MacMillan Provincial Park

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Large Douglas Fir at Cathedral Grove

Cathedral Grove in 2006

MacMillan Provincial Park is a 157 ha provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. Located 25 km west of Qualicum Beach and 16 km east of Port Alberni, the park straddles Highway 4. It is nestled on the western shore of Cameron Lake, and protects the delta of the Cameron River.

The park is home to a famous stand of ancient Douglas-fir, known as Cathedral Grove, which draws visitors from all over the world. Some of the trees are more than 800 years old and 9 metres in circumference. The flora of the park is typical of the region, and stands of Western Redcedar and Bigleaf Maple can be found south of the highway. The understory (term for the area of the forest that grows in the shade the forest canopy) includes red huckleberry, salal, and Devil's Club. The park is home to several species of birds, including owls and woodpeckers; as well as such mammals as black bear, elk and cougar. The Cameron River and Cameron Lake are stocked with rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout.

Cathedral Grove was popular with visitors long before its protection. It was part of the timber holdings belonging to the forester and logging industrialist H.R. MacMillan, who donated 136 ha of land to the provincial government in 1944. Three years later, the area was established as a Class A provincial park.

[edit] Parking Lot Controversy

In 2003, a plan by the BC Government to build a new parking lot to service the park was met by protest from environmental groups. In the current arrangement, the Park's estimated one million annual visitors are served by a road-side pullout-style parking lot. Government officials claim that the safety of tourists as well as passing motorists are threatened by the layout, and are seeking to build a new parking facility. The current plans for the lot involve the construction of a 5 hectare parking lot approximately 1.5 kilometres from the park. Critics claim that the construction will decrease the number of visitors to the park, and threaten the habitat and feeding grounds of the local elk population. In May 2004, the beginning of construction was halted by a protest organized by a coalition of environmental groups. The permanent protest involves a tree-top platform which is continually occupied.