Through 1996 and early 1997, staff of the Bulkley/Cassiar Forest District assisted in carrying out a public process where recreational users met and developed a Recreational Access Management Plan (“RAMP”). That plan provided input for a Land and Resource Management Plan being developed by the Bulkley Valley Community Resources Board. The district manager has authority under the Act to make orders to restrict public recreational uses. However, the various recreational user groups wanted consensus based decision-making. The district manager agreed, stating early in the planning process that any such orders would be based on consensus among the user groups.

Winter recreational users reached agreement on most of the eighteen “winter use areas” identified. Unfortunately historical and on-going conflict between two recreational user groups — backcountry skiers and snowmobile users — led to three highly contentious areas being designated as “unresolved”. Those areas, with high recreational use and on-going conflicts between user groups, were left in limbo. There was no negotiated resolution. The district manager refused to impose resolution.