Sea to Sky Backcountry Forum

This is the fact sheet for those wishing to write a letter of support for the Sea to Sky WInter Backcountry forum. Anything helps!!!

WANTED: LETTERS OF SUPPORT

In September 2001, the Sea to Sky Winter Backcountry Recreation Forum (�Winter Forum�) began monthly meetings to resolve the growing conflict among recreation users in the Sea to Sky backcountry. The Winter Forum included representatives from outdoor recreation clubs (backcountry skiers, snowshoers and snowmobilers), commercial recreation operators (heli-ski, snow-cat and snowmobile tour operators), and government representatives. All representatives recognized the increasing and often conflicting recreational demands placed on the Sea to Sky backcountry. There are over six million recreational visits to the Sea to Sky corridor each year. The number of recreational visits will increase with the 2010 Olympics.

The vision of the Forum was to find a way for all recreational users to have reasonable access to an enjoyable experience in the Sea to Sky backcountry. After almost two years of consultations, discussions and negotiations, the Winter Forum developed a Winter Sharing Accord, which designates areas in the Sea to Sky backcountry for different recreational uses. The Winter Sharing Accord was signed off by all Forum participants. Every user group made compromises and trade-offs in order to achieve the Winter Sharing Accord. The Winter Sharing Accord is therefore a total package, balancing the recreational interests of each user group and thereby minimizing conflicts between the different user groups.

Unfortunately, Land and Water BC Inc. (�LWBC�), the provincial Crown Corporation which issues commercial recreation tenures in the Sea to Sky Corridor, has consistently ignored the Winter Sharing Accord and has issued commercial tenures which are inconsistent with the Winter Sharing Accord. As a result of the actions of LWBC, the Winter Sharing Accord has been severely compromised, undermining the balance achieved among the different recreational user groups. With respect to non-motorized users, the only areas left for non-motorized recreation outside Garibaldi Park are 21 Mile Creek and Mt. Sproatt. Furthermore, commercial recreation tenures are being issued without the benefit of carrying capacity studies, which are needed to ensure that the quality of the backcountry recreational experience is maintained in the Sea to Sky backcountry.

The Winter Forum is currently involved in ongoing negotiations and discussions at various levels of government regarding the Winter Sharing Accord. The Winter Forum is therefore seeking letters of support from recreational users of the Sea to Sky backcountry. Letters should be directed to the following government representatives and to the CEO of LWBC:

1. Honourable George Abbott, Minister Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management P.O. Box 9054, STN PROV GOVT Victoria, B.C. V8W 9E2 Fax: 250-356-8273

2. Bill Valentine, CEO and Associate Deputy Minister Land and Water BC Inc. P.O. Box 9475, STN PROV GOVT Victoria, B.C. V8W 9M2 Fax: 250-356-0105 E-mail: lwbc.corporate@victorial.gov.bc.ca

3. Honourable Gordon Campbell, Premier Province of British Columbia P.O. Box 9041, STN PROV GOVT Victoria, B.C. V8W 9E1 Fax: 250-387-0087 E-mail: premier@gov.bc.ca

The key points to raise in the letters are:

1. Identify yourself as a recreational user of the Sea to Sky backcountry. 2. Your support for the Winter Sharing Accord developed by the Sea to Sky Winter Backcountry Recreation Forum because it balances the recreational interests of all user groups, including the motorized and non-motorized recreational users. 3. Government should honour the Winter Sharing Accord and support the implementation of the Winter Sharing Accord. 4. Land and Water BC Inc. should honour the Winter Sharing Accord and stop issuing commercial recreation tenures which are inconsistent and incompatible with the Winter Sharing Accord. 5. Before more commercial recreation tenures are issued in the Sea to Sky backcountry, carrying capacity studies should be conducted to ensure that the quality of the backcountry wilderness recreational experience is maintained in the Sea to Sky backcountry.

If you have any questions or need more information regarding the Winter Forum or the Winter Sharing Accord for the Sea to Sky corridor, please contact Monika Bittel at monikabittel@telus.net or call 604-983-3097. If you write a letter, please forward copy of it to Monika Bittel c/o BCMC, P.O. Box 2674, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 3W8 or send a copy via e-mail. Thank you for your support.