1
BC Conservation Officer Service
Access Management Compliance and Enforcement Program (AMCEP) May/June Report
Compiled by Conservation Officer Patricia Burley May 15-June 30, 2015
Grave Prairie AMA – February 2015, Photo taken by CO Deboon: mud bogging in the winter
2
Introduction
The May/June Access Management Compliance and Enforcement Program (AMCEP) Report is the first report for the 6 month period for 2015 completed by Conservation Officer (CO) Burley. The AMCEP was developed in 2009, but did not have a set contract until 2011 for a potential 5 year commitment; this is the fifth year of the program. The priority for the program is to focus on the Access Management Areas (AMA’s) for the 6 month period within the Regional District of East Kootenay’s Electoral Area A from May 15-November 15. Currently, the AMCEP is the only Conservation Officer (CO) position in all of British Columbia. Thank you to the RDEK, Columbia Basin Trust, other stakeholder groups and the Communities of Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford for making the essential program a success. The following information is some highlights from the start of 2015 to the end of June. Over 53 hours were utilized in the important role of education and outreach to community members and stakeholder groups. The 2014 AMCEP Summary Report was presented to the RDEK, Mayor and Council Members (Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford), Elkford Rod and Gun Club, Fernie Rod and Gun Club, Sparwood Fish Wildlife Club, Elk Valley Integrated Resource Task Force Team (representatives from the Elk River Alliance, Wild Site, Guide Outfitters, a Municipality Council Member, Canfor, a Forestry Technician with FLNRO and Community Club members), BC Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Fernie Mountain Bike Club, Sparwood Secondary School and the community Hosmer. CO Burley worked alongside Wildlife Biologist Irene Teske, Habit Biologist Doug Martin and the Fernie Trails Alliance to approve signage that was posted in Wigwam Flats AMA during February. The signage was posted by club members to remind mountain bikers to stay away from certain areas during the lambing season for sheep. Although mountain biking is not illegal anywhere in an AMA, Wigwam Flats is sensitive in the spring because of Rocky Mountain Sheep lambing in the area. The Fernie Trails Alliance supports Wigwam Flats AMA by educating bikers to ride on designated roads and trails until June 15th and to keep dogs leashed so they cannot harass wildlife. Figure 1 is an example of the signage in the area.
3
Figure 1: Signs posted in Wigwam Flats AMA Since early spring numerous complaints have been forwarded to CO Burley regarding illegal motorized use on the BC Recreation Sites and Trails permitted mountain bike/hiking trails around Fernie. Unfortunately it is very difficult for a CO to catch violators when the offense is taking place. The COS relies on the public’s help to report these violations when they see them occurring in order for a faster response time by a CO. CO Burley wrote an article for the Fernie Free Press regarding illegal motorized usage in certain areas within the Elk Valley. The article is as follows: “Most of the single-track trails in and around the Fernie area for hiking and biking are legally established trails and designated non-motorized under section 56 of the Forest and Range Practices Act. The non-motorized designation is enforced under the Forest Recreation Regulation. There is a management agreement between the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO) and Fernie Trails Alliance (FTA). The FTA is a group of volunteers responsible for building and maintaining the trails, as well as securing the land use agreements for the trails. Other groups like the Fernie Mountain Bike Club, the Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club and the Fernie Nordic Society work in close proximity with the FTA to allow us to recreate on the trails. Signage has been added to many trails in the area as there has been an increase in illegal motorized activity on them. The non-motorized trails are around Mount Fernie and Castle Mountain. The Conservation Officer Service is reminding the motorized community to educate themselves so as not to violate provincial law and frustrate non-motorized users. Trail cameras,
4
enforcement patrols and reports from the public can help catch violators. Mount Fernie Provincial Park is also non-motorized under the Park Act; dirt bikers are not allowed to use these trails at any time. This is also a busy time of year for Access Management Areas (AMA’s), which are non-motorized closures enforced under the Wildlife Act. “Vehicle Use Prohibited” signs are posted throughout the AMA's. Do not drive into trails/roads that have these signs posted as motor vehicle use is prohibited and illegal in these areas. Please research AMA maps online or in the Hunting Synopsis before recreating in any AMA. Do not become dependent on signs. It is an offence under the Wildlife Act to remove, damage, alter or destroy any sign legally posted in support of the Ministry Access Management Program. The FLNRO and MOE encourage you to enjoy these areas and respect the non-motorized experience that they provide. The Outdoor Access Guide is a local Elk Valley magazine that is available for free in Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford, Elko, Jaffray, Grassmere and Cranbrook at Tourism Centres and gas stations. It can also be found online at: www.env.gov.bc.ca/kootenay/eco/accessmaps.htm For more information on biking trails and hiking trails visit www.bikefernie.ca, www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca and www.fernietrailsalliance.com Please report any violations or problem wildlife complaints to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) at 1-877-952-7277 (Dial Toll Free, 24hrs).” The snow pack for the East Kootenay’s was limited during the 2014/15 winter which caused some earlier than normal recreational activity in the AMA’s. Mountain bikers and ATV’ers were out as early as mid-February in some areas. On one of the patrols within Wigwam Flats AMA it was discovered that the Burnt Bridge at the end of Wigwam Road was deteriorated and needed to be closed down for safety reasons. With communication between the COS and Canfor the Burnt Bridge was closed for safety by Canfor employees on February 30th (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Burnt Bridge in Wigwam Flats AMA.
5
On February 10th CO Deboon responded to a complaint of a lean shelter that was built in Grave Prairie AMA (Figure 3). The suspect was discovered via Facebook for posting pictures of themselves with the lean shelter. The suspect had driven numerous times into the closed prairie area leaving muddy tracks, cut live trees, created a fire pit and left a large amount of garbage. CO Deboon removed the garbage and took down the shelter. The file is still under investigation. Photos of mudbogging in the nearby area were also taken where trucks had ripped up the sensitive grasslands within the prairie creating a mess. One truck was even reported being stuck in the mud for the day, but unfortunately was gone by the time the CO’s were able to get there.
Figure 3: February 10/15 lean shelter built in Grave Prairie AMA. Deadmans Road within Alexander Creek AMA is a year round closed road. During the summer and fall months Deadmans Road is severely abused by ATV and truck traffic. As this road was created years ago for logging it created an easier route into the backcountry for enthusiast. People may think it is open because it looks like a maintained forestry road, but this is not the case. Canfor has ditched the road a number of times that have not succeeded to stop motorized traffic, especially during the hunting season when hunters want to gain access into more remote areas. The COS and FLNRO agreed on having a gate installed during the winter or spring to block access on this road. Canfor offered their equipment and purchased a new gate for the project. The gate was installed and locked on April 30th (Figure 4). Canfor also ditched the closed section of Deadmans Pass trail before the creek.
6
Figure 4: New gate installed by Canfor on Deadmans Road in Alexander Creek AMA on April 30. During August 2014 two men were arrested along the Wigwam River within Wigwam Flats by Fernie CO’s. An American resident plead guilty on June 8, 2015 for illegally guiding anglers in the Fernie area between August 10-14, 2014. His total fine was $2,875 and included a submission to the local newspaper, Fernie Free Press, with a letter to the public on his illegal activity. This is a common illegal activity within the Elk Valley were residence, non-residence and US citizens fish our beautiful waters, but as an illegal guide. This is taking money away from the local angling outfitters who rely on this income their seasonal business. The suspect’s letter can be viewed on the following website. http://www.thefreepress.ca/opinion/307022281.html?mobile=true Some of the legislation is as follows: Compulsory angling guide license 49 (1) A person commits an offence if the person acts as a guide for fish, or offers to act as a guide for fish, unless the person (a) holds an angling guide licence, or (b) holds an assistant angling guide licence. Wildlife Act of British Columbia Definitions 1 (1) In this Act "angling guide" means a person licensed as an angling guide under this Act; "guide for fish" means a person who, for compensation or reward received or promised, (a) accompanies another person and assists that person to angle, (b) attends another person at or near an angling site in a manner that, directly or indirectly, assists that person to angle, or
7
(c) transports Two men plead guilty in court for a Grave Prairie AMA file that took place on April 1, 2013, Easter Weekend. The second man plead guilty in Sparwood Provincial Court on June 11th and was charged $400 for operating a motor vehicle in the closed area. The other man plead guilty earlier for the same offence and was charged $500. The violation ticket for operating a motor vehicle in a closed area is $230. As summer approaches areas like Silver Springs starts to get an increase in visitors, including partiers. Silver Springs within Wigwam Flats AMA has become a well know party site for people from all around, unfortunately this means an increase in litter and waste. The Elk River Alliance has committed countless volunteer hours cleaning up the mess every year. The Alliance recently made a new plan with BC Hydro to have a gate located further up the hydro line moved down to the bottom of the parking area. BC Hydro completed this in the last month to help control traffic in this non-motorized area. The Alliance will be posting a kiosk with information on the area and how to respect the land. An AMA sign will also be posted to this area. The Alliance has also spent time breaking apart weirs that people keep building in Fernie’s Coal Creek. This is illegal activity under the Federal Fisheries Act and the Water Act. Violators should be reported. The group posted signage at the problem sights.
ATTENTION Please do not build weirs
8
Weirs block fish passage up to spawning grounds and
back to the Elk River. It is a Federal offence under the
Fisheries Act to prohibit fish passage.
Thank you for helping keep the Elk River fishable for
generations.
Violators can be reported to RAPP 1-877-
952-7277
CO Burley has communicated with local stakeholder groups for fundraising towards the 2015 issue of the Outdoor Access Guide. The Outdoor Access Guide has been a successful tool in helping educate and inform the public within the Crownest Pass and East Kootenays on Electoral Area A AMA Maps. The Fernie office only has 1000 copies left out of the 3000 copies they had published in September 2014. The Sparwood Fish and Wildlife Club have contributed money towards the magazine. CO Burley is hoping to raise $3000 for approximately 1000 copies (Figure 5).
9
Figure 5: Outdoor Access Guide for Electoral Area A; AMA and non-motorized hiking/Nordic trail maps. The 2011-2015 monthly AMCEP reports and yearly summaries are now available online for the public to read. They can been view on the following website: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/kootenay/eco/accessmaps.htm
10
Statistics
Figure 6: Current Summary of total time spent in the field up to June 30, 2015.
Figure 7: Current Summary of statistics up to June 30, 2015. The filtered numbers are for the months of May/June.
Figure 8: Current Summary of total outreach provided to the public up to June 30, 2015.
11
It should be noted that Officer Presence is calculated as the time Officer(s) were physically present in an AMA, it does not account for travel. People that are educated are defined as COS discussing specific AMA facts and requirements for which the person in question was previously unaware. It should be noted that the Access Guardian Program and general AMA facts are discussed with more than 80% of contacts.
Summary AMA RAPP calls continue to be reported to CO Burley and the other CO’s. The weather during May and June has been unseasonably hot, which has created an increase in fishing violations. The bear issues within the valley have not been a concern up to this point, but that might change if the berry crop dries up early this summer. CO Burley is more confident with where the problem areas are during certain times of the year and time of day. The Cranbrook CO’s will be assisting with patrols within the Electoral Area A AMA’s when time permits. CO Burley’s time was also spent following up with Human Wildlife Occurrence Reports (HWOR) when other CO’s were not available. Officer time is taken up in the office to deal with any HWORs, tickets, project reports or non-compliance investigations (photocopying, scanning ect). All CO’s time has been added to the 2015 Excel spreadsheet when working on investigations, the Outdoor Access Guide, AMA Reports and field time. 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 is enjoying making contact with all these user groups and will continue to build a better understanding to the public of the laws and regulations that are built around them.
If you have any questions or concerns about the May/June AMA Report or questions for CO Burley, she can be contacted at: 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 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
12
stewardship and public safety. The Conservation Officer Service Motto is: Integrity, Service and Protection Please see the attached Excel 2014 Stats for more detail of the Access Guardian’s patrols and outreach efforts from January to June 30, 2014.
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 (www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/hunting/regulations/). The maps available from the MOE website are in colour and contain much greater detail.
