What does this document have to say about BC Park's management of Mountain Goats in Garibaldi Park and the impacts of both hikers and industry?

 

 

"The direct impact of many outdoor recreation pursuits on mountain ungulates is poorly quantified. Presumably mountain, rock, and ice climbing would place humans closest to mountain goat habitat. Simulated non-mechanized recreational impacts had a negligible effect on mountain goat activities in Colorado (Thompson 1980) and disturbance due to human foot traffic appears to be generally minor, but may be more important at some times of the year (e.g., calving; Shively et al. 2005)."

 

 

Regarding the claim of the existence of mineral licks along the Darling Lake Trail by the Ministry of Forest and Lands and BC Parks:

 

 

 

B.C. Parks and the Ministry of Forests and Lands fully endorses industrial distubances, helicopters and ski resort development in Mountain Goat Winter Ungulate Range in Garibaldi Park (reference Garibaldi at Squamish Enironmental Assessment, and Heli-Ski Permit Endorsement in the Spearhead Range), which their own scientists agree are considered the most damaging and disturbing activities to Mountain Goats.  The assertion by BC Parks that the heritage Darling Lake Trail, which is intended for hikers, climbers and backcountry skiers, is a major threat to Mountain Goats is not backed up by their own science. Pedestrian, non-motorized users are no threat. As Darling Ridge is in a park, no hunting is allowed.  The position of BC Parks is also highly hypocritical, especially considering that the Darling Lake Trail does not even enter Mountain Goat Winter Ungulate Range.  The BC Parks position is all the more galling in light of the recent environmental approval of the Garibaldi at Squamish Proposal which blatantly violates Mountain Goat Winter Ungulate Range.  Apparantly bulldozers, roads, ski lifts, helicopters and avalanche control using explosives are acceptable activities in a Mountain Goat Winter Range, but a hiking trail no closer than 300 meters to one is unacceptable.  

 

Furthermore, the claim of the existence of Mountain Goat Mineral Licks along Darling Ridge by the Ministry of Forest and Lands and BC Parks has yet to be established.  Their own research demonstrates that the likelihood of the existence of such mineral licks is remote at best, considering that no such discovery has been made in the entire Coast Mountain Range to date. Remember that Compliance and Enforcement officers only declared the existence of mineral licks on the ridge in a last ditch effort to bolster the flimsy case for their stop work order. Requests by GaribaldiPark2020.com to the Ministry of Forests and Lands office in Squamish for the GPS location of these mineral licks (for purposes of independent verification) to date have have been outright refused and rejected.  The question to be asked, is why the refusal?  Until such time as the mineral licks can be independently verified, it is our position that the mineral licks do not exist.