Galton Range Motor Vehicle Prohibition

The public is invited to comment on the proposed hunting regulation described below.

Status: Proposed

Region: 4

Management unit (MU): 4-2

Regulation type: Motor Vehicle Prohibition

Species: All

Closing date: 16:30, March 22, 2024

Decision statement: Pending

Current regulation

Motor Vehicle Prohibition Regulation

Schedule 1 - Motor Vehicle Closed Areas

Galton Range

35  Effective year round, in those portions of M.U. 4-2 outlined in red on the attached Map No. 1-35/22, except that motor vehicles are permitted

(a)at all times on roads shown highlighted in green on that map,

(b)during the period September 1 to June 15 inclusive on roads shown highlighted in yellow on that map, and

(c)during the periods September 1 to October 21 inclusive and November 11 to June 15 inclusive, on roads shown highlighted in orange on that map.

Maps of Motor Vehicle Prohibitions in the Kootenay Region can be found at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/recreation/motor-vehicle-prohibitions/region-4.

Proposed regulation

Remove all portions of orange seasonally open road across McGuire Creek to [49.179149°, -115.075535°], approximately 1.8 km of road.

Remove all portions of orange seasonally open road across Red Canyon Creek to [49.149224°, -115.070376°], approximately 1.5 km of road.

Rationale

The proposed regulation change is intended to eliminate non-essential motor vehicle use through McGuire and Red Canyon Creeks that provide domestic water to numerous residents. Motorized use through the creeks reduces water quality for licenced users. Adverse impacts to aquatic and riparian habitat may result from motorized vehicles travelling through creeks by the introduction of foreign matter into the streams or alterations to stream characteristics and function. Motorized restrictions can benefit aquatic habitat by way of reduced sedimentation, turbidity and pollutants into streams and reduced risk of riparian habitat degradation.

There is insufficient infrastructure to protect streams, riparian areas and water quality from impacts of motorized use of Red Canyon and McGuire Creeks. Water license holders have submitted anecdotal information indicating that motorized use across streams is negatively impacting water quality for domestic water use. Numerous years of traffic counter data indicating high levels of motorized use of McGuire and Red Canyon Roads support the proposed regulation change.

In combination with potential impacts to water quality, government has invested significant funding and effort to limit the further spread and establishment of invasive plants within this closure beyond the identified creek crossing. Motorized vehicles act as one of the primary vectors of spread for invasive plants that are known to disrupt the ecology of natural ecosystems, degrade habitat, reduce biodiversity, cause soil degradation and erosion, and alter fire cycles.

Additional information