French Beach Provincial Park
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French Beach Provincial Park
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 Driftwood on French Beach |
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| location | British Columbia (Canada) | |
| surface | 55 ha | |
| WDPA ID | 65203 | |
| Geographical location | 48 ° 24 ' N , 123 ° 57' W | |
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| Setup date | Jan. 24, 1974 | |
| administration | BC parks | |
| particularities | BC Class C Park | |
The French Beach Provincial Park is a 55-hectare Provincial Park in the Canadian province of British Columbia . The park is 20 kilometers west of Sooke and about 50 kilometers east of Port Renfrew (the southern end of the West Coast Trail). The park is easily accessible from Victoria on Highway 14 . The park is in the Capital Regional District .
investment
The park, which is relatively small by Canadian standards, is named after the Canadian naturalist James French . The park is located on Juan de Fuca Strait on the west coast of Vancouver Island and is cut in two by Highway 14. Several streams also flow through the park.
The park is a category II protected area ( national park ).
history
French Beach Provincial Park was established in 1974. As part of the last update of the park boundaries in 2004, the park was reduced from 59 to 55 hectares.
Flora and fauna
The vegetation in the park is typical of the temperate rainforest . In the Köppen and Geiger climate classification , the climate corresponds to type Cfb. Within the British Columbia ecosystem, it is assigned to the Very Dry Maritime Subzone within the Coastal Western Hemlock Zone . These biogeoclimatic zones are characterized by a similar climate and the same or very similar biological and geological conditions. This results in a very similar population of plants and animals in the respective zones. West American hemlocks , Douglas firs and the giant arborvitae (called "Western Red Cedar" in English) mainly grow in the park area . Epiphytic lichens and mosses cover the tree trunks.
The forest has an undergrowth of sword ferns and heather plants. The Pacific dogwood is also found . This protected plant can also be found in the coat of arms of British Columbia.
Black bears and pumas can also be found in and around the park . Many species of birds are in the park area. Whale watching is possible on the beach, especially for gray whales . These pass here on the way to the northern forage grounds in spring and return south in autumn. Killer whales , otters , seals and sea lions can also be seen from the coast . French Beach is also a good place to spot sea birds, especially bald eagles and ospreys .
activities
The park offers a picnic area and is criss-crossed by several short hiking trails. Although the park is located directly on the water and swimming is also allowed, this is not necessarily an option. The water is relatively cold all year round.
The simply equipped park has 69 parking spaces for mobile homes and tents and has simple sanitary facilities.
Web links
- French Beach Provincial Park . In: BC Geographical Names (English)
- French Beach Provincial Park . In: English language website of the park at BC Parks
- Information park on britishcolumbia.com (Engl.)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Walbran, John T; British Columbia Coast Names, 1592-1906: their origin and history; Ottawa; 1909
- ↑ World Database on Protected Areas - French Beach Park (English)
- ^ French Beach Provincial Park. (PDF; 196.69 kB) Purpose Statement and Zoning Plan. BC Parks , March 2003, accessed October 26, 2012 .
- ^ Ecosystems of British Columbia. (PDF; 9.85 MB) British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations , February 1991, accessed on October 26, 2012 .
- ↑ Biogeoclimatic Zones of British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, accessed April 4, 2016 .
- ↑ TreeBook. Pacific dogwood. British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations , accessed October 26, 2012 .