Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park

IUCN Category II - National Park

Transition from the beach with driftwood forest

The Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park is a 347 -hectare Provincial Park in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is located about 3 kilometers south of Parksville on the east coast of Vancouver Island Iceland and can be reached via Highway 19A. The park is located in the Regional District of Nanaimo.

Plant

The park is located directly on the Strait of Georgia. The terrain in the northwestern part of the park is home to the camping area, while the eastern and southeastern part is home to the lakeside picnic area, and the group tent sites. While camping and tent areas of the park are forested, the central location and the westernmost part of grassland dominated. In the park is a protected area category II (National Park).

History

The park was established in 1967. The park was named after the former resident family council. William Rath, an Irish -born prospector, settled here in 1886 with his wife and a baby down. In 1895 they then built a farm.

As with almost all provincial parks in British Columbia but also applies to this, that he, hunting and fishing territory of different tribes of First Nations was long before the area populated by immigrants or she was part of a park.

Flora and Fauna

The park is located in the temperate rainforest. Within the ecosystem of British Columbia, it is assigned to the Dry Maritime subzone of the Coastal Douglas - fir zone. After the last of forest use and reforestation grow here now mainly Douglas fir, western hemlock and American giant trees of life. The forest here has an understory of ferns ribs, superb raspberries and buckthorn. In the undergrowth also Nuttall's flowering dogwood and Pacific Dogwood Blossoms find called, the coat of arms plant of British Columbia.

The tidal range of the Strait of Georgia is also clearly seen and felt, it is usually about 2 to 3 meters. The resulting tidal zone is rich in maritime life. At low tide it is possible to see at the beach mussel beds and other marine creatures. The mussels and fish lure not only sea otters and seals but also osprey and bald eagles.

The park can be the Steller (English Stellar 's Jay ), the national bird of British Columbia, watching. Again, brent geese have meanwhile spread that stop here during their migrations. Well represented are the wide diversity of small mammals and rodents such as raccoon or mink.

Activities

The tourist attraction of the park, the picnic area with its beach and the tidal zone dar. The park is very popular with families with children. Furthermore, the park of numerous short and easy paths is traversed.

The park is maintained by the RLC Enterprize Nature House, which events ( the so-called " Interpretive Programs" ) services. This event offers lectures and games to nearly bring the public the nature and exhibitions on the natural history of the park. The park has one, with sanitary facilities, equipped camping area. This provides a total of 199, being reserved for the most part, pitches for caravans and tents.