Helliwell Provincial Park

IUCN Category II - National Park

The cliff at St. John 's Point

The Helliwell Provincial Park is a 2,872 -hectare Provincial Park in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The park is located on Hornby Iceland, a few kilometers in a straight line off the east coast of Vancouver Iceland and belongs to the Comox Valley Regional District.

Since the park is located on Hornby Iceland, it can only be reached by ferry. However, this only runs from Gravelly Bay Ferry Terminal on Denman Iceland.

Plant

The park is located on a wooded promontory, which is called St. John 's Point, in the extreme southwest of the island and is surrounded by the waters of the northern Strait of Georgia. The park area covers and in addition to 69 acres of land also 2803 acres of intertidal and surrounding waters. The terrain is relatively rocky, but mostly flat with slight bumps. The cliff on the southern coast it falls between 10 to 15 meters away steeply. The highest point is located in the northeastern parking area and at about 30 meters.

The park also includes the St. John 's Point small offshore island of Flora Islet, which is really just a large rock in the sea.

In the park is a protected area category II (National Park).

History

The park was established in 1966. Park changed while over time both its status and its limits as well. The park grew so from the original 160 acres, representing approximately 64.75 acres, to its present size.

It has its name the park after JL Helliwell, who gave the land for the park in the province.

However, as with almost all provincial parks in British Columbia also applies to this that he long before the area populated by immigrants or she was part of a park, they refuse and Jagd-/Fischereigebiet different tribes of First Nations, here mainly by the people of Pentlatch, was.

Flora and Fauna

Within the ecosystem of British Columbia, Park area of ​​Moist Maritime subzone within the Coastal Douglas fir zone is assigned.

The year-round mild and humid climate, the months of July and August are notwithstanding, rather dry and warm, resulting in ideal growing conditions. An equally large piece of this temperate coastal rainforest contains twice the biomass of a tropical rainforest.

A forestry operations did not take place in the park, trees were beaten only for local use. Due to the fact can be found in the park, a relatively large number of plants. On trees are found mainly Douglas fir and Oregon oak and red cedar and red alder. This diversity is also reflected in the undergrowth with many different plants. It can be found in the park, for example, rare Perlgräser, various Primrose family, the edible prairie lily or the Castilleja ( in English " Indian paintbrush "). The Park Service lists 15 plants which are considered to be threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada or formerly threatened. The situation is similar with the small mammals and birds is evaluated.

The detectable species correspond to the insularity of the park. On land, there are only several small predators. Large predators are in the park, country side, not in front. Accordingly, it also looks in mammals, ie it live here mainly small mammals. The largest land mammal in here occurring is the mule deer.

The bird life is very extensive, both sea and land birds can be found here. Similar to the plants of the Park for birds is considered an important conservation area. Seabirds such as the Meerscharbe, harlequin duck, long-tailed duck, the Goldeneye, Goosander and the Beringmöwe predominate, but also normal birds such as the little yellow legs occur.

The sea and the numerous small and large rocks provide habitat and forage, for example in the form of the Pacific herring or surf perch and numerous salmon species for harbor seals and Steller sea lions as well as for the porpoise, the Weißflankenschweinswal and the killer whale. Also, here lives the stump nose Sechskiemerhai.

Adjacent parks

On Hornby Iceland Provincial more can be found next to this park for amusement. At the beginning of the promontory on which the Helliwell Provincial Park is located, there is the Tribune Bay Provincial Park. On the west coast of the island is Mount Geoffrey Escarpment Provincial Park. Even municipal parks can be found on the island.

Activities

The park has no distinct tourist infrastructure. In addition to a picnic area, the park has only a very basic sanitary facilities. In addition to these various short walking paths in the park.

The belonging to the park waters are a popular and excellent cold-water diving destination. Jacques Cousteau said to have referred to the whole diving area on the east coast Vancouver Iceland and the Gulf Islands as the second best Kaltwassertauchgebietder world.