The Selkirk Mountain Caribou Park would see a large continuous piece of land ranging from the Duncan Reservoir to Glacier National Park designated as a provincial park.

Only fragments remain of the ancient and rare inland temperate rainforest that once blanketed the Kootenays, but the Valhalla Wilderness Society hopes their recent park proposal could help protect what’s left.

The Selkirk Mountain Caribou Park Proposal draft released last week would see a large continuous piece of land ranging from the Duncan Reservoir to Glacier National Park designated as a provincial park (see map).

Protected in that park would be some of the few-remaining stands of inland temperate rainforest that contain trees of substantial size – including many that are 500 years old and a few that are estimated to be 1,800 years old.

Preserving these forests would also protect the endangered species that rely on them, such as the mountain caribou, grizzly bears, bull trout, as well as innumerable species of rare lichens, mushrooms and plants.

Anne Sherrod of the Valhalla Wilderness Society (VWS) said establishing a provincial park often takes several years to happen, but she’s hoping the provincial government will recognize the importance of this land and move quickly to protect it.

“I don’t think this ought to take very many years, given the situation we’re in,” Sherrod said. “Global warming, species loss and endangered species right there in the area – these are some of the emergency situations that we hope the government will recognize a responsibility to do something about.

“The role of these forests in terms of species survival and climate control is extremely important to life on the planet. Also, they have a great heritage value to British Columbians. We don’t have anything like this protected yet.”

A couple of the areas in the park proposal, East Creek and Geigrich Creeks are completely intact because their terrain makes access difficult for logging access.

But the Upper Incomappleux River Valley, an area highlighted in the proposal, has been extensively logged and only a small patch of giant trees remains – the oldest and largest in the entire interior rainforest.

Sherrod said it would be a terrible act to destroy what remains of the forests.

“They’re almost gone and I think our society would be amongst the most barbaric and foolish societies if we believe we should completely decimate them all,” Sherrod said.

“I believe that if (Premier) Gordon Campbell could come and see those trees and take the whole trip to the Incomappleux to see how much of it has been logged and how little of it is actual commercial forest – then he would see it would be the height of foolishness to log those trees.”

Five cut blocks are already mapped out in the Incomappleux Valley, which butts up against Glacier National Park, and only low timber prices are keeping trees from falling.

The VWS took two NDP MLAs on a trip into the region in Fall 2009 and extended the invitation to members of the governing Liberals, who declined the opportunity.

colin@nelsondailynews.com

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