Top Image: Alex Philip with guests from Rainbow Lodge heading down the River of Golden Dreams. 1941. Philip Collection.
“Protecting biodiversity and fighting climate change takes more than isolated efforts: it requires a living network of protected and conserved areas that are deeply interconnected”. – Parks Canada
Our last nature article was about Whistler’s remaining wetlands and how important it is for Whistler to protect them. However, protected areas in isolation are not enough; they also need to be connected by green belts, defined as open land where development is restricted or banned. This allows for ecological connectivity, which is the ability for animals on land or in water to move freely from place to place. This is essential because it allows wildlife to find food, breed, and establish new home territories.
In 1985, when the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) expropriated what is now Rainbow Park near the north end of Alta Lake, the RMOW also recognized the value of protecting a wetland corridor along the River of Golden Dreams (ROGD) from Alta Lake to Green Lake. Over time, the RMOW protected the Whistler Nature Reserve (Rainbow Park wetlands), Golden Dreams Conservation Area, Meadow Park, and Dream River Park. The last piece of the puzzle was the establishment of the Emerald Forest Conservation Area in 2000. It was a huge win for ecological connectivity, but acquiring what was previously private land was a complex, lengthy and intriguing process.
In the late 1970s the 139-acre Emerald Forest property was purchased by Decigon Corporation and zoned for residential development. Even though the RMOW wanted to protect the land, it didn’t have the money to buy it. For several years, Decigon sought rights to their land that exceeded the allowed development or included subdivision. Over time, a large group of dedicated community members advocated to protect this critical ecosystem and recreation area. So, with community support, the RMOW renewed its efforts to safeguard the land.
In August 1999, it was finally announced that a deal had been made for the Emerald Forest lands. In a surprising twist, Intrawest had been brought in as a third party to make the deal happen. In the three-way agreement, Intrawest purchased the Emerald Forest lands from Decigon for an undisclosed price. In exchange for the Emerald Forest, the RMOW paid Intrawest $1 million and granted Intrawest approval for additional development rights in the Benchlands and other areas.
River of Golden Dreams corridor.
In 2000, the Emerald Forest Conservation Area was permanently protected through a legally binding agreement between the RMOW and The Land Conservancy of BC. Emerald Forest ecosystems include wetlands, which connect to the much larger ROGD corridor, as well as upland forest, which connects to wetlands on most sides and is significant habitat for many species. Much of the upland forest is unlogged, and some of the biggest trees are almost 400 years old!
I hope you have a renewed appreciation for the work done by the RMOW, Intrawest, and the community at large to protect the Emerald Forest for recreation and, more urgently, as an essential link in a protected wetland corridor. The ROGD green belt is vital for protecting Whistler’s biodiversity and resilience against climate change, a basic need for both people and wildlife.
Glad to see the wetlands protected. I spent a lot of time on the River of Golden Dreams as a kid in the 60s. My future wife and I went down the river in the 90s and I missed my chance for a romantic proposal. Luckily I did propose later and she accepted but I did miss my big chance at a River on Golden Dreams proposal.
Where the Pemberton Trail crossed the River of Golden Dreams there was an old wooden bridge and a floating dock, where Phil Tapley kept a motor dingy. As children, we often rowed up the river to tie up at this dock and proceed on foot, passing through Mons Wye, to the Tapley farm, where we would be given a drink of cold water from the kitchen pump. At the mouth of the river there was an old tripod of wooden stakes sticking out of the water. When Mr. Tapley went to visit his sister, Myrtle Philip, at her house on Alta Lake, he would place a kerosene lamp on this tripod so he could find the mouth of the river in the dark. Once, when I made this journey I came upon a whole bunch of yellow waterlily roots (actually spadderdock) laid out on the dock to dry. Mr. Tapley had dug them from the riverbed, I believe to use as a food source.
Thank you for sharing this lovely anecdote!
One further thought: As I’m sure you know, The River of Golden Dreams was given its name by Alex Philip, who authored a number of novels, one of which was made into a movie starring Katherine Dunsmuir (of the Vancouver Island coal mining family). As a pioneering resident of Alta Lake, Mr. Philip was no doubt practical, but he also had his romantic side. The name of his home was Whispering Leaves, and the full name he bestowed on the river was The River of Golden Dreams and Romance.