Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park

The name “Stein” originates from the Nlaka’pamux word “Stagyn” meaning “hidden”; this is because the watershed and valley is not easily visible from the estuary.[3]For the Nlaka’pamux community, Stein Valley has been a sacred and significant place for centuries in terms of natural resources, culture, and spirituality.[4]Issues about the public and governmental use of Stein Valley between non Indigenous and Indigenous Peoples has been ongoing since as early as 1858, due to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush.[4] Stein valley remains the last unlogged watershed in Southwestern British Columbia, about 160 km in distance from Vancouver.[5] However, throughout the 20th century, there have been conflicts between the BC provincial government, the Nlaka’pamux People, and different environmental activists about the conservation of the Stein Valley.[4]The BC provincial government had pushed to start logging in the Stein valley in the 1920’s until the 1970’s.[4] In the 1980s there was a plan to log the valley. This was protested by the environmentalists who argued that this was the last untouched watershed in the southern Coast Mountains. After strong public support, and an annual music festival that raised awareness, the Stein Valley was finally protected as a park on July 12, 1995.

For the Nlaka’pamux People, the Stein Valley has been historically significant for sustenance and used as a travel passage[6] near Mt. Currie and the St’at’imc and Lytton communities.[5] It has also been a spiritual and cultural site of practice, particularly used for cultural rock paintings and writings. [6]The park features a number of pictographs in the park. Some are easily visible, others must be sought out, and some are closely guarded secrets of the local people. When the BC provincial government intended to log the Stein in the 1920’s it was not possible due to high cost.[4] However, in the 1960’s and 1970’s, along with the newfound frequency of logging in Southern British Columbia, the BC provincial government had reintroduced the idea and completed a test to understand how they could proceed with the logging of the Stein Valley.[4] As tensions rose, Indigenous communities and environmental activists protested against this decision and settled with a 2 year postponement, initiated by conservationists, Chris Adam and Roy Mason with the help of support from the local Fish and Wildlife officer.[5] This postponement was meant to be used to hold off on extracting natural resources from the Stein Valley to explore management options.[5] However, after years of debate, the provincial government ultimately decided to conserve the watershed by transforming it into a heritage park.[3]

The Stein Valley continues to stay unlogged and has become a focus of conservation for the provincial government.[7] The site is now co-managed by the Lytton First Nations and the provincial government of British Columbia.[3] As different perspectives and histories exist among the Nlaka’pamux and non - Indigenous People with the natural land, co-management of the Stein Valley Heritage Park incorporates diverse connections, knowledge, and perspectives of the landscape.[5] The focal point of the Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park Vision Statement in the provincial management plan is the cultural and spiritual values that the Lytton Nlaka’pamux hold in the Stein Valley.[7] Recreational activities and sports, the amount of visitors, and human use have been strictly limited in order to protect natural resources and undisturbed wildlife cultural heritage.[7] In June 2017, the park board suspended kayaking and rafting activities in order to better determine their long-term impacts on the ecological integrity of the park.[8] At the same time, the park board decided that campfires were now forbidden in the park year-round.[8] Additionally, the Lytton First Nations welcome visitors to learn about the Indigenous history and cultural importance of the land.[7] This is partially done by encouraging activities of the Lytton First Nations People like medicinal plant gathering, hunting, and gathering food.[7] These activities also include cultural, ceremonial, and spiritual practices of the Lytton First Nations People.[7]  

View of Blowdown Lake, from the slopes of Gott Peak.

The park protects the complete Stein River watershed as it flows down from the eastern Pacific Ranges into the Fraser River, including several lakes and tributary creeks.[9][10] Cirques and tarns are scattered along the upper range of the river watershed.[9] Two canyon sections of the Stein River can be found on each the east end and the west end of the valley.[9] The main valleys except the lower canyon are consisted of glacial landforms, U-shaped valleys and hanging valleys, that indicates the existence of and the erosion by vast glacier formation and erosion in the past ecosystem of the Stein Valley.[9]The south-facing slopes on lower valley are relatively drier and warmer compared to the north-facing slopes because they are located in the rain shadow of the Coast Mountains.[11]

The park's elevation ranges from 220 metres above sea level at the eastern end up to 2954 at the summit of Skihist Mountain.[9] There are other peaks that are over 2,438 metres and other significant features around the park mentioned by BC Parks such as:[9]

• Main (eastern) trail head 220 metres
• Cottonwood Creek mouth 675 metres
• Stein Lake 1,025 metres
• Elton Lake 1,825 metres
• Tundra Lake 1,875 metres
• Lizzie Lake 1,325 metres
• Blowdown Pass 2,175 metres

Stein Valley holds a substantial variety of flora and fauna throughout the park. The park is home to over 50 species of mammals, including mountain goats, cougars, wolverines, black bears and grizzly bears.[12] Bird species include golden eagles, sharp-shinned hawks, barred owls, pygmy owls, white-tailed ptarmigan, pileated woodpeckers and rufous hummingbirds, as well as several species of chickadees, warblers and nuthatches.[12] In the valley, the Stein River holds resident Dolly Varden char, rainbow trout and Rocky Mountain whitefish, migratory steelhead trout and Coho, Pink and Chinook salmon who return to their home waters to spawn. [12]

The Stein Valley has extraordinarily diverse vegetation communities within the park. This comes from the valley's transition from the dry interior to the coastal mountains and various elevation levels in the park.[12] In the lower valley, ponderosa pine forests dominate.[12] In the mid-valley, Douglas fir forests dominate.[12] On the western side of the valley, there are larger numbers in the Hemlock, Spruce and Fir communities.[12] In contrast, cedar communities exist not only on the valley's eastern side but also have patches throughout other parts of the valley.[12] Black Cottonwood communities mixed with birch and aspen are prevalent within the Stein Valley River floodplain.[12] Higher elevations within the park include stands of subalpine fir, whitebark pine, Engelmann spruce, and alpine tundra.[12] During the blooming seasons of spring and summer, you can find a wide variety of blooming flowers throughout the valley, especially at higher elevations.[12]

Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park offers several recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, and wildlife and cultural artifact viewing. The Stein Valley offers 150km of hiking and backpacking opportunities throughout the park and provides quality wildlife viewing of the various flora and fauna species that inhabit the park.[13] You can visit BC Parks Stein Valley's hiking page to browse the multiple hikes and backpacking opportunities the park offers. While hiking within the Stein Valley, there are various conditions you must consider. There are three cable crossings as of 2017 and a suspension bridge across the Stein River.[13] The Lower Stein Valley from the Lytton trailhead to the Suspension Bridge Camp has become popular for school outdoor education groups.[13] Trails can be found in various conditions, such as wet, slippery, steep, or difficult to see.[13] Deadfall and rugged terrain can lengthen the time and amount of travel required for your hike.[13] Appropriate footwear, compasses, and maps are needed, and you should allow extra time and planning to complete your trip safely. The weather in the park can change quickly due to its alpine location.[13] Be prepared for all weather events, as sudden storms can cause dangerous conditions such as whiteouts that can severely affect your trip.[13] The park is also far from medical assistance.[13] Bringing a personal first aid kit would be useful to store close to you.

The Stein River can provide Pacific salmon fishing opportunities, including Pink, Coho and Chinook salmon from early summer to late fall.[13] The river also provides fishing opportunities for Dolly Varden char, Rainbow trout, and Rocky Mountain Whitefish.[13] Any angler fishing in Stein Valley must have an appropriate freshwater fishing license from the BC Freshwater Society.[13] Hunting within the Stein Valley is only permitted during lawful game hunting season.[14]The Stein Valley is located within region 3-16, and further information about bag limits and harvestable game can be found in the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis.[14]

The Stein Valley offers 11 developed campgrounds for park visitors in the lower and mid valleys.[13] Most campgrounds have pit or backcountry toilets and metal food caches provided to campers.[13] Campers must use food caches provided to reduce conflicts with wildlife such as bears. If you must camp where no food cache is provided, use a rope cache and ensure that the food and other accessories with scent are a minimum of 4 meters off the ground and 1 meter from the trunk. [13] The park also allows camping opportunities in undeveloped sites. Still, campers are advised to camp in areas with minimal environmental impact or where others have previously camped.[13] The park has limited capacity, and it is essential for visiting campers, especially groups of over four, to contact the Thompson Southern Rivers staff of the BC Parks office in Kamloops during the planning phase for the park.[13] Devils Staircase, Teepee, Suspension Bridge and Cottonwood Creek are all campgrounds available to accommodate larger parties.[13]

The park is currently being co-managed by the Lytton First Nations and the BC Government[15]. In 1995 when the park was established the two groups had signed a cooperative management agreement to work together and manage the park[16]. The agreement meant they will share the responsibilities of operating, managing and planning of the park. As for the funding of the park, the government provides funds to maintain the park[16]. However the management board itself also applies for grants.

There are various co-management practices active in the heritage park which are not limited to but use stewardship, governance and legalistic co-management agreements[16]. The management of the Park is overlooked by the Management Board. The management board consists of three representatives from the Lytton First Nations and three from the BC Government[17]. Through the management board they have created a management framework which outlines how the park will be used to protect and conserve the biodiversity that exists in this area.

The park is also used for educational and research purposes along with its recreational purposes. With the undistributed biodiversity in the Heritage Park it has become a location for ecological, anthropological and archaeological research[16]. The facilitation and authorization of such activities is also overlooked by the management board.

The cooperative management agreement addresses that it will not undermine the aboriginal rights and title. Furthermore members of the Lytton First Nations may continue to extract resources from the park for traditional, ceremonial or social activities[17].

• Mehatl Creek Provincial Park

• "Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park". BC Geographical Names.
• Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park, BC Parks
• UN database entry