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Beautiful Schoen Lake and its surrounding mountains and forests remain untouched and wild in an increasingly developed area of British Columbia. Located on Vancouver Island, Schoen Lake Provincial Park contains prime range for what was once an endangered species, the Roosevelt elk. Schoen Lake Provincial Park also features dry-site Amabalis Fir stands, grassland meadows, and some fairly unusual old growth. Because of the relatively lower rainfall of this area, the old growth in this 8,430 hectare (20,831 acre) park is quite different from the wet rainforest on the west side of the island. Visitors to Schoen Lake can camp, swim, boat and hike in the forested valley bottom, overlooked by the impressive Mt. Schoen, while more adventurous type may actually attempt the summit in order to gain an eagle's eye view of this picturesque region.

location

Schoen Lake Provincial Park is located on northern Vancouver Island. Schoen Lake is reached by travelling north from Campbell River for about 140 km (87 mi) on Highway 19, then following signs to the gravel access road into the park.


Click on the map to view an enlargement


"Located on Vancouver Island, Schoen Lake Provincial Park contains prime range for what was once an endangered species, the Roosevelt elk."


wildlife

Schoen Lake Park is ecologically important because it features a drier forest than the outer coast rainforests of the other parks on Vancouver Island. In this small park Amabalis Fir stands are interspersed with valley bottom grassy meadows. It contains significant old growth western red cedar, Douglas fir and hemlock forests. The Nisnak meadows are particularly lovely in spring, when they are filled with wildflowers. The steep mountains in the park, including Mt. Schoen, are high enough to extend beyond the treeline into true alpine and feature dramatic cliff faces. At these heights are found glaciers, which are key sources of water for the surrounding region.

Because much of Vancouver Island has been developed for resource extraction or residential purposes, wild habitat is increasingly rare. Thus, Schoen Lake Park's wilderness is significant for a variety of wildlife. The park is particularly important to Roosevelt elk, to whom it provides key habitat. Wolves, cougars, black bears, and deer, share the park with smaller racoons and squirrels. The park's wetlands and small lakes are also important habitat for a range of wildlife including beavers and birds.


"The park is particularly important to Roosevelt elk, to whom it provides key habitat."


recreation

canoeistSchoen Lake Park offers some of the finest wilderness camping and hiking available on Vancouver Island. The chance to hike through the wilderness lowland meadows found here is quite an unusual experience for Vancouver Island. There is a vehicle accessible campground in the park, as well as walk-in camp sites. Picnic sites, pit toilets, and a boat launch are all located in the vicinity of Schoen Lake itself. Hiking trails in the park include a day hike along the shores of Schoen Lake and a trail to Nisnak Lake. From the trail to Nisnak Lake it is also possible to climb the 1000 m (3280 ft) Mt. Schoen for excellent views of the area.

Schoen Lake's warm waters, surrounded by dense forests and snow-covered peaks, are very scenic and provide excellent swimming, fishing, paddling and boating experiences. Those wishing to fish in the park are reminded that they will need a valid fishing license.


"The chance to hike through wilderness lowland meadows is quite an unusual experience for Vancouver Island."


history

Vancouver Island, the largest island off the west coast of North America, was one of the earliest areas of Western Canada to be settled by Europeans. These settlers quickly set to work carving their homes out of the wilderness of the Island. They were so successful that by the middle of the 20th century the thick forests of the island had begun to recede quickly. By the 1970s only a few valleys remained untouched. Schoen Lake was one of those valleys.

The Sierra Club of Vancouver Island first identified Schoen Lake for protection in the early 1970s, in the wake of the protection victory in Nitnat Triangle. After leading the Nitnat campaign to victory Ric Careless (now of BC Spaces for Nature), Karen McNaught and Pepper McLeod did an air photo and flight survey analysis of the remaining wilderness in Vancouver Island, which even in the 1970s was disappearing quickly. They identified the Schoen Lake and adjacent Tsitika Valley areas as being prime candidates for protection.

Sierra Club's efforts to protect the area were joined by Barry Thornton's proposal to protect Schoen and south to the Victoria Peak area. As well, the Vancouver Island Wildlife Association, under the direction of Ed Mankelow, were interested in the Schoen and Tsitika.

In 1972 there was a change in government, and the incoming government was lobbied successfully by Sierra Club to put a moratorium on logging in the Schoen region. Government then undertook an analysis to determine whether the area had the conservation and recreation values to warrant protection. This review concluded that the Schoen area should be preserved as a park and that the Tsitika would be available for a mosaic of ecological reserves and very careful 'state of-the-art' logging. Schoen Lake proceeded on to become a full Class A Park. Unfortunately in the years that followed the logging in Tsitika failed to live up to conservationists' expectations, which led to ongoing conflict, particularly over the Lower Tsitika.

In 1994 Schoen Lake Park was expanded to include the 259 hectare (640 acre) Davie River area, which was preserved after identification of its ecological values by the Vancouver Island Land-Use Plan.


"In 1972 there was a change in government, and the incoming government was lobbied successfully by Sierra Club to put a moratorium on logging in the Schoen region."



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