has been charged under the Wildlife Act for guiding without a licence. The file will be going to trial in 2013.
Summer is a busy time to patrol, but it is also a time of year where officers are away on vacation or are maxed out with their work hours and have to take time off. CO Garay
Page 28 of 33
organised the Elk River Float Patrol for mid -August and needed another CO to participate to make the patrol happen safely. CO Burley took part did the float with CO Connatty from Cranbrook for 2 days. Many local angling guides and fishing enthusiasts were checked while fishing on the river or by shore. All the locations where the CO’s checked anglers were areas that could not be easily accessed by truck or foot. People were pleased to see the CO’s on the water. Tickets were written for Small Vessel Regulations and fishing with prohibited gear. The river was still high and dangerous in some areas. People were very helpful and supportive with each other while on the river to make sure everyone was safe and knew where the dangerous log jams and sweepers were.
CO Burley’s conducted her AMA Project in the Upper and East Flathead, Upper Wigwam, Wigwam Flats, Upper Elk Valley, Grave Prairie, Chauncey/Todhunter and Alexander Creek AMA‘s on August 31-September 2. New seasonal road closures and the bow hunting season took effect during these dates. Three Conservation Officers and three BC Park Rangers took part in the weekend’s project. The patrols were all conducted by foot, ATV and truck. A trail cam and special video surveillance was utilized in this project. The video surveillance equipment takes footage from ground vibration and above ground movement. 112 people were checked over the weekend with 4 tickets that were issued. Most (90%) of the ATV’s checked were non-residents of BC, but most anglers were BC residents and all hunters were BC residents. The COS is aware of 7 separate ATV’s that were in the closure caught on camera, a couple of which were hunters. It is now known that if a CO sees fit to seize an ATV in a closure that is too remote to pick up by truck, the COS can have a helicopter fly in to sling it out. CO’s have the authority to seize equipment used towards the violation under the Wildlife Act.
CO Burley was selected to take part in the Evolution of Policing ‘Celebrating 100 years of Women in Policing’ in Richmond, BC on September 24-26th as a representative for the Conservation Officer Service. The Vancouver Police Department took leadership in organising the celebration event after a group of Vancouver police women attended a “Women Policing” conference in Ottawa in 2009. There were approximately 200 women that took part in the conference from across Canada and the western United States. Some of the agencies that took part were the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, RCMP from across Canada, Chilliwack Police, Vancouver State Police and the Vancouver Police Department (VPD). The conference was educational for CO Burley who also took the opportunity to meet and explain to other enforcement agencies the priorities and diversity that the Conservation Officer Service protects and enforces including the Access Guardian Program.
From September 14-17, CO Burley, CO Connatty from Cranbrook, CO Ashworth from Williams Lake, Sergeant Caravetta, Inspector Canuel from Cranbrook and Chief Superintendent Farynuk from Victoria patrolled the East and Upper Flathead, Upper Wigwam and Wigwam Flats AMA’s by truck and ATV (6 uniformed officers). This was a coordinated project to cover as much ground as possible in those days to check hunting
Page 29 of 33
camps and patrol within the AMA’s. On Sept 15-16, four officers put approximately 306 KM’s each on their ATV’s; the East and Upper Flathead was patrolled during this time. A total of 84 contacts were made, most of which were hunters. 7 tickets were handed out between the 15th and 16th. Trappers and Guide Outfitters were also checked during their patrols. A road block was conducted at the Flathead FSR and Cabin FSR intersection.
Cranbrook Conservation Officer Jeff Scott organised a project in the Upper Elk Valley AMA for September 29-30, 12. CO Scott and CO Garay completed a 2 day, 1 night patrol with an unmarked patrol truck. This was an effective method, and arriving at the cabin late allowed for checks of several hunters returning to camp at dusk. No violations were found, however numerous contacts were made with a wide variety of resources users.
2013 Recommendation’s
A new Facebook page will be created in 2013 that will be for the East Kootenay’s COS. There is an increase in online social networking which is used by majority of people (higher percentage in youth). The internet will be helpful to project information to the different networking groups with: current problem wildlife concerns, educational awareness on laws and regulations on hunting, angling, small vessels, land, air and water protection. AMA information will also be available to the public with maps and reports.
January 2013 – AMA outreach and education will be ongoing throughout 2013. CO Burley is to book slide show presentations with Sparwood and Fernie High schools before the May long weekend. She will continue to meet with stakeholder groups and keep in touch with AB SRD Guardian and AB Fish and Wildlife.
An Access Management Survey will be available for the public’s feedback in early 2013 (see appendix). The survey will give the CO’s and the Habitat Biologist a better understanding of what recreational users knowledge is of the AMA’s and what they are doing in the AMA’s. It will also give the public a chance to pass on their concerns or opinions.
A meeting with the Line Creek Mine is forecasted for 2013 which will involve some consultation between Teck, COS and the FLNRO to address issues encountered in Grave Prairie AMA; gates, locks, berms, signage. Teck has been supportive to be proactive in the Grave Prairie AMA.
The Local Outdoor Access Guide will be an evolving government document which means that new updates and changes will be made yearly. It is forecasted to partner with the Fernie Mountain Bike Club/Trails Alliance and add their permitted non-motorized trails in the magazine. The Municipality boundaries for no shooting areas could also be
Page 30 of 33
included. The supply of the magazines are inventoried and delivered by CO Burley throughout the communities.
More time patrolling in the field will be utilized during the 2013 AMCEP. Now that CO Burley is educated on the AMA’s within the East Kootenay’s, not as much time with be spent researching and learning the roads. All CO’s in the Province now have rugged Panasonic laptops outfitted in each work truck which gives them the ability to work online out of the office. When people are checked in the field, now a CO can do a background check in the COS enforcement system to see if they are reoffenders. Public complaints, emails, project plans can now all be completed from the CO’s truck within cell service.
Summary CO Burley enjoyed her first full year of the AMCEP in the Elk Valley. The community members have been very welcoming and supportive of her position. The meetings with the stakeholders, municipalities, and public recreationists were all informative for her as she is still learning the history of the area, but looks forward to continuing the open communication she has with the public on AMA compliance and enforcement. The people in the East Kootenay’s have such a great opportunity to explore the beauty of the Rockies which provides a variety of recreational experiences. CO Burley will continue to make contact with all these user groups and will strive to build a better understanding to the public of the laws and regulations that are built around them.
Page 31 of 33
Appendix
Pictures
Figure 2: East Flathead, old airport – closed road
Figure 3: Corbin AMA – Do you think this road is open? Actually it is a closed road, you can find out by looking at the map online at: www.env.gov.bc.ca/kootenay/eco/accessmaps.html
Page 32 of 33
2012 Access Management Survey – Draft Proposal Request: I would like to have members of the public fill out the following survey Do you drive on unpaved backroads (ex: Forest service roads, cutlines, trails, etc) using any motor vehicle, such as a truck, car, ATV, motorcycle or UTV?
Yes No
If you had the Hunting Synopsis and Outdoor Access Guide with you would you take the time to read it?
Yes No
If there was a road closed sign on a hard packed road, which led to where you wanted to go, would you still drive on it?
Yes No
Do you think that the Conservation Officer Service spends enough time patrolling and enforcing road closed areas?
Yes No
Have you ever heard of “Access Management Areas”. Areas throughout the Elk Valley which have road closures and limited vehicle access.
Yes No
If it was not difficult to do so, would you drive around a locked gate to get where you wanted to go?
Yes No
Do you know to look in the BC Hunting Regulation Synopsis (available in print and online) to find maps of where the road closures are?
Yes No Do you know to look at the Outdoor Access Guide (available in print and online) to find maps of where the road closures are?
Yes No
Are you in favour of having areas where no motorized vehicles are allowed?
Yes No Do you think the possibility of a $230.00 fine keeps people from driving in a road closed area?
Yes No
If there was a road closed sign on a grown over or hardly used road, which led to where you wanted to go, would you still drive on it?
Yes No If a road, which was closed to motorized vehicles, but went where you wanted to go, was blocked by a fallen tree or a rock would you move the obstacle to get through?
yes no
Do you think the possibility of an ATV, truck or snowmobile being seized by a CO keeps people from driving in a road closed area?
Yes No
Additional Comments: (where do you think most people are driving in closed areas, What could be done to a road to make sure that no one drives on it What more could be done to make sure that people know about where the road closures are What do you think is a strict enough penalty to keep people from driving into a close area)
Purpose: obtain information which will be valuable in making future recommendations as well as for establishing best management practices for enforcing local Access Management Areas (AMAs). Information will be summarized and discussed in the final AMA report.
Survey Question Objective
Have you ever heard of “Access Management Areas”. Areas throughout the Elk Valley which have road closures and limited vehicle access?
Are people aware of the AMA program
Do you drive on unpaved backroads (ex: Forest service roads, cutlines, trails, etc) using any motor vehicle, such as a truck, car, ATV, motorcycle or UTV?
Allows for the comparison of opinion between users and non-users
Page 33 of 33
If there was a road closed sign on a hard packed road, which led to where you wanted to go, would you still drive on it?
If there was a road closed sign on a grown over or hardly used road, which led to where you wanted to go, would you still drive on it?
Is there a different perception of well used vs less used roads Does more need to be done to deactivate hardpacked roads vs older roads
If it was not difficult to do so, would you drive around a locked gate to get where they wanted to go
Does something more need to be done to block access
If a road, which was closed to motorized vehicles, but went where you wanted to go, was blocked by a fallen tree or a rock would you move the obstacle to get through?
determine the utility of natural barricades
Do you know to look in the BC Hunting Regulation Synopsis or Outdoor Access Guide (available in print and online) to find maps of where the road closures are?
Does information need to be more accessible
If you had the Hunting Synopsis and Outdoor Access Guide with you would you take the time to read it?
Is there public interest in an Outdoor Regulations Synopsis
Do you think that the Conservation Officer Service spends enough time patrolling road closed areas?
What is the current public opinion of access enforcement
Are you in favour of having areas where no motorized vehicles are allowed?
Gauge public support of the program
Do you think the possibility of a $230.00 fine keeps people from driving in a road closed area?
Should enforcement become more strict
