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Ecological protection, trail upgrades start in Gowlland Tod Provincial Park

Trail boardwalks, bridges, and signs coming while some sensitive areas being protected
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Upgrades into trails and other work protecting ecologically sensitive areas in Gowlland Tod Provincial Park are expected to take until mid-June. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Hikers looking to take in views of the Saanich Inlet from Gowlland Tod Provincial Park are being advised they might run into work upgrading trails and ecological areas this spring.

The improvement projects in the 1,300-hectare park are expected to run until mid-June and users can expect intermittent closures until then.

About 16 kilometres of multi-use trails in the park’s Partridge Hills area are being formalized and upgraded with boardwalks and bridges. Signs will also be added to give clear directions to trail users.

The popular nature destination has about 24 kilometres of unmapped trails created by hikers and mountain bikers. B.C. said some trails are damaging sensitive ecosystems and creating difficulty for first responders trying to find lost or injured people.

As last year saw one of the dryest starts to fall in decades, firefighters from several Greater Victoria departments and the province battled a late-season wildfire in an area of the park that has steep and challenging terrain.

About 7.6 kilometres of user-created trails in ecologically sensitive park areas are being closed to protect rare and sensitive dry coastal Douglas-fir habitat that includes rocky outcrops, meadows, wetlands and fragile bluff ecosystems. The province said ecological restoration work will take place in those areas.

“The park protects a significant portion of the Gowlland Range, which is one of the last remaining natural areas in Greater Victoria, and a significant portion of the natural shoreline and uplands of Tod Inlet,” the province said in a release.

The upgrades will also include a small gravel parking lot at the trailhead that looks to improve safety and help to reduce congestion along the shoulder of Willis Point Road.

The project cost is estimated at $500,000 and is part of a $21.5-million investment to expand and enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation throughout B.C.

The South Island Mountain Biking Society has volunteered to help BC Parks maintain the multi-use trail system.

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