{"id":10316,"date":"2021-10-07T14:48:09","date_gmt":"2021-10-07T21:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/bcparksblog\/?p=10316"},"modified":"2022-06-27T14:43:10","modified_gmt":"2022-06-27T21:43:10","slug":"while-you-were-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/bcparksblog\/2021\/10\/07\/while-you-were-away\/","title":{"rendered":"While\u00a0You\u00a0Were\u00a0Away"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Home<\/a>\n \n While\u00a0You\u00a0Were\u00a0Away\n <\/span>\n
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While\u00a0You\u00a0Were\u00a0Away<\/h1>\n
BC Parks News<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n
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Our parks play an important role in providing outdoor space and access to nature to the people of BC and visitors to our province. But what happens when we remove the people from those spaces and leave the parks to the wildlife? In 2020, the park system was closed, and Joffre Lakes Provincial Park did not reopen for 14 months. In that time, there were very few people in the park but plenty of creatures eating, exploring, and living there. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is a magnificent area of jagged peaks, icefields, cold rushing streams, and three turquoise blue lakes. Joffre is known for these incredible lakes and their striking, saturated blue colour. The colour is caused by \u201crockflour\u201d \u2013 or glacial silt \u2013 that is suspended in the water and reflects green and blue wavelengths of sunlight. Because of the amazing scenery and picturesque blue lakes, Joffre Lakes sees many park users; in 2019 there were almost 200,000 visitors, a 222% increase since 2010. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Joffre Lakes Provincial Park reopened in June 2021, the impact of humans has again become evident. Wildlife usually stays away from places with a lot of people, but some of the busy trails at Joffre Lakes continue to host some wild four-legged creatures. A day pass system has been put in place at Joffre Lakes Provincial <\/span>P<\/span>ark (<\/span>BC Parks Day-Use Pass Reservation System \u2013 BC Parks<\/span><\/a>) during peak season to help control the number of people and lessen our impact on the wildlife who live there.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are some other ways we can lighten our impact on wildlife when we are visiting the parks to ensure our natural spaces remain wild?<\/span><\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wildlife is meant to be wild<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n