Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists - General Forum

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  • AFA 2010 - 2020 Forest Management Plan - Billy Lake Road
      • (Login BarryBB)
      Executive Committee
      Posted Mar 23, 2009 11:20 PM

      Appendix 3, page 2, section 1 (paraphrased)...

      "This change to the road system provides access to areas in Preston and Sproule townships currently accessed by the Cameron Lake Road, since ...
      1. The replacement of the Annie Bay dam provides no bridge for the Cameron Lake Road over the Opeongo River.
      2. The Forest Management Access Roads Strategy for the Algonquin Park Forest shows a permanent break in the road system where the Cameron Lake Road meets the Opeongo Lake Road.
      Loss of these road connections leaves FAM area 25 without road access. It's proposed to join this area with the Shirley Lake Road by extending the Billy Lake Road."

      The following illustrations are excerpted and overlaid from Ontario Parks Board and AFA maps.

      This is an excerpt from the Lightening the Ecological Footprint of Logging in Algonquin Provincial Park. The map's legend relates the colour-coded areas to the recommendations of the board.
      [linked image]

      This is an excerpt from the AFA's Appendix 3 'Billy Lake Road' alternatives.
      [linked image]

      This is an overlay of the two images.
      [linked image]

      Notice how the first alternative places the road immediately along the south end of McCarthy Creek's N13 Nature Reserve Zone ("Booth Lake Bog"), bisects the Mole/Boot Lake canoe route and places it acoustically at the very south end of the McCarthy Creek valley. This road location specifically impacts quite negatively on recreational uses of the areas both to the north and south.

      The second alternative is at a greater acoustical distance from the McCarthy Creek area. However, it has an immediate impact on the Raja/Boot Lake canoe route. In addition, it impacts on the Brook Trout AOC (area of concern) around both Boot and Baily Lakes.

      Both of these alternatives have unacceptable impacts on recreational and ecological values. The pre-existing third alternative of re-establishing the "Cameron Lake Road to Opeongo Lake Road" access appears to be less intrusive and threatening from both a recreational and an ecological standpoint. The viability of this third alternative should definitely be explored more fully.


      Barry Bridgeford
      Executive Committee
      Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists
      http://www.ABRweb.ca
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