Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park

Infobox_protected_area | name = Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park
iucn_category =


caption=A deserted beach on southern coast of the Brooks Peninsula
location = British Columbia, Canada
nearest_city = Port Alice
lat_degrees = 50
lat_minutes = 8
lat_seconds = 23
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 127
long_minutes = 47
long_seconds = 0
long_direction = W
area = 51,631 ha
established = 1995
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = BC Parks"Parts of this article have been adapted from the [http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/ BC Parks website] ."

Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park is a provincial park located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

History

As a result of land-use planning for Vancouver Island, this former 28,780 hectare recreation area (established in 1986) was upgraded in 1995 to a Class ‘A’ Provincial Park. In addition to this upgrade, 22,851 hectares known as the Brooks-Nasparti area, has been added to the park.

Geography

The park is 51,631 hectares in size. Brooks Peninsula is located about 20 kilometres southwest of Port Alice, British Columbia. Access to the park is by boat or float plane.

Brooks Peninsula juts 20 kilometres into the Pacific Ocean and has a rugged and varied coastline, with long fjords and sandy beaches. The inland is seldom-explored and densely wooded with mostly old growth forest.

The highest point is a sub-peak of Snowsaddle Mountain at 1143m elevation. Mountains in the park, known as the Refugium Range, include Klaskish (963m), Nunatak (930m), and Doom (787m). Peaks in the area higher than 700 m (2,300 ft) were above the glaciers during the last ice age and are therefore a refugium with unique plants. [BCGNIS|38935] .

Conservation

Unaffected by the last ice age, Brooks Peninsula is considered a unique geologic feature. As a result, the geology of the peninsula is different from that of the rest of Vancouver Island and many rare plant communities exist, providing unparalleled opportunities for scientific study. This remote wilderness area includes an extensive, wild ocean coastline, long sheltered inlets, rugged mountains, pristine estuaries with high waterfowl and fishery values and high biodiversity values associated with old-growth forests. The Brooks-Nasparti addition encompasses the entire watershed of the Nasparti River and streams draining into Johnson Lagoon, the west-facing slopes along Nasparti Inlet, the Power River and Battle Creek watersheds and the Mount Seaton area

The park preserves the peninsula’s pristine wilderness landscape, which contains the Refugium Range of the Vancouver Island Ranges and Coastal Western Hemlock biogeoclimatic zone.

Cultural Heritage

The park is located within the traditional territory of the Kyuquot/Checleset and Quatsino First Nation peoples. Battle Bay in the southern portion of the park is rich in First Nations cultural history. Many battles were fought at this location in order to retain control of this prosperous area. First Nations reserves located adjacent to the southern portion of Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park are not for recreational use. Visitors are encouraged to contact the Kyuquot/Checleset First Nation band office in Kyuquot prior to exploring Brooks Peninsula.

Recreation

Brooks Peninsula is infrequently visited; its surrounding waters however provide superb kayaking and canoeing. It is entirely undeveloped and has no marked trails and no facilities, although in some locations ocean debris is placed at known trail heads.

Camping is permitted anywhere in the park, but made complicated due to the remoteness, difficulty of access, and lack of facilities.

Nearby Solander Island is an Ecological Reserve and access is prohibited.

Gallery

ee also

*List of British Columbia Provincial Parks
*List of Canadian provincial parks

External links

*BCGNIS|41379

* [http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/brooks.html Brooks Peninsula Marine Provincial Park at BC Parks]
* [http://bivouac.com/ArxPg.asp?ArxId=1225 Brooks Peninsula at the Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia]
* [http://picasaweb.google.com/islanddaytripper A collection of aerial photos of Brooks Peninsula]