Boyne ValleyProvincial Park

Interim ManagementStatement

January 20, 1995

REGIONAL DIRECTOR'S APPROVAL STATEMENT

This Interim Management Statement will provide interim direction for the management ofBoyne Valley Provincial Park until a comprehensive Park Management Plan has beenprepared.

This statement will provide the basis for future preparation of the Park Management Plan.

I am pleased to approve this Interim Management Statement for Boyne Valley ProvincialPark.

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MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES

I. LAND TENURE

The Ministry presently owns 1,070 hectares of which 431 hectares are regulatedunder the Provincial Parks Act. The area within park regulation is shown onFigure 1. Several hundred hectares of acquired Crown lands upstream of theregulated park may have potential to be added to the park to protect the BoyneRiver Valley and the coldwater stream habitat.

Two land use permits, totalling 253 hectares, were issued in 1994 for the purposeof pasture and cash crops. A seasonal recreational (snowmobile) trail land usepermit is issued annually to the Dufferin Drift Busters Snowmobile Club.

Guidelines:

Adjacent acquired Crown lands will be considered for possible inclusionin the provincial park or may be declared surplus and disposed of.

An annual reassessment will be carried out to determine whether theagricultural land use permits should be renewed. The seasonalrecreational (snowmobile) trail land use permit may be renewed on anannual basis.

II. LAND ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION

Further land acquisition is proposed for:

1. Part of Lot 2, Concession 1, West of Hurontario Street (J. Weir property),2. Part of the Hurontario Street road allowance between Concession 1, East of Hurontario Street, and Concession 1, West of Hurontario Street (through Lots 1 through 4),3. Parts of the road allowance between Concessions 1 and 2, West of Hurontario Street, in Lots 2 and 3, and4. Part of Deviation Road (Instrument No. 12539), West Half of Lot 2, Concession 1, West of Hurontario Street.

Guidelines:

A priorized land acquisition list will be submitted to the Ministry's NiagaraEscarpment Coordinator on an annual basis as part of the NiagaraEscarpment Land Acquisition and Stewardship Program (NELASP). Newly acquired lands will be regulated as part of the park.

The status of adjacent acquired Crown land will be reviewed and suchlands may either be placed into regulation as part of the park or declaredsurplus and disposed of through sale or land exchange.

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III. EXISTING DEVELOPMENT

Existing development on current land holdings include:- one barn- one drive shed- approximately 2 kilometres of the Bruce Trail- approximately 20 kilometres of snowmobile trail

A small parking area located on the east side of Concession I East of HurontarioStreet (EHS) is often used by fisherman to access the stream at this location.

Guideline:

The small parking area adjacent to the road allowance must bemonitored for garbage.

IV. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

There are no plans for the development of the provincial park in the next five toten years. Most of the proposals of the park master plan prepared by M.M. DillonLimited and D.W. Graham and Associates Limited in 1975 are no longerconsidered to be relevant in the context of current recreational demands andfunding constraints.

The park areas falls entirely within the Niagara Escarpment Planning Area andalso within the area which is subject to development control by the NiagaraEscarpment Commission.

Guidelines:

Prior to any major development, a park management plan will beprepared with full public consultation. On an interim basis it would be desirable to establish a public accesspoint with a small parking lot, vault privies and picnic tables. Thepreferred location is on the east side of Prince of Wales Road on Lot 4,Concession 1 West of Hurontario Street (WHS).

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V. RECREATION ACTIVITIES

The property is used extensively by hikers, cyclists, cross-county skiers,snowmobilers, trail bike and all-terrain vehicle riders. Some fishing for brook,brown and rainbow trout occurs along the Boyne river. Small game huntingoccurs on the adjacent Crown lands.

Some park resources (i.e. historical and life science features) are sensitive todamage. A detailed life science inventory is required to evaluate the appropriaterecreational uses of the property.

The Bruce Trail passes through the park. A side trail (Primrose Loop) providesaccess to an excellent lookout.

The park is used extensively by the City of Toronto Board of Education foroutdoor education activities. The board operates an outdoor education centre inthe northeast corner of the property.

Guidelines:

The Dufferin Hi-Land Bruce Trail Club will continue to maintain the hikingtrail through the area.

The Dufferin Drift Busters Snowmobile Club will continue to maintain thesnowmobile trail through the area.

In consultation with local trail groups and park users, a study of existingformal and informal trails should be carried out. Subsequently, a trailimplementation plan should be prepared which would rationalize the trailnetwork based on a consideration of environmental suitability, publicsafety, user compatibility, provincial park policy, and other availabletechnical resources.

Undesirable trail uses will be prohibited. Signage and enforcement willbe applied as required.

A memorandum of understanding should be signed with the TorontoBoard of Education which would define their use of the park property,including any limits which should be set in order to protect sensitiveareas.

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VI. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The provincial park and adjacent areas contain provincially significant areas ofnatural and scientific interest (ANSI's), namely the Boyne Valley Life ScienceANSI and the Primrose - Boyne Valley Earth Science ANSI, as shown on Figure2.

Land and Water Management Guidelines:

The existing trail system may be modified and improved by completion ofa trails assessment and proper marking of the trail system.

Undesirable trail uses may be prohibited by signage and enforcement,including the use of the property by trail bikes and all-terrain vehicles. Much of the unauthorized use occurs on the existing road allowances thatare not included as park property.

Agricultural land use will continue by rental agreement until the end useof the property is determined in the park management planning process.

Surveillance and garbage clean-up should be performed on a regularbasis.

Improved signage is required on the property to encourage permittedused and discourage abuse of the property.

Improvements to public access, vault privies and picnic tables will beconsidered to accommodate existing use if funding is available fordevelopment and operation.

Fauna Management Guidelines:

Sport fishing will be allowed to continue.

Commercial trapping will not be permitted within the provincial park. Trapping of nuisance animals will be permitted as a resourcemanagement technique.

Hunting will not be permitted within the provincial park.

VII. MARKETING

Guideline:

Until a management plan is prepared and priorities are set regardingdevelopment of the property, no plan has been suggested to promote thepark other than general information available through Earl RoweProvincial Park or the Midhurst Parks Zone Office.

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VIII. RESEARCH

Numerous reports were prepared between 1973 and 1975 during the preparationof the first park management plan.

Reviewing the park management plan and completing an assessment of existingand proposed trail systems are the priority projects for this property.

Guidelines:

A detailed life science inventory and evaluation may be completed prior topreparation of a park management plan.

A trail plan may be completed prior to the preparation of a parkmanagement plan.

IX. REFERENCES

Beechey, T.J. and A.G. Tracey. Primrose Provincial Park Reserve: Environmental Planning Series Miscellaneous Report - An Environmental ImpactStudy. Toronto, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Park Planning Branch,1973.

Bingham, D.A. Proposed Park at Primrose - A History. Earl Rowe ProvincialPark, 1973.

Bishop, Fred. Interpretive Directional Planning for Primrose Provincial Park. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 1973.

Bruce Trail Association. Bruce Trail Reference, 19th Edition. Hamilton, 1994.

Clayton Research Association. Market Analysis. 1973.

Comments on Specific Areas of the Primrose Property. 1971.

Greenland, Gary. Brief Historical Inventory of Primrose Park Reserve. OntarioMinistry of Natural Resources, Historical Sites Branch, Planning: Research, 1973.

Harris, A., R. Ritchie and M. Stabb. A Preliminary Life Science Survey. MulmurTownship, Dufferin County, Boyne River Natural Science School, 1987.

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IX. REFERENCES (continued)

Hulme, F.G. and Brian H. Jackson. Primrose, Mono Cliffs, Scott's Falls andCredit Forks Recreation Areas Descriptive Report. 1973.

J. Ross Raymond and Associates Limited. Amendment Number 7 to the OfficialPlan of the Mulmur Planning Area. The Mulmur Planning Board, 1985.

J. Ross Raymond and Associates Limited. Official Plan of the Mulmur PlanningArea. The Mulmur Planning Board, 1973.

Kor, P.S.G. An Earth Science Inventory and Analysis of the Violet Hill Channel -Boyne Valley Area of Natural and Scientific Interest and Boyne Valley ProvincialPark. Aurora, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 1991.

Kovacevic, Darija. Historical Architectural Study of Proposed Provincial Park atPrimrose. Primrose, 1973.

Marshall, Macklin, Monaghan. Proposal for Primrose Provincial Park. 1973.

M.M. Dillon Limited, D.W. Graham and Associates Limited. Boyne ValleyProvincial Park Master Plan. Toronto, 1975.

M.M. Dillon Limited. Primrose Park Traffic Study. Toronto, 1974.

Niagara Escarpment Commission. The Niagara Escarpment Plan. OntarioMinistry of Environment and Energy, Toronto, 1994.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Huronia District Land Use Guidelines. Midhurst, 1983.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Ontario Provincial Parks Planning andManagement Policies. Toronto, 1978.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Ontario Provincial Parks Planning andManagement Policies - Update. Toronto, 1992.

Patten, Bruce. Geological Summary and Groundwater of Primrose Park.

Sadler, D. The Park Story - Primrose Provincial Park. Primrose, 1971.

Tracey, A.G. Brief Notes on the Geomorphology of Primrose and Adjacent Area. Toronto, Department of Lands and Forests, Parks and Recreation Branch, 1971.

Treacy, John F. Geological Report for Primrose Park. Maple, Ontario Ministry ofNatural Resources, 1973.