Areas of the South Peace region that contain caribou habitat have been closed to snowmobiling, the B.C. government said Tuesday.
About 454,000 hectares of Crown land over 13 of 21 identified riding areas is now off limits, the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development said in an information bulletin.
Riders can continue to enjoy their sport elsewhere in the region and opportunities remain in 71 per cent of the areas identified, the ministry added.
"Although winter motorized recreation is not the primary threat to caribou recovery, operating vehicles such as snowmobiles in alpine and sub-alpine caribou habitat can disturb and displace the animals, put unnecessary stress on them and make them more vulnerable to predators such as wolves and cougars," the ministry says in the bulletin.
Through its B.C. Caribou Recovery Program, the ministry says $150,000 will be provided to help local snowmobile clubs plan winter motorized recreation enhancement projects outside of the areas being managed to protect caribou habitat. Projects could include new access, maintenance of existing trails and other projects identified by the clubs.
A map showing the affected areas is available at www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/recreation/motor-vehicle-prohibitions#snowmobile.
