Tour of the District

The Fort St. James Forest District represents a diversity of landscapes, from the rolling landscapes of
the northern interior plateau in the southern portion of the district, to the extremely mountainous and largely unroaded landscapes of the north.

The area is best known for its series of lakes and rivers, many of which are highly valued for tourism and recreation. Large lake systems include the Trembleur, Stuart, Inzana, Pinchi, and Tezzeron systems, which are tributary to the Fraser River Basin. Other significant lakes include Takla, the Nation Lakes (Tsayta, Indata, Tchentlo, and Chuchi), Great Beaver, Grassham, Cunningham, Kazchek, Kloch, Takatoot, Witch, Carrier, Tetana, Motase, Sustut, Johanson, Canyon, Slamgeesh, and Bear lakes.

The Forest District covers parts of the headwaters of three major river basins: the Skeena, the Fraser, and the Peace. The first two drain to the Pacific Ocean while the Peace River flows, via the Mackenzie River, to the Arctic Ocean.

The Fraser Basin covers the southern portion of the district and provides access to the north. The commanding features of the Basin are Takla Lake and its major tributaries, the Driftwood, Kotsine, and Sakeniche rivers. Takla Lake is drained via the Middle River into Trembleur Lake, which in turn is drained into Stuart Lake by the Tachie River. Stuart Lake is drained out of the planning area by the Stuart River, which joins the Nechako River before connecting with the main body of the Fraser River at Prince George. The Middle and Stuart rivers have been nominated for designation as Canadian Heritage Rivers (1997).

Two additional tributary rivers join this main drainage pattern before it leaves Stuart Lake. The Kuzkwa River flows into the Tachie River, and the Necoslie River flows into Stuart Lake near the Stuart River outfall. A small subset of the Fraser Basin, lying on the eastern edge of the planning area, is drained by the Salmon River and its main tributary, the Ocock River.

The Peace Basin covers the eastern portion of the district and is drained primarily by the Omineca and Nation rivers and their tributaries. The lower reaches of the Omineca flow into the Williston Lake Reservoir, to the east in the Mackenzie area. The upper reaches of the Nation River are slowed by a series of long lakes generally aligned with the direction of flow. These waters also subsequently flow rapidly through a series of gorges before reaching the Williston Reservoir.

The Stuart-Takla river system produces provincially significant salmon runs. It is a predominantly wild salmon fishery, composed of sockeye and chinook. A Salmonid Habitat Management Plan was developed in 1992 for the Stuart-Takla river system. The Driftwood River is the main kokanee spawning stream, and also sustains the largest number of sockeye spawners. Together with the Middle and Tachie rivers, the Driftwood River accounts for 80% of sockeye spawning in the district.

Eight ecosections, including five with significant representation, divide the forest district: Babine Upland, Nechako Lowland, Manson Plateau, Southern Omineca Mountains, Eastern Skeena Mountains, Northern Skeena Mountains, Southern Boreal Plateau, and Cassiar Ranges.

Within these eight ecosections there are five vegetation or biogeoclimatic zones:

· Sub-Boreal Spruce (SBS)

· Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir (ESSF)

· Interior Cedar-Hemlock (ICH)

· Alpine Tundra (AT)

· Boreal White and Black Spruce (BWBS)

There is an abundance of wildlife throughout the Fort St. James Forest District. Resident mammals include moose, mule and white-tailed deer, elk, cougar, sheep, mountain goat, black and grizzly bear, coyote, wolf and woodland caribou. The area is home to approximately 13 furbearer species, including but not limited to beaver, otter, mink, muskrat, fisher, wolverine, and marten.

 Some 173 bird species are found within the district, with 52 species described as winter residents. Owls, cavity nesters and perching birds are widespread, as are waterfowl and some species of shorebirds. The area is home to a number of blue-listed wildlife species, including grizzly bear, trumpeter swan, fisher, great blue heron, and American bittern.

Forests are mostly lodgepole pine and spruce, with balsam at higher elevations and scattered patches of aspen. There are some areas of Douglas-fir, particularly along the shores of Stuart Lake. A history of frequent wildfires has left a mosaic of forest ages. Old and mature balsam stands are found in the northern portion of the district, and are also associated with some patches of Douglas-fir elsewhere.

There is an ecological reserve at Takla Lake, consisting of Douglas-fir at the northern-most tip of the species’ range. The majority of the stands are young, but there is some old-growth along the lakeshore.

Timber harvesting to date has concentrated on the southern portion of the district, in areas around the larger lakes, and along valley bottoms in old age class spruce, with increasing emphasis on lodgepole pine-dominated stands. Historical lack of access, mountainous terrain and a predominance of less preferred tree species, such as balsam, have limited harvesting in the north.