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Burnt Cabin Bog Ecological Reserve # 145 warden’s report

Posted March 20, 2012 | Categories : 145,Management,Warden Reports |

Burnt Cabin Bog Ecological Reserve # 145 Date of Report: March 20, 2012

Warden: Rosamund Pojar

On October 15, 2011, I accompanied Scott McMillan and

Alyson Brda (BC Parks staff) on a visit  to the Canyon Creek (Burnt Cabin Bog) Ecological Reserve. We approached the reserve from the  southern end via the Dome Mountain Road.

Travel and time in the reserve was approximately 3 hours

We were surprised to see that the fence posts bearing ecological reserve signs put up by BC Parks  along  the boundary across the hayfield, were missing We were unable to locate either the posts or the signs.

We also found evidence of someone driving a vehicle into the reserve and cutting up a tree for firewood. We went over and introduced ourselves to the new owners of the adjacent property and asked them about the signs. They claimed no knowledge of them and that they were told that the whole hayfield was their property.

We informed them that the boundary of the reserve crosses the hayfield and that there should be no vehicles or activity within the reserve and then we returned to our vehicle We also checked the access to the reserve from the north end off the Babine Lake Road. I  noticed that the beavers have created a new dam thus redirecting Canyon Creek and flooding  the area through which we used to walk to access that part of the reserve. This means that access into the area  adjacent to the in holdings is now more difficult. This is good in some respects, but will make it more  difficult to see if there is any illegal activity on that part of the reserve. There are no signs of fresh trail  cutting.

On January 19th, Scott and I returned to the reserve. We approached it by snowmobiling along  the west side of the reserve until we were at a point close to the reserve boundary. We then snow-shoed into the reserve and travelled north towards a point where we could come out into the hay field but still be within the reserve boundaries (to avoid trespassing on the adjacent property). To our surprise we found a series of posts had been erected along the boundary between the reserve and the adjacent property.

We assume that these must have been placed there by the landowner. We satisfied ourselves that there has not been any further encroachment or illegal activity on the reserve. We then returned following our own tracks. After losing a ski pole and being hauled out of several holes in the snow and the creek by Scott, I arrived back at the snowmobile in a dishevelled state (ha ha).

Approximate time travelling to and from the reserve and travelling through it = 7 hours