Don’t build illegal trails on Crown land within the corridor is the message the provincial government is hammering home.
Over the last two years, government staff has noticed an increase in unauthorized trail building in the Sea to Sky Recreation District, according to a government news release sent out Thursday.
From Vancouver, the Sea to Sky District spans 1,100,000 hectares north.
In April, BC Parks and the BC Wildfire Service deactivated an unauthorized trail that began within Garibaldi Provincial Park and extended to Crown land below the park.
Natural resource officers from the Ministry Forests patrol Crown land and enforce provincial regulations, often acting on tips from the public.
Building an illegal trail can result in a $10,000 fine, an order to remediate the path, and/or a jail term of up to six months.
Unauthorized trail construction can result in:
*soil erosion or soil compaction
* adverse effects on water quality or water flow
*slope stability concerns
*negative impacts for other resource users
*safety and liability concerns, due to improperly built or maintained trails and structures
*the spread of invasive plants
*disruption of wildlife habitat or sensitive plant ecosystems
Before anyone can build a trail on Crown land, they must first apply for permission and comply with the Forest and Range Practices Act.
Individuals or groups wishing to build or maintain a trail must submit a written proposal, and obtain provincial approval, before starting such work.
Fifty-five trails have been authorized in the Sea to Sky Recreation District since 2011.
To report illegal trails or suspicious activity call 1-877-952-7277 (or #7277 on a cellphone). Reports about a suspected natural resource violation can also reported be online: www.for.gov.bc.ca/hen/nrv/report.htm.
