Photo by Toby Snelgrove.
Victoria, BC– The Capital Regional District (CRD) is preparing management plans for both Mount Parke and Saint John Point regional parks on Mayne Island. These plans will provide strategic guidance for on-going management of both parks for the next 15-20 years. Developing the management plans together will create efficiencies in the consultation process.
Park management plans guide conservation, development, and use of the park over the long-term. The CRD’s aim is to manage these parks in ways that are ecologically sound and supported by the public. The planning process will give island residents, stakeholders, and members of the public across the region opportunities to provide input into how these areas are managed. The information will help staff prepare and finalize the management plans.
The planning process will include initial engagement with First Nations, key government agencies, and conservation covenant holders to review available information and discuss requirements for the management plans. An online form is available from October 1 to November 13, 2018 for the public to provide initial input. An on-island engagement session will provide an opportunity for face-to-face dialogue with staff once the management plans are drafted in early 2019.
Saint John Point is a 26-hectare waterfront property acquired in December 2017, and currently in park reserve status. Sensitive ecosystems in the park are at risk and ecologically fragile. Given this, the park is classified as a regional conservation area. The management planning process will consider how best to manage visitor use while protecting environmental values.
Mount Parke Regional Park is 49 hectares. It was acquired in 1991 and expanded in 1992. This regional natural area offers forest walks, vistas, bird watching and spring wildflowers. It features the highest viewpoint (185m) on Mayne Island with summit views of other Gulf Islands and the Lower Mainland. It currently receives about 12,000 visits annually.
Click here to take part in the online consultation for St. John Point.
Click here to take part in the online consultation for Mt. Parke.
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