There are only two significant gaps and a handful of access agreements standing in the way of the (VISTA) completing a 750-kilometre public trail system spanning the entire length of Vancouver Island.
Those gaps lie between the Alberni Valley and Cumberland, and from the North boundary of Strathcona Park to the Gold River Highway.
B次元官网网址淏oth of those pieces are mainly across private lands. [In the Beaufort Range] thereB次元官网网址檚 a bit of crown land but itB次元官网网址檚 land locked crown land surrounded by private,B次元官网网址� said Terry Lewis, VISTA director of operations. B次元官网网址淭hose are the two main gaps that weB次元官网网址檝e got and in order to get those gaps built, those pieces finished, we are working on land use agreements with the land owners and regional districts.B次元官网网址�
The Spine trail, designed for non-motorized uses only, will link up primarily existing Island trails like The Great Trail (former Trans Canada Trail) from Victoria to Lake Cowichan, The Alberni Inlet Trail, Strathcona Park trails and the North Coast Trail.
But until access agreements to bridge the remaining gaps across private forest lands are negotiated, the trail will remain only 80 per cent complete.
The Spine Trail provides a prime illustration of both the incredible opportunities for back country recreation on Vancouver Island, and the roadblocks created by private land.
Access restrictions from private land owners span the Island, leaving copious amounts of recreational groups and outdoor enthusiasts feeling the pinch of not being able to access desired areas for various outdoor activities.
For Kim Reeves, president of the , itB次元官网网址檚 the loss of access to forest service roads that has affected him and his group the most when wanting to access backcountry areas for recreation.
B次元官网网址淎lmost every recreation uses those roads to access the areas of their particular recreation,B次元官网网址� Reeves said. B次元官网网址淎n example would be anyone that hikes or cycles, accessing their trail head would usually be through the resource roads. With losing access to use those traditional corridors, it puts you a lot further away from your desired recreation.B次元官网网址�
Reeves said as a B次元官网网址渇our-wheel-drive recreationalist,B次元官网网址� access restrictions have really limited him from enjoying backcountry trails like Lake Cowichan to Port Renfrew.
B次元官网网址淸Access restrictions] really change the style of back country trip that you can take on the Island,B次元官网网址� he said.
Reeves said heB次元官网网址檚 seen a growing trend in restricting access, particularly over the last 20 years after MacMillan Bloedel lands were sold to other companies.
In response to those frustrations, landowners say that when they start locking gates, they are behaving no differently than any other property owner trying to protect their assets.
Forest companies and private land owners restrict access to back country areas for many reasons, like fire risk in wildfire season, vandalism, illegal dumping, property theft and active logging operations.
Megan Hanacek, CEO of the (PFLA) said the primary reason for access restrictions is safety.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 liability issues associated with private land,B次元官网网址� Hanacek said. B次元官网网址淲e also protect wildlife trees and nesting sites and other values that are associated with private land.B次元官网网址�
According to the article, , written in 2016 by University of Victoria law student Graham Litman, in 1962, a BC Special Committee on Public Access to Private Roads considered this issue, and recommended consideration of a Public Access Act.
B次元官网网址淭he envisioned Act would have been administered by the Department of Commercial Transport and allowed for the making of regulations governing the use of private easements, right of ways etc,B次元官网网址� Litman writes. B次元官网网址淭he Legislative Committee also recommended the creation of criteria for the expropriation of private roads in the general public interest B次元官网网址� and that government consider reserving the right to designate a right-of-way over land in all future Crown grants.B次元官网网址�
The committeeB次元官网网址檚 work was shelved, however, when forest companies freely granted recreational access to their Crown and privately-held properties.
B次元官网网址淯nfortunately, over the intervening decades a number of companies have withdrawn access,B次元官网网址� wrote Litman.
There are ways around access restrictions, typically through an access agreement with the land owner. But they donB次元官网网址檛 come cheap, typically costing upwards of several hundred dollars. Lewis with VISTA said his group will have to apply for eight agreements in hopes to complete the Spine Trail.
To obtain an access agreement, typically you need to be a part of an organized outdoor club or group.
Monica Bailey, director of communications at , said the company is committed to working with responsible individuals and groups to facilitate access to their private lands.
B次元官网网址淎ny membershipB次元官网网址恇ased organization can apply to conclude an access agreement with TimberWest. Our access agreements are arranged with groups because this reaches a wider range of individuals, permits for liability insurance, and strengthens long-term relationships with trusting organizations.B次元官网网址�
TimberWest has 325,400 hectares of private forest land on Vancouver Island. The company also owns renewable Crown harvest rights to 700,000m3 per year.
Bailey said TimberWest currently has a variety of agreements with membership-based recreational groups around the Island.
B次元官网网址淲e also have agreements with many First Nations to provide access for cultural purposes,B次元官网网址� she said.
She added that TimberWest has experienced many challenges with unauthorized access including wildfires, illegal dumping and unauthorized logging. Last year, wildfires cost several thousand dollars to extinguish and had the potential to create untold damage to the forest and adjacent properties.
B次元官网网址淲e also spent several thousand dollars on environmental remediation to cleanB次元官网网址恥p illegal dump sites, and there were a number of instances of illegal harvesting with the potential to impact sensitive ecosystems,B次元官网网址� Bailey said. B次元官网网址淲e remain committed to responsible access to our private lands through access agreements as this helps to minimize the risk to human safety and to preserve the longB次元官网网址恡erm health of the forest.B次元官网网址�
Current BC Law, under the and the common law, states that owners of forests and wild lands in B.C. have a relatively unconstrained right to exclude recreationalists from crossing their lands.
Scott Fraser, MLA for Mid Island-Pacific Rim and advocate for back country access, has been working with private land owners and government representatives to come up with solutions to access restriction issues on Vancouver Island.
Some ideas include replacing access agreements with user groups with deals with the local regional district, council or the provincial government. Another proposed solution is implementing a trail patrol program similar to citizens on patrol. These patrols would help monitor and manage the back country. The patrols would also assist with clean up and enforcement of safety measures.
In addition, education about safe access, disposing of all gates and dealing with vandalism and theft as they arise and a registry program for members of the public were also proposed.
B次元官网网址淎ll over the Island people are really worried as whatB次元官网网址檚 seen as continued loss of access, increasing loss of access to the back country,B次元官网网址� Fraser said. B次元官网网址淭he reason that most of us are here on Vancouver Island is because of what we have. The natural resources that we have. The reason that most of us live here on Vancouver Island is because of those wonders we have access to.B次元官网网址�
Fraser acknowledged that forestry companies have legitimate concerns too.
B次元官网网址淎t the same time weB次元官网网址檝e heard from the companies of an increased (amount) of garbage being dumped, the clean-up cost associated with that, wildfire concerns during the season and having people on their lands and also safety issues when theyB次元官网网址檙e doing active logging,B次元官网网址� Fraser said.
Moving forward, Fraser said he will present Doug Donaldson, minister of forests, lands, natural resource operations and rural development, with proposed solutions.
The ministry said there are legitimate concerns on both sides.
B次元官网网址淧rivate forest land owners TimberWest and Island Timberlands will temporarily lock gates to restrict access in the interest of public safety, as well as to protect the environment. If there is a gate located and restricting access on private lands it is recommended for members of the public to contact the private land owner to secure an access agreement,B次元官网网址� the ministry said.
Losing access has undoubtedly upset many outdoor enthusiasts on Vancouver Island, but restrictions can also cause a disconnect between human and nature.
B次元官网网址淭he further weB次元官网网址檙e separated from our natural element, the less we consider the need and the benefit of healthy living and getting out in the back country,B次元官网网址� Reeves said.
In his article, Litman agrees that free public access to wild areas supports social engagement with the environment.
B次元官网网址淟oss of public access to the wild may have important long-term consequences for environmental protectionB次元官网网址攂ecause people who know nature will defend it, and those who do not know nature may not care,B次元官网网址� he writes.
