REPORT OF THE ASSESSORS FROM THE CANADIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR GEOPARKS (CNCG) TO THE TUMBLER RIDGE ASPIRING GEOPARK (TRAG)

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1 Canadian National Committee for Geoparks Geological Survey of Canada, rd Street NW, Calgary, AB T2L 2A7 REPORT OF THE ASSESSORS FROM THE CANADIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR GEOPARKS (CNCG) TO THE TUMBLER RIDGE ASPIRING GEOPARK (TRAG) CNCG ASSESSORS: Dr. Godfrey Nowlan (ex-geological Survey of Canada and Chair of CNCG and Dr. Pierre Verpaelst (ex-ministère des Ressources naturelles du Québec) DURATION OF VISIT: Attendance at Tumbler Ridge Aspiring Geopark (TRAG) Symposium, starting on the evening of Friday 26 July 2013 and running to the afternoon of Sunday July This was followed by three days of visiting a variety of sites on foot and by helicopter on July TRAG SYMPOSIUM (26-28 July 2013) Starting the visit with the Symposium provided us with a tremendous opportunity to gain background information on a diversity of topics related to the cultural heritage, geoheritage and educational and tourist infrastructure in the Tumbler Ridge region. It also provided the first forum in Canada for representatives of established and aspiring geoparks to exchange information and experiences with each other. The diversity of topics presented at the symposium gave us an excellent background for the three days of assessment during which we visited as many localities as possible and experienced some of the programming offered in TRAG. As part of the Symposium, we were able to become familiar with the institutions that provide the main anchors for TRAG: the Tumbler Ridge Museum and the Peace Region Paleontology Research Centre. GENERAL ASSESSMENT (29-31 July 2013) We provide here our main points and summary comments on both the strengths and weaknesses of the TRAG proposal and, where possible, offer suggestions for improvement. Our goal is to make your final application to the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) as successful as possible. Detailed, specific comments on the strengths and weaknesses of specific localities visited and programs experienced follow this general assessment. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION 1

2 One of the key aspects of an application for Global Geopark status is the demonstration of community involvement in the process. In the case of TRAG, we see this as one of the strengths, despite the small population in the area. It will be important to demonstrate to the GGN the strong commitment of a large proportion of the community to the geopark bid. We have little doubt, however, that this will be apparent to GGN assessors because of the regional and municipal support and the strong evidence of enormous volunteer input to TRAG. Be sure to emphasize this strength in the final application. We recommend that you indicate clearly the great strength of community support for TRAG in terms of regional and municipal support for elements of the geopark infrastructure and the tremendous volunteer support. INFRASTRUCTURE Under this heading, we consider the organizations and physical facilities that exist to support the TRAG Project. Peace Region Paleontology Research Centre and Dinosaur Discovery Gallery We were able to visit this institution on a couple of occasions for extended time periods. We were impressed with the displays. The main central display is eye-catching and the smaller displays around it are informative and have some very fine specimens for people to view. This gallery provides an excellent focus for TRAG and it runs educational and interpretive programs that are key to fulfilling the educational mandate of a geopark. The continuing support for the Centre with the expansion of the collections facility is very encouraging. The Centre s ambition to be British Columbia s premier paleontological museum is well founded and a goal worth pursuing. The staff at the museum is to be congratulated for providing an excellent small museum experience for visitors, while at the same time conducting and publishing significant research and providing a professionally organized collections facility. The steady pace of new discoveries of fossils in the region is a credit to the researchers and the highly supportive community members. Recommendations We strongly recommend that this facility act as a key anchor in the formation of the geopark and its programs. If this is to be the case, there is a need for improved signage for the Dinosaur Discovery Gallery and a clear linkage to the education and research aspects of PRPRC; the signage will need to be explicitly related to the geopark in the future if it is approved. Advertisement of the educational and interpretive programs will need to be stronger should the geopark be approved for an assessment by the Global Geoparks Network Tumbler Ridge Museum Community Centre Exhibits 2

3 The Community Centre is an impressive structure and it houses significant exhibits relating to the cultural development of the region. We were impressed with the brochure that guides the visitor around the facility and with the diversity of exhibits that provides details on the development of the culture and economy of the region. One of the most striking exhibits is the culturally modified tree and this might be an icon for the geopark as it develops. The community centre can be another key element of the geopark and a possible anchor facility. new signage could be developed to link these displays to the geopark explicitly, once it is approved. The erection a temporary geopark-related sign for this facility could be contemplated for the visit by UNESCO assessors to reinforce the cultural connection. Tourist Information Centre and Caboose We visited the tourist centre on a couple of occasions and found the staff well informed and helpful. The impressive display of brochures for the self guided trails shows that the area has much to offer in hiking and walking. Brochures from private operators in the region are less obvious and this needs to be improved. We know that a few operators take jet boat tours to Kinuseo Falls and we also know that a helicopter tour is offered, but this would not have been easy to determine from a visit to the Visitor Centre. There is a need to highlight both cultural and geoheritage opportunities in the geopark and this is the obvious place to gather them together. There is a need for improved visibility of private operators and facilities within the geopark at the Visitor Centre. Brochures for educational and tourist opportunities and local accommodations that may become geopark partners need to be assembled here. The Caboose was a brief but worthwhile visit to discover aspects of local cultural and economic development. The story of the railway is a compelling story. This needs to be linked directly to the geopark in future. Additional Facilities During the visit we were made aware of three other pieces of infrastructure that may assist the geopark in its development. The first is the Lost Haven Cabin, accessible by foot and ski from town and the second is a covered area with picnic tables at Flatbed Falls. Both of these facilities have promise as centres of outdoor education, which should be a cornerstone of the geopark. The third facility is one we did not visit and we are not sure what it is called. It is located, as far as we know, near Gwillim Lake and provides accommodation with potential for outdoor education. We recommend that these three facilities be integrated into the geopark application as potential (or actual) outdoor education facilities. With respect to existing geopark infrastructure, there is a need to decide on roles for each of the buildings. When visitors arrive there needs to be a primary place to which they are directed for information on the geopark. There could be information centres out on the 3

4 approaching highways, but lacking these for the moment at least, it would be important to focus on one as the principal information centre. Each piece of infrastructure has different merits in this regard, but perhaps the best one in the short term is the Visitor Information Centre, as it currently is well signed and in a central location. This is our suggestion, but you will know best which facility is best suited to the role. We recommend that one of the pieces of existing infrastructure be selected as the primary place for geopark information. HIKING TRAILS The array of hiking trails available within the geopark is outstanding. This is one of the great strengths and attractions of the TRAG proposal. The existence of Charles Helm s guide to Tumbler Ridge is an added bonus and perhaps, in time, this book could become a geopark publication. The outstanding map that the book contains is also an asset that should be used by the geopark, assuming no copyright infringement results. We experienced several of the shorter trails and unfortunately could not afford the time to take even one of the longer trails. We saw many of these from the air on the helicopter tour and we were impressed by the amount of time that a hiker could spend in alpine meadow on most of the longer hikes. Most of the trails we experienced were well constructed and maintained. Trails are managed by different authorities: BC Provincial Parks, municipalities and Trails BC. A concern for us is the number of trails that are managed by volunteers. There is no doubt that there is trail-building talent in the Tumbler Ridge region, but dependency on volunteer maintenance may be risky in the long run, especially when the geopark is operational. We urge TRAG to consider ways where some of this burden could be incorporated into the structure and development of the geopark. We recommend that TRAG to consider ways of using geopark designation as a means of reducing the dependence on volunteer labour for the maintenance of trails. We noted with admiration that there are self-guiding brochures for many, many trails in the region. We also understand that these guides are to be rewritten to incorporate more of the cultural heritage and geoheritage. It would be good to complete a number of these in time for the visit by assessors appointed by the Global Geopark Network. We recommend completion of the cultural heritage and geoheritage components of the self-guided trail brochures for as many trails as is feasible by the summer of 2014 when GGN assessors may visit. We recommend the integration of the map that accompanies Charles Helm s book on Exploring Tumbler Ridge into the geopark documentation. 4

5 We recommend that 1:50,000 topographical maps of the region be sold in the Visitor Centre and/or other locations to assist the more adventurous visitors. Sites on the shorter hiking trails near town may be subject to the potential of vandalism. It is probably desirable for TRAG to make an effort to inform the local population of the potential economic importance of the establishment of a geopark that will attract visitors from around the world. This may cause the community to pull together to prevent any potential vandalism and in so doing increase community pride. We recommend that TRAG continue their efforts to inform the community about developments in the geopark with a view to enhancing community pride and reducing the potential for vandalism. GEOHERITAGE The geoheritage available for interpretation within the area of the TRAG proposal is absolutely stunning. The accessibility of the mountains in this region is remarkable, especially the access to magnificent views in the alpine meadows. The updated site descriptions provided by TRAG prior to our visit are a big improvement on the original Expression of Interest and should be used in the final application. The focus on mountain geology, fossils (both fish and dinosaurs) and waterfalls is entirely appropriate. We have no concerns that the geoheritage meets the high standards for global geoparks. BUSINESS PLAN AND GOVERNANCE Perhaps the greatest single deficiency of the Expression of Interest was the lack of a clear business and governance plan. We point out that this has been a deficiency of all three expressions of interest we have seen from aspiring geoparks in Canada. This is partly the problem of not knowing whether the application will be successful, but unfortunately it is mandatory for a successful final application. The Business Plan needs to consider the financial foundation of TRAG from both an income and expenditure point of view. It also needs to contain plans for educational programs, public interpretive programs, signage and any infrastructure that will support the geopark. Of great importance is the governance structure of the future geopark. This needs to be fleshed out fully, even if it is not yet fully implemented. The business plan and governance plan need to be articulated in some detail because there will be many questions about the potential sustainability of the geopark. We strongly recommend the development of a detailed business plan for TRAG to include financial details and estimates of income and expenditures. The plan should also cover educational and interpretive programs and maintenance that may be required for trails, facilities and other aspects of TRAG. We strongly recommend the preparation of a governance document that clearly shows how the geopark would be run and how it integrates with existing local and regional governance. 5

6 We strongly recommend that private businesses and tourism operators be integrated into the business plan and be more obvious overall in the application. PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT Connected to the preparation of business and governance plans, is our observation that provincial support for TRAG is not evident. We feel this gap needs to be addressed because future GGN assessors will be keen on knowing how the geopark fits into provincial tourism plans and how the province will contribute to the sustainability of TRAG. We recommend that TRAG try and gain some formal recognition and support from the Province of British Columbia, so that this aspect of sustainability of the project can be addressed in the final document. DETAILED OBSERVATIONS ON SPECIFIC SITES VISITED July 29, Bullmoose Marshes: o Pros Birding site 20 minutes from town Well tended Boardwalk on two trails New road sign to be installed Benefitted from the presence of Dr. Darren Irwin (UBC) a researcher active in the region. 1. Integrate Dr. Irwin s research on bird migration and hybridization with the site 2. Jet boat tour to Kinuseo Falls o Pros Lots of potential in telling the geological story: Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous, and Quaternary Lot of potential to explain natural resources in the area: old coal mine, reclaimed mine, presence of oil and gas infrastructure Clear cuts to explain forestry Spectacular large falls is well worth the visit Some wildlife possibilities along the way o Cons Journey is a bit long Long stretches without any special features 6

7 Jet boat is very noisy. It will be hard for the operator to provide commentary during the tour without microphone and headphones for passengers Jet boat trip is expensive especially if you consider family travel. 1. Find another departure point that shortens the journey 2. Add a lunch stop to the trip (BBQ site) 3. Add communications to the boats so that a commentary can be heard as you go along and visitors are alerted to wildlife or other observations 4. Propose an alternative to the boat trip, using vehicles on the road along the river, where many of the features can be observed 3. Cabin Pool (Flatbed Creek) dinosaur tracks o Narrow steep trail o Good dinosaur footprints o Signage present o Designed as a self-guided interpretation site 1. Integrate outdoor picnic table site at Flatbed Falls into programming options at this site. 4. Wolverine Dinosaur Tracks o Pros : Very good site with lots of interesting things to see Designed to be an interpreted trail Night visit intriguing and appealing, but a bit demanding because of darkness. Excellent guide and content o Cons : Railroad track crossing without any protection (a solution is under study) Unstable site: rocks falling into creek, risk of land sliding towards the creek 1. Find alternative to crossing railroad tracks in the dark to reduce risk 2. Use local in-kind mine expertise to rock bolt the outcrop and stabilize it to reduce risk Tuesday, July Helicopter tour ( G. Nowlan, P. Verpaelst, C. Helm, R. McCrea) o Sites examined are the following Mt. Spieker, accessible through road and trail Holtzworth Meadows Trail 7

8 Pinnacle Peak Windfall Lake camping site Cave area Hook Lake Albright Ridge, rock faces Kinuseo Falls fly-over Jade Lake Stone Corral Cascades Mount Bulley Glacier (spectacular and inaccessible) Wapiti Lake Cirque T (we stop and explore for fossils of fish, marine reptiles and other groups) Wapiti Lake, Moraine Lake, Onion Lake, Kinuseo Creek Valley Mt. Terminator, Peace River Mine, Mt. Babcock Armada : Titanic Bergeron Cliffs and Bergeron Falls Quality Falls Murray Canyon The tour was magnificent and provided opportunities to see the wealth of more distant options for hiking and visiting. All of these sites are wonderful for hikers. 1. Integrate promotion of those areas within provincial parks with TRAG 2. Advertise the prospect of helicopter tours to tourists more aggressively 3. Integrate existing maps into the geopark package and provide a source of advice and support for more adventurous back-country visitors (ensure this knowledge is present in the geopark centre as well as items supporting hikers, like 1:50,000 maps and perhaps equipment sales) 6. Lost Haven Cabin o Trail starts at Golf Club, cross-country skiing trail, and horse riding o Easy access, close to town o Cabin is possible infrastructure for interpretation and educational activities Suggestion 1. Integrate this facility into the TRAG plan as an outdoor education facility 7. Flatbed Falls o Trail easily accessible, close to town o Open shelter with concrete picnic tables is possible infrastructure for interpretation and educational activities Wednesday, July Quality Creek Trail 8

9 o Trail easily accessible, close to town o Falls overlook and base of falls o Good signage and good quality trail o Initial sign at the entrance needs to be updated. Suggestion 1. Revise signage at head of trail. Perhaps this could a temporary example of how geopark signage might look. Rock and Ice Climbing Although we did not experience this personally, we did hear about developments in climbing in the region during the symposium and it occurs to us that there might be another business venture to associate with the geopark. An operator could conduct a modest, very safe program to introduce visitors to climbing. They would need to find a readily accessible place and provide the necessary equipment. Godfrey Nowlan Pierre Verpaelst 18 September