The busy summer camping season launched today with a new passport program that offers British Columbians - especially families - one more reason to visit B.C. parks this summer, Environment Minister Terry Lake announced.

The BC Parks 100 Passport - available free starting today at participating provincial parks and visitor centres - offers kids of all ages a chance to collect stamps and win prizes by visiting provincial parks.

Similar programs in the Yukon and national parks systems have been successful in increasing park visits, and Lake anticipates a rise in visits to B.C. parks this summer. B.C. parks typically get about 20 million visitors a year.

The passport program, which runs until Sept. 30, 2011, is the latest incentive for families to get out and enjoy B.C. parks. On May 3, the Province eliminated parking fees in all provincial parks to help make them more accessible.

Along with the chance to collect stickers and win awards, the passport includes advice on trip- planning, special offers and information about events and activities taking place in B.C. parks this summer.

B.C. has almost 1,000 parks and protected areas, offering amenities including:

• More than 340 campgrounds.
• 118 boat launches.
• 263 day-use areas.
• Nearly 7,000 kilometres of trails.

Two new online tools are also now available to help people plan their park experience. The Discover Camping system (www.discover camping.ca) lets you book campsites in advance and a new Google Maps overlay at www.bcparks.ca links you directly to individual park websites. The passport also includes a high-tech feature linking directly to parks information online. Smartphone users can scan an embedded barcode, called a QR code, on the back cover to go straight to the BC Parks 100 web page.

Lake launched the passport program at the Victoria Day parade in Clearwater this weekend. The event was one of many of taking place this year as part of BC Parks' 100th anniversary celebrations.

Quick Facts:

Community Legacy Program

• To celebrate BC Parks 100, the Province has launched a $500,000 Community Legacy Program to fund improvements to parks across the province. Community groups can apply for up to $20,000 for projects such as trail enhancements, improvements that support recreational activities or conservation of the park's ecology or cultural history.
• Community groups can apply now on the BC Conservation Foundation's website: http://www.bccf.com/clp-application

Wells Gray Provincial Park

• A natural treasure for locals and the thousands of tourists who visit each year, BC Parks and the District of Clearwater are working to get Wells Gray recognized with UNESCO world heritage designation. Parks Canada's next call for nominations for the national submission to UNESCO is expected to be in 2014. Getting world heritage status is no easy feat: UNESCO chooses only the most stunning and globally important natural wonders.
• At an impressive 540,000 hectares, Wells Gray encompasses a vast expanse of extinct volcanoes, mineral springs, glaciers and spectacular waterfalls. These park characteristics and their value as a tourist attraction did not go unnoticed, which is why Wells Gray was put under the protection of provincial park status in 1939.
• Nearly three times as tall as Niagara Falls, Helmcken Falls in Wells Gray plunge over 145 metres and are just one of several waterfalls in the park.
• The park provides a haven for a wide range of wildlife including grizzly bears, lynxes, wolves, cougars, bobcats, moose, mountain goats, caribou and more than 219 species of birds.

BC Parks

• With 13.6 per cent of the province set aside as parks and protected areas, B.C. has the largest provincial park system in Canada - second only to the national park system.
• There were over 19 million visits to our parks in 2009, increasing to more than 20 million during the past year. Almost 90 per cent of British Columbians have visited a provincial park and about six in 10 use a provincial park each year.
• There are about 6,900 kilometres of trails in the BC Parks system. That's longer than the Canada-U.S. border, which is approximately 6,400 kilometres.

Learn More:

The BC Parks 100 website: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/

The BC Parks 100 event calendar lists celebrations happening across B.C. all year long: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/events/calendar/#eventList

BC Parks on Facebook: www.facebook.com/YourBCParks

Contact:

Karen Johnston
Communications Director
Ministry of Environment
250 812-0495

NOTE TO EDITORS: B Roll from the event is available on Send To News. Audio clips of Lake are available at www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca under 'Latest Audio Clips' on the right hand side.