Whistler Creekside and Whistler Sliding Centre

A Profile in Biodiversity of the Surrounding Area

CreeksideSliding CentreThere are two 2010 Winter Games venues in Whistler, located on the shared traditional territory of the Squamish and Lil’wat First Nations, two of the Four Host First Nations. The Sliding Centre is the site of the luge, bobsleigh, and skeleton events. Whistler Creekside is the site for alpine skiing events. Because Whistler Creekside is the location for both the alpine technical and speed events, this reduced the originally projected environmental impact in this area by 90%.  This is because original development plans identified both Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains as the location for these events.

A number of measures were taken to reduce venue development impacts on biodiversity. The Whistler Sliding Centre, for example, was designed to minimize vegetation clearance and conserve nearby trees to shade the course. Most riparian areas in Whistler Creekside were left intact to better protect the wetland biodiversity around the Creekside venue. Where habitat disturbance could not be avoided along one section of Boyd Creek during venue construction, a tailed frog environmental management plan was put in place. These efforts resulted in several hundred tadpoles and adult frogs being relocated 40 meters upstream, where they are flourishing.

Tailed FrogMany streams and creeks in Whistler Village drain into wetlands, ponds, and lakes in the area. Wetlands, ponds and lakes provide essential habitat for several frog species, including the tailed frog. The tailed frog is a North American species, however within Canada it is only found in British Columbia. These small frogs have grainy looking skin and a copper coloured triangle between their eyes. Only males have a tail. The tailed frogs live year-round in and around clear, cool mountain streams. They do not vocalize, and have a life expectancy of between 15-20 years. Their diet is made up of a variety of terrestrial invertebrates, like insects, spiders, snails, and crickets.

Wetlands and ponds here also provide essential habitat for other wildlife. Living in these wetlands are amphibians such as the rough-skinned newt, and reptiles such as the northern alligator lizard and western painted turtle. Many of these creeks and streams in the area flow into glacier-fed lakes. These lakes are home to freshwater char and coastal cutthroat trout.

Black-Tailed DeerThe subalpine terrain at the Whistler Sliding Centre and around the Whistler Village looks a lot like the terrain found at Whistler Olympic Park. This is because the biodiversity around the venues is similar. The forested landscape is dominated by yellow and western red cedar, subalpine fir, red alder, and mountain hemlock, as well as several hundred species of native plants and many more fungi. Commercial and residential development in Whistler has displaced much of the wildlife back into the surrounding forest. Many native species are still seen around the Village perimeter, however.

Be sure to listen for local songbirds, like the Black-capped Chickadee and tiny Golden Crowned Kinglet that inhabit the area year-round due to the abundance of food and nesting areas. Look for the American Dipper, North America’s only aquatic songbird. Along Fitzsimmons Creek, it builds its nest dangerously close to the fast flowing creek, and dives into the icy waters to retrieve its diet of aquatic insect larva. Bush and forest birds like the Ruffed Grouse, Varied Thrush, and Winter Wren also live in the area year round, as does the Steller’s Jay, American Crow, and Common Raven. The Barred Owl and Great Horned Owl also inhabit the area. You can see other raptors too, including the Peregrine Falcon, Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, and Bald Eagle. Mammals seen frequently around the Village include the Douglas’ squirrel, as well as the striped skunk, chipmunk, and racoon. Black-tailed deer are also plentiful. Black bear sightings are frequent from spring through fall, and most hibernate through winter. While bobcats, coyotes, and cougars also inhabit the forests in the area, they are seldom seen.

White-Tailed PtarmiganThe alpine terrain found above the tree-line near the starting gates of the Whistler Creekside venue is very different from the subalpine terrain in the Village; consequently so is the biodiversity. The rugged alpine tundra is defined by its extreme elevation, climate fluctuations, and intense ultraviolet radiation. Sparse vegetation and dwarf trees, along with the wildlife they sustain have a short intense growing and breeding season marked by slower reproduction rates, smaller clutches, longer incubation, and higher reproductive failure. The White-tailed Ptarmigan, mountain goat, and hoary marmot are some commonly found species that live in this challenging alpine environment. The hoary marmot is related to the endangered Vancouver Island marmot. The Vancouver Island marmot inspired the creation of “Mukmuk”, the sidekick of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games mascots. While “Quatchi”, one of the 2010 Winter Games mascots was inspired by the mythical Sasquatch that is thought to roam the remote sub-alpine and alpine wilderness of southern British Columbia..

Few species spend their entire lives in the alpine terrain, and the majority move back and forth seasonally, spending short summers in the highly productive alpine habitat. Insects arrive from lower elevations in the spring, pollinating the budding, flowering, and fruiting alpine plants including huckleberry, bearberry, and crowberry. Yellow-rumped Warblers and Mountain Bluebirds can be found in the summer months feasting on airborne insects from the cliff edges. Forest birds, like the Red-breasted Nuthatch follow their food Peregrine Falconresources up to the alpine habitat in the summer months. Other migratory birds also stop and feed on the alpine habitat along their flyway migration corridors. Strong alpine winds are often problematic for smaller birds, however raptors including the Peregrine Falcon use the updrafts along the cliff edges to stay aloft and dive down on their prey. The Peregrine Falcon dives at Olympian speeds in excess of 300 km/hour. The wide range of biodiversity attracted to the cool alpine terrain in the summer months also attracts many predators, including pine martens, black bears, timber wolves, cougars, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, and wolverines.

cougarMany local and migratory species depend on the alpine terrain for their survival. Alpine terrain is often so remote that many people think such terrain is inherently protected by its inaccessibility. This is not necessarily true. Alpine environments are used more and more for recreational purposes. Recreation impacts sensitive alpine habitat and displaces species. Ski operations, snowmobiling, hang-gliding, rock-climbing, and mountain biking degrade terrain and disturb wildlife. Proximity to urban areas creates airborne particulate matter that influences snow-melt patterns and impacts water quality. Climate change is also impacting alpine environments. This is because the tree line moves higher with warming temperatures. Species well-adapted for extreme alpine conditions may find it hard to deal with the increasing heat, increased competition for food and more predation risks. Given this, it is essential that we reduce our impact on these sensitive alpine ecosystems.

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