Helliwell Provincial Park

Helliwell Provincial Park
IUCN category II (national park)
The cliffs of Helliwell Provincial Park
Location Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada
Nearest city Courtenay
Coordinates 49°31′00″N 124°36′20″W / 49.51667°N 124.60556°W / 49.51667; -124.60556[1]Coordinates: 49°31′00″N 124°36′20″W / 49.51667°N 124.60556°W / 49.51667; -124.60556[1]
Area 2,872 hectares (7,100 acres)[2]
Established September 16, 1966 (1966-09-16)[1]
Governing body BC Parks
www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/helliwell/

Helliwell Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada located on a headland at the northeast end of Hornby Island.

The land, formerly a farm belonging to the Acton family, was donated by Mr. J. L. Helliwell.[3] The park was established by Order in Council 2681 on September 16, 1966 and expanded several times thereafter.[1] Its 2,872 hectares (7,100 acres) now include Flora Islet and part of Lambert Channel.[2]

There are facilities for hiking, canoeing, picnicking, sightseeing, and scuba diving. Restroom facilities consist of four pit toilets.[2]

The park has large old-growth Douglas fir tree and rare Garry oak meadow ecosystems. A trail loops around the bluffs that overlook the Strait of Georgia and links-up with Tribune Bay. The Garry oak meadow ecosystem is one of the many microclimates located within British Columbia and is considered an endangered habitat.[4]

The cliffs in the southern part of the park form a unique microclimate that local community groups are attempting to protect . These cliffs are also nesting areas for the pelagic cormorant.[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Helliwell Park". BC Geographical Names.
  2. 1 2 3 "Helliwell Provincial Park". Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Fillongley, Tribune Bay, Helliwell, Sandy Island Parks Master Plan" (PDF). 1987. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  4. ↑ Pacific Forestry Centre, Canadian Forestry Service Garry Oak Recovery Team Research document, 2005
  5. ↑ BC Wildlife Watch, Ministry of Environment


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.