South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park

About

South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located on Highway 40 northwest of Lillooet, British Columbia. The park, which is 56,796 ha. in size, was established on April 18, 2001, and It was created out of a portion of the Spruce Lake Protected Area. The park is located on three Indigenous Nations: The Tsilhqot’in, St’at’imc, and Secwepemc. The park has many visually striking areas, such as mid elevation grasslands, sub alpine and alpine meadows, alpine lakes and mountain peaks, accompanied with complete watersheds. it is also full of trails through valleys, alpine meadows and ridges varying in difficulty to give the best wilderness experience. There is a variety of habitats that support an abundance of species, such as mountain goats, mule deer, grizzly bears, California bighorn sheep and moose. Along with this, the vast vegetation and the very varied geology of the area creates a unique and diverse area.

The dominant climate of the Chilcotin Highlands and Ranges is a leeward -rainy climate, influenced by wet coastal air from the west, cold plateau air from the north, and dry interior air from the east. The South Chilcotin Mountain Park is located on the leeward side of the major coastal ranges and has less precipitation relative to the mountains to the west.

The South Chilcotin Mountain Park has moderate temperatures and low precipitation during the spring and summer seasons. The fall and winter seasons are influenced by warm Pacific air, resulting in cooler temperatures and higher precipitation. The growing season is short, lasting approximately 3–4 months from the end of spring to the end of summer.

At lower elevations, there is frost in most months; at higher elevations, frost is almost daily. Winds are present throughout the year, more at higher elevations. The different amounts of precipitation on the two sides of the mountain and the variation in temperature due to elevation create distinct environments in The South Chilcotin Mountain Park, resulting in biodiversity regarding plants and wildlife.

The South Chilcotin Mountain Provincial Park is a unique region that is home to seven of thirteen of British Columbia's forested biogeoclimatic zones, giving the area a fascinating range of biodiversity. It is part of the Spruce Lake Protected Area, which stretches 71,000 ha (175,000 acres) to give many plants and species a place to thrive in a community and protect old growth forests. The valleys are home to an abundance of old growth spruce and pine forests, connecting to significant mid-elevation grasslands, surrounded by wildflower meadows, where more than 125 endemic species of wildflowers can bloom.

The alpine tundra is the highest elevation of the mountain range, and dominates the area by 60% and is accompanied by permanent snow, glaciers and large areas of bare rock, giving a short growing season for dwarf-like plants that grow small and have short flowering periods.

The Engelmann Spruce-subalpine fir zone (ESSF), located below the tundra, is a continuous forest composed of conifers with Engelmann spruce, alpine fir in drier sites, and white bark pine and lodgepole pine in wet sites. The most common shrub found in this zone is the white-flowered rhododendron, followed by black huckleberry, grouseberry, and false azalea. The meadows are dominated by heath, flowers and grasslands. Snow can linger long enough in this zone to provide moisture for the Indian hellebore, arrow-leaved groundsel, paintbrush, sitka valerian, and many other herbs.

The Montane Spruce Zone is located under the Engelmann spruce-subalpine fir zone and is the drier and colder area of the mountain range. Open forests are mixed with lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir. Towards the north slopes, Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir create dense forests with some Douglas fir and lodgepole pine which are located on the north facing slopes and surrounded by bluebunch wheatgrass, common juniper, kinnikinnick and balsamroot. Then, towards the western sections, there is scattered ponderosa pine.

The Interior Douglas-Fir Zone is located at the lowest section of the park and is the driest ecosystem of the zones. It has open forests with lodge-pole pine and regeneration of Douglas fir, surrounded by Saskatoon berry bushes, birch-leaved spirea and bluebunch wheatgrass habit on the dry south facing slopes. Some birch-leaved spirea and falsebox are found with lots of pinegrass meadows.

Indigenous peoples and history with the vegetation

For the Indigenous peoples and communities of the Tsilhqot’in, St’at’imc, and Secwepemc Nations, they would go in large groups to go harvest kinnikinnick, soapberries, Saskatoon, chokecherry and low bush berry and use them for food and medicinal purposes. In regards to the trees such as lodgepole pine and white spruce, the inner bark would be scraped and eaten. Endemic plant species such as the spring beauty, yellow avalanche lily, wild onion, chocolate lily, balsamroot, dandelion and prickly-pear cactus were all important stables to the communities.

Climate change and endangered plant species

Due to the altering changes in the temperature, the ecosystems are affected, putting endemic vegetation and patterns at risk. Mountain pine beetles have made their way into the larger area of lodgepole pine and whitebark pine. This increases the chances of forest fires and overall ecosystem function, and also affects fellow species that rely on the seeds of vegetation that are high energy food sources. There is also conflict with other species such as cattle and horses that graze along the grasslands and meadows, causing damage to the habitat. Invasive species are being managed, but there still is difficulty with recreational activities and grazing that spread invasive plants such as burdock and houndstongue.

The South Chilcotin Mountain Provincial Park is a unique region that is home to seven of thirteen of British Columbia's forested biogeoclimatic zones, giving the area a fascinating range of biodiversity. It is part of the Spruce Lake Protected Area, which stretches 71,000 ha (175,000 acres) to give many plants and species a place to thrive in a community and protect old growth forests. The valleys are home to an abundance of old growth spruce and pine forests, connecting to significant mid-elevation grasslands, surrounded by wildflower meadows, where more than 125 endemic species of wildflowers can bloom.

The alpine tundra is the highest elevation of the mountain range, and dominates the area by 60% and is accompanied by permanent snow, glaciers and large areas of bare rock, giving a short growing season for dwarf-like plants that grow small and have short flowering periods.

The Engelmann Spruce-subalpine fir zone (ESSF), located below the tundra, is a continuous forest composed of conifers with Engelmann spruce, alpine fir in drier sites, and white bark pine and lodgepole pine in wet sites. The most common shrub found in this zone is the white-flowered rhododendron, followed by black huckleberry, grouseberry, and false azalea. The meadows are dominated by heath, flowers and grasslands. Snow can linger long enough in this zone to provide moisture for the Indian hellebore, arrow-leaved groundsel, paintbrush, sitka valerian, and many other herbs.

The Montane Spruce Zone is located under the Engelmann spruce-subalpine fir zone and is the drier and colder area of the mountain range. Open forests are mixed with lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir. Towards the north slopes, Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir create dense forests with some Douglas fir and lodgepole pine which are located on the north facing slopes and surrounded by bluebunch wheatgrass, common juniper, kinnikinnick and balsamroot. Then, towards the western sections, there is scattered ponderosa pine.

The Interior Douglas-Fir Zone is located at the lowest section of the park and is the driest ecosystem of the zones. It has open forests with lodge-pole pine and regeneration of Douglas fir, surrounded by Saskatoon berry bushes, birch-leaved spirea and bluebunch wheatgrass habit on the dry south facing slopes. Some birch-leaved spirea and falsebox are found with lots of pinegrass meadows.

For the Indigenous peoples and communities of the Tsilhqot’in, St’at’imc, and Secwepemc Nations, they would go in large groups to go harvest kinnikinnick, soapberries, Saskatoon, chokecherry and low bush berry and use them for food and medicinal purposes. In regards to the trees such as lodgepole pine and white spruce, the inner bark would be scraped and eaten. Endemic plant species such as the spring beauty, yellow avalanche lily, wild onion, chocolate lily, balsamroot, dandelion and prickly-pear cactus were all important stables to the communities.

Due to the altering changes in the temperature, the ecosystems are affected, putting endemic vegetation and patterns at risk. Mountain pine beetles have made their way into the larger area of lodgepole pine and whitebark pine. This increases the chances of forest fires and overall ecosystem function, and also affects fellow species that rely on the seeds of vegetation that are high energy food sources. There is also conflict with other species such as cattle and horses that graze along the grasslands and meadows, causing damage to the habitat. Invasive species are being managed, but there still is difficulty with recreational activities and grazing that spread invasive plants such as burdock and houndstongue.