Big Creek Provincial Park
History
Big Creek Park was designated in 1995 under the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan.
Cattle grazing is still permitted under the terms of the land use
plan.
Ranching has
occurred in forested grasslands and meadows since the late 1800’s.
Specifically, the south Chilcotin and Cariboo area has become a
foremost region for beef cattle production in BC. There are no permanent
ranches located within the park area, although satellite camps and
facilities are used during the summer and fall. Five grazing leases
have been granted for range operations throughout the entire park.
Cultural Heritage
Indigenous peoples
of the Chilcotin and Shuswap Nations still use the Big Creek area
for subsistence hunting and food gathering. There is evidence of
historic First Nations use within the park; however, more research
is needed to identify cultural heritage sites. It is illegal to
disturb any such sites, or to remove artefacts.
Today, hikers
and horseback riders use trails that follow traditional First Nations
routes.
Conservation
This wilderness
park protects wildlife habitat and fills ecosystem gaps in the protected
areas system, most notably the large wetland complexes and associated
moose habitat.
Wildlife habitat
in the park is varied, ranging from meadows, wetlands, and lush
valleys to alpine summits, small glaciers, and snow-capped mountains.
With such diversity of habitats comes a diversity of wildlife, including
blue-listed California bighorn sheep. The park features a number
of unique ecosystems and regionally distinct landscape features:
dry alpine tundra, fossil beds at Elbow Mountain, glacier-fed creeks
and the milky-blue Lorna Lake.
Wildlife
Large areas of low-lying, poorly drained meadows and marshes provide important moose habitat. Lowland, plateau, and sub-alpine environments within the park protect moose, California bighorn, grizzly bear, black bear, cougar, wolf, mountain goat, mule deer, and a wide variety of small furbearers. Grizzly bears utilize both low elevation meadows and wetlands, and higher elevation sub-alpine and alpine environments, and are particularly sensitive to human encroachment. The park protects significant areas of California bighorn sheep range and migration routes, which are important since the species’ population is critically low. The area also protects mule deer summer range for animals migrating from as far as the Fraser River area. The riparian complexes also support songbirds, waterfowl, amphibians, reptiles, and fish.
