Quesnel, B.C.- News of five provincial parks to be established in the Cariboo North region, has independent MLA Bob Simpson smiling, but he says there are still some issues that need to be addressed.

 

The five new parks are: Beaver Valley; Long Creek, near the 3100 Road ( to protect a natural salt lick for caribou); Titetown, in the Nazko region; Dragon Mountain; and Quesnel Lake Park. Together they represent 4700 hectares of protected land.

 

“I think these will ultimately be good parks, but there are some outstanding issues that need to be resolved,” said Simpson. “The Nazko First Nation has concerns about the Titetown proposal, and I have assurances that the ministry will work with them on a collaborative management strategy. A potential stumbling block at Dragon Mountain is the number of mountain bikers who already make use of that area, but I’ve raised that issue with the minister, and their needs will be part of the planning process.”

 

Simpson asked the minister to ensure that upcoming community consultations reach beyond urban centres to include the local communities that will be most affected by these proposals.

 

 Simpson says he has spoken with the Minister of Environment and ministry staff and is satisfied the parks will not have any impact on grazing rights, active mineral claims and are not in major timber-harvesting areas.

 

Simpson added that the Beaver Valley Park does not affect the proposed Williams Lake and Williams Lake Indian Band community forest.