KARST CREEK TRAIL: A SELF-GUIDING, DIRECTEDACCESS KARST SITE IN STRATHCONA PARK, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
KARST CREEK TRAIL: A SELF-GUIDING, DIRECTEDACCESS KARST SITE IN STRATHCONA PARK, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

Summary/Abstract: The province of British Columbia, Canada, has few self-guiding, directed-access karst sites in its parks system that are readily accessible to the general public. Karst Creek Trail, located in Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, is situated along a paved public “highway” near the shores of Buttle Lake in a temperate rainforest setting. The karst at this particular site is not especially spectacular. The surface expression of the karst is relatively subdued and the area in which the site is located has been subject to different land-use impacts and natural disturbances. On the positive side, Karst Creek Trail is easily accessed and already possesses some of the basic infrastructure necessary to make the trail a relaxing nature walk for many park visitors. Given its accessibility and manageable size, we suggest that with modest investments in improved and expanded interpretation, trail maintenance, and basic karst research, Karst Creek Trail has the potential to be an excellent regional public educational site for karst.

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