Cathedral Provincial Park
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Cathedral Provincial Park and Protected Area, usually known as Cathedral Provincial Park and also as Cathedral Park, is a
provincial park Ischigualasto Provincial Park A provincial park (or territorial park) is a park administered by one of the provinces of a country, as opposed to a national park. They are similar to state parks in other countries. They are typically open to the ...
in
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. It is located east of E.C. Manning Provincial Park, south of BC Highway 3, and southeast of the town of
Princeton Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...
, and southwest of
Keremeos Keremeos () is a village in British Columbia, Canada. The name originated from the Similkameen dialect of the Okanagan language word "Keremeyeus" meaning "creek which cuts its way through the flats" referring to Keremeos Creek which flows down fr ...
. Its southern boundary is the border with the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Much of the park is the basin of the Ashnola River. Cathedral Park is home to teal sub-alpine lakes, vast ridges and jarred peaks, old-growth forests, and rock formations o
siltstone, granodiorite, and basalt
Hikers can scramble along various peaks such as the 8000-foot
Grimface Mountain Grimface Mountain is a mountain summit in British Columbia, Canada. Description Grimface Mountain, elevation 2,635-metres (8,645-feet), is the highest point in Cathedral Provincial Park and Protected Area,Beckey, Fred W. ''Cascade Alpine Guide, ...
and Lakeview Mountain. Tourists flock to Smokey the Bear and Stone City because of their unique formations with incredible views formed by millennia of erosion, volcanic and tectonic activity, and glacial recession. The park has a mixed history of use from Indigenous Peoples and a variety of endemic species, as well as resource extraction, including forestry and recreational use such as hiking, camping, and fishing. Today the park primarily serves the purpose of facilitating recreation as a "Class A" provincial park. Climate change poses a threat to the park due to recent wildfires. The future of the park depends on the management of these issues and more.


History

The park gets its name from Cathedral Mountain, near the international border. The peak was named in 1901 by Carl and George Smith on a
United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on Mar ...
expedition, who are believed to be the first to have ascended the summit. The original area of Cathedral Provincial Park was established on May 2, 1968, with an area of 7,372 hectares (18,216 acres). This park ran in a narrow north–south corridor along Lakeview Creek from the Ashnola River in the North to the international boundary. The park included the Cathedral Lakes area. After a lengthy consultation process with local interest groups, industry, and researchers, the park was expanded to have boundaries that roughly matched natural boundaries.The Ministry of Environment and Parks, Cathedral Provincial Park: Master plan (1989). Victoria. https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/bib85829.pdf This expanded the park to an area of roughly 33,000 hectares (82,000 acres), with the Ashnola River forming the Western and Northern boundaries of the park and Ewart Creek forming the Eastern boundary, with certain exceptions for existing mineral claims. On April 18, 2001, the contiguous conservation area protected was expanded with the establishment of the 25,889 hectares (63,970 acres
Snowy Protected Area


Cultural history

Cathedral Provincial Park is rich with culture and heritage from both European and Indigenous peoples. The park lies on the traditional homeland of the
Nlaka'pamux The Nlakaʼpamux or Nlakapamuk ( ; ), also previously known as the ''Thompson'', '' Thompson River Salish'', ''Thompson Salish'', ''Thompson River Indians'' or ''Thompson River people'', and historically as the ''Klackarpun'', ''Haukamaugh'', ''K ...
and
Syilx The Syilx () people, also known as the Okanagan, Suknaqinx, or Okinagan people, are a First Nations in Canada, First Nations and Native Americans in the United States, Native American people whose traditional territory spans the Canada–United St ...
, now colonially known as the
Okanagan The Okanagan ( ), also called the Okanagan Valley and sometimes the Okanagan Country, is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is part of ...
. Prior to settlement, the Syilx peoples moved nomadically, following the natural migrations and different land uses of the earth throughout seasons. This brought Indigenous peoples through the lands of Cathedral Park for the rich hunting and foraging of the area, a transient lifestyle shared by all First Nations in the area. The park was established by Europeans in the late 1960s, but evidence from the Ministry of Forests reveals horseback trails dating back to the 1930s. The Ministry of Forests also discusses early settlement and tourism, and the development of cabins and 4x4 roads throughout the park. These were followed by the first lodge in 1970.


Resource extractions

Before its designation as a protected area, Cathedral Provincial Park and its surroundings were exposed to resource extraction activities. As in many other regions, timber harvesting, in particular, played a significant role in the local economy. Several logging companies operated within the area, impacting the forest ecosystems. This caused habitat disruption, fragmentation,
soil erosion Soil erosion is the denudation or wearing away of the Topsoil, upper layer of soil. It is a form of soil degradation. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice (glaciers), snow, Atmosphere of Ea ...
, and changes in
hydrology Hydrology () is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and drainage basin sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is called a hydro ...
. The historic resource extraction and its ecological consequences presumably influenced the decision to protect Cathedral Provincial Park, aiming to preserve its natural beauty from further degradation. Since the park's establishment in 1968, recreation use and development have evolved in line with the original intent to maintain the Park’s natural qualities for public enjoyment and recreation. In 1975, an Interim Policy Statement was prepared to provide guidelines for the development and management of the Park. Several management concerns or issues were identified in this Policy Statement, remaining and revolving around fundamental problems of balancing park development and use while maintaining the Parks resource values and wilderness atmosphere and minimizing friction between potentially conflicting recreation interests.


Recreation

The park is home to front-country vehicle-accessible camping as well as back-country camping. There are multiple day-use areas in the park. Accommodation is provided within the park at the Cathedral Lakes Lodge. There are no public roads within the park itself. The park is connected to E. C. Manning Provincial Park by the Centennial Trail from
Osoyoos Osoyoos (, ) is the southernmost town in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia between Penticton and Omak. The town is north of the United States border in the Washington State and is adjacent to the Osoyoos Indian reserve. The origin of ...
to
Simon Fraser University Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a Public university, public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It maintains three campuses in Greater Vancouver, respectively located in Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, British Columbia, Surrey, and ...
. Though it has not been maintained recently and no longer appears on maps of Manning Park.


Endemic species


Sonora skipper

The Sonora skipper is a butterfly with a tiny wingspan of 25–30 mm. It is light brown in color and has spots on its tail. The Sonora Skipper typically resides in moist, mesic grassy meadows as its preferred habitat. However, the area in which they live can also include, forest openings, clear-cuts and logged areas, and roadside areas These habitats are located in a small section of the Okanogan area in
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
, which is only about 2092 km2, but still includes Cathedral Lakes Provincial Park. The population that was recorded in this area was tiny. In the Ashnola River area which includes Cathedral Lakes Provincial Park only 51 individuals were observed during the time of 1906 to 2012. There were just 2 Sonora Skippers counted in the entire 2012 year in the Ashnola River area. The Sonora Skipper has many threats in the wild. The threats can be natural such as fire and flooding and unnatural causes such as destruction of habitat or invasive species introduction. All of these things contribute to the low population in the Cathedral Provincial Park area. Sonora skippers are not classified as endangered or threatened globally. Sonora skippers don't have any major human threats, just removal from habitat caused by
logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidder, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or trunk (botany), logs onto logging truck, trucks
Mountain goats The mountain goat (''Oreamnos americanus''), also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, is a cloven-footed mammal that is endemic to the remote and rugged mountainous areas of western North America. A subalpine to truly alpine species, it is a ...
are a species that like to live in high alpine areas, capable of climbing vertical rocks. Which is ideal because Cathedral Park is very mountainous. Mountain Goats can be found all across the world in strong, healthy populations, however, they have a strong chance of expiration in British Columbia. In Southern British Columbia near where Cathedral Provincial Park is located, the population is the most at risk because, they have a tiny population size. In 2006 a study was done where Mountain Goat populations were estimated at, 200 - 300 individuals in the whole Okanagan area. Not just in Cathedral Provincial Park. Mountain goats have numerous threats which include, historical over harvest,
climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
causing reduced habitat, and negative impacts from recreation. In Cathedral Provincial Park they are of special concern because of the large amounts of people in the area, leading to human-goat conflict. The population around the Cathedral Provincial Park area is not well understood because, for a couple of decades, data collection has not happened. However, the population is estimated to be around, 24 - 28 goats. There are a few reasons for the low populations however, human interactions and helicopters are a couple of the main ones. The reason for all the human and goat interactions is that goats can become aggressive and charge people at the park over salt resources.
Salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...
is vital to, goat ecology, and goats will usually ingest sodium from mineral lick sites. In Cathedral Provincial Park, goats have been spotted looking for salt near the
campgrounds Campsite, campground, and camping pitch are all related terms regarding a place used for camping (an overnight stay in an outdoor area). The usage differs between British English and American English. In British English, a ''campsite'' is an ...
, which is often where humans are present. In the Park, goats force visitors to move around them by standing their ground. The conflicts that come with these interactions have caused, death or injury to humans and or wildlife. Helicopters also bring many issues to the goat population. Helicopters regularly fly over Cathedral Provincial Park mainly in the months for helicopter training which is the spring and winter time. Whenever helicopters fly over the park goats do not behave well to the flying which causes a loud disturbance. The behavior that occurs when a helicopter is nearby may include, increased movements or a shift from the habitat in which they prefer to live in. In other words with the consistent flying of helicopters above the park, many mountain goats may have been displaced from their habitat which is why the population is so low in the area. Mountain Goats are also not classified as endangered or threatened globally. Mountain goats have a small effect on the mountainous landscape where they live. Mountain goats can destroy small plants such as
flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...
s and
shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...
s as they walk and when they eat. Mountain goats eat mountain
mahogany Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Universit ...
, shrubs,
conifer Conifers () are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a sin ...
s, sedges, rushes,
moss Mosses are small, non-vascular plant, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic phylum, division Bryophyta (, ) ''sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Wilhelm Philippe Schimper, Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryo ...
es,
lichen A lichen ( , ) is a hybrid colony (biology), colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among hypha, filaments of multiple fungus species, along with yeasts and bacteria embedded in the cortex or "skin", in a mutualism (biology), m ...
s, and
grasses Poaceae ( ), also called Gramineae ( ), is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos, the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in ...
.


Fauna

Other animals that can be found in the park that are not at risk include California
Bighorn sheep The bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') is a species of Ovis, sheep native to North America. It is named for its large Horn (anatomy), horns. A pair of horns may weigh up to ; the sheep typically weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates th ...
,
mule deer The mule deer (''Odocoileus hemionus'') is a deer indigenous to western North America; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule. Two subspecies of mule deer are grouped into the black-tailed deer. Unlike the related whit ...
,
porcupine Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp Spine (zoology), spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two Family (biology), families of animals: the Old World porcupines of the family Hystricidae, and the New ...
s, and Columbia
ground squirrel Ground squirrels are rodents of the squirrel family (Sciuridae) that generally live on the ground or in burrows, rather than in trees like the tree squirrels. The term is most often used for the medium-sized ground squirrels, as the larger ones ar ...
s. California Bighorn sheep have a compact body that is muscular, with brown fur with white on the muzzle and belly. The average weight of these animals is about 160 to 250 pounds. In order to stay alive from predators, bighorn sheep have abilities to climb the vertical rocks akin to mountain goats. Bighorn sheep live in the western mountainous regions of
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
. However, bighorn sheep no longer live in many areas of the Okanagan because their habitat has been lost over time.


Flora

Some plants that are commonly found in Cathedral Provincial Park include
Douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is the tallest tree in the Pinaceae family. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Or ...
s and Black Cottonwood trees. Douglas firs are evergreen trees. There are two varieties of this species, coast Douglas fir and Rocky Mountain Douglas fir, which are differentiated by their habitats and physical characteristics. Rocky Mountain Douglas firs are the inland trees that live in Cathedral Provincial Park. They are much more tolerant of cold than the coastal Douglas fir, which is suited to moist, mild climates on the west coast. The population of these trees is in good numbers. Black cottonwood is a medium- to large-sized broad-leaved tree. Many kinds of wildlife use the foliage, twigs, and buds for food. The wood is light and soft and it can be used for lumber and pulp. Cottonwoods live in cool and wet climates such as Cathedral Provincial Park.


Climate change and ecological impacts

Cathedral Park is a unique environment in British Columbia as it is a part of the
Okanagan Range The Okanagan Range or Okanogan Range is a small subrange of the Cascade Range straddling the border between British Columbia and Washington (U.S. state), Washington south of the Similkameen River on the inland side of the range. The range is the ...
, in a distinct section of the
Cascade Mountains The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as many of those in the ...
. The Okanagan Range consists of a uniquely dry climate and a particular geological makeup. The park contains four bio-geoclimatic zones: interior mountain-heather alpine, Engelmann, Interior Douglas-fir, an
Spruce-Subalpine Fir
Cathedral Provincial Park, like many natural areas worldwide, faces the challenges of
climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
. While specific predictions for this park may vary, some general trends associated with climate change include temperature increase, altered precipitation patterns, heightened
wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...
risks, changes in
snowpack Snowpack is an accumulation of snow that compresses with time and melts seasonally, often at high elevation or high latitude. Snowpacks are an important water resource that feed streams and rivers as they melt, sometimes leading to flooding. Snow ...
and glacier melt, and shifts in the timing of biological events for plants and wildfire. Park management authorities and conservation organizations are likely actively monitoring and responding to these changes to ensure the long-term health of the park's
ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...
. Forest fires have played a key role in creating a diverse mosaic of vegetation over the park's landscape. In contrast, forest health issues have also affected ecosystem dynamics with significant tree die-offs in specific proportions of the park.


Park goals

The primary goal driving the creation of Cathedral Provincial Park was that of the preservation of the natural environment for the public’s use for recreation of the Cathedral Lakes and the Ashnola River drainage. The original park boundaries were focused on the lakes and nearby mountain peaks. Maintaining the park’s focus on being a pristine, natural, and accessible recreational area has been the driving force in managing the park’s uses since its inception. The three aspects of the park that managers sought to enhance were the natural environment, like maintaining access to the whole public rather than just outdoor specialists; intensive use, including making it accessible to activities like fishing and camping; and wilderness for more involved outdoor activities like backpacking that are completely isolated.                                                   Today Cathedral Provincial Park exists as a "Class A" provincial park that garners the highest protection available to a provincial park under Bill 174, the same as when it was officially declared a provincial park in 1968. These protections include only allowing new resource extraction in the park without approval by the
Minister of Environment and Climate Change The minister of environment and climate change () is a minister of the Crown in the Cabinet of Canada. The portfolio is responsible for the Environment and Climate Change Canada, as well as a number of other federal organizations including Park ...
that would ultimately leave the recreational use of the park unchanged.


Future

Cathedral Provincial Park has not had a new master plan since 1989, although a new master plan is being worked on that aims to be completed and approved by the end of 2023. Issues that are present include, modifying recreational facilities to have less of an impact on the surrounding environment, increasing capacity, reduction in wildfire risk, First Nations collaboration, and human impact on the local wildlife. While resource development has been allowed in the past and the use of the area has an impact on the local ecology, the natural beauty of the overall park persists.


References


External links

* *
BC Parks Web page
{{British Columbia parks Provincial parks of British Columbia Similkameen Country Canadian Cascades 2001 establishments in British Columbia