One of this region's waterways just got a degree of protection. Although not named as a park, a 503-hectare parcel of land on the Stellako River was designated as a wildlife management area (WMA) on Wednesday. It is a mixed-use category, offering some human uses but also some ecosystem protections.
The Stellako River is about 150 kms west of Prince George and feeds into Fraser Lake, one of the main tributaries to the Nechako River and Fraser River.
The area includes two properties owned by The Nature Trust of British Columbia and leased to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations for the long-term.
The Stellako River is one of the top rainbow trout river fisheries in B.C., said minister Steve Thomson. It is also used by chinook and sockeye salmon. The river mouth at Fraser Lake is also important to red-listed Nechako white sturgeon.
"One of B.C.'s most popular rainbow trout fisheries is here, and the trout have a special relationship to the salmon runs that also take place along the Stellako," Thomson said. "Now this rich and abundant ecosystem will be added to the 235,000 hectares in the province already designated as wildlife management area."
Few of these are in Northern B.C. The biggest in the province, the Todagin WMA, is 122,787 hectares located south of Dease Lake. Prior to the Stellako WMA, the next nearest to Prince George was the Chilanko Marsh WMA located about an hour's drive west of Williams Lake.
"Residents and anglers who frequent the banks of the Stellako River know how important these waters are," said local MLA John Rustad. "I'm pleased this area has been preserved as a wildlife management area for future generations."
Ralph Roy, the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako's elected director for the area, also praised the new protections.
"The Stellako River is one of our region's many special features," he said. "The designation of the Stellako River corridor as a wildlife management area reflects its value as wildlife habitat, and as a destination for sport fishing and other recreation opportunities."
B.C. now has 28 officially designated wildlife management areas.
