Some good news for hikers on Vancouver Island.
Western Forest Products (WFP) is contributing over five parcels of land for the newly proposed Community Unity Trail, a multi-use 25-kilometre path between Zeballos and Tahsis.
WFP made the announcement yesterday, and says the property is located within Zeballos’ municipal boundaries, “providing an ideal access point to the trail.”
“The steep, forest land is ideally suited for the Community Unity Trail as it will allow trail users to enter and leave the planned trail directly from Zeballos,” WFP says.
“The Community Unity Trail will become part of a larger trail network, the North Island 1000, that connects small towns across North Vancouver Island.”
The Uniting 4 Communities Society (U4C), a non-profit society with equal representation from the Mowachaht Muchalaht First Nation, the Ehattesaht Chinehkint First Nation and the Villages of Tahsis and Zeballos, is developing and constructing the trail.
“Thanks to this generous donation from Western Forest Products we are one step closer to our vision of connecting the communities of Tahsis and Zeballos with this trail,” says Zeballos CAO Meredith Starkey.
“This donation will encourage tourism in the region, benefiting visitors and residents for generations to come.”
WFP president, Don Demens adds that the company is pleased to extend its long-standing commitment towards supporting recreational opportunities.
“The Community Unity Trail will provide a continuous trail for safe recreational activities and Western is proud to play a part in supporting people to get outdoors and experience the local forests,” he says.
“We recognize more people are heading outside on local trails as a recreational option during the pandemic and Western is pleased to have the opportunity to support options to do so.”
