Fernie and British Columbia as a whole offer an unparalleled diversity of landscapes and endless opportunities for outdoor recreation. Trails are the fundamental means to explore and enjoy these spectacular and unique natural amenities and are integral to the landscape and enable meaningful connections between people and nature.

Please take the time to provide feedback to the Province on this important topic at a crucial time in Fernie. There have been a lot of people involved in making this happen so please provide some thoughtful feedback.

Adopted in 2013, the Trails Strategy for B.C. is a call to action that invites all British Columbians to join in supporting and developing a sustainable network of trails throughout the province.

Managed by a Provincial Trails Advisory Body (PTAB) and developed in the spirit of partnership, this strategy is a collaboration of provincial agencies, recreation organizations, local governments, land users, First Nations, and others from across the province and is based on the following guiding principles:

– Sound Environmental Stewardship and Management
– Respect and Recognition for First Nations’ Interests
– Mutual Respect between Trail Interests and Other Resource Users
– Respect and Understanding among Diverse Trail Interests
– Partnerships and Collaboration
– Secure Recreation Opportunities for All Trail Users
– Benefits for Individuals, Communities and the Province

In 2019, the PTAB, in collaborations with Recreation Sites and Trails B.C., began a process to complete a formal review of the Trails Strategy for B.C. to ensure the continued relevance and importance of the Trails Strategy to recreationists, communities, First Nations, tourism proponents and the province as a whole.

This work will include:
– Talking to key stakeholders from across the outdoor recreation sector and government,
– Gathering information and feedback from a variety of trail users throughout the province,
– Researching literature on the importance and value of trails,
– Identifying trends in trail usage including challenges and benefits, and;
– Determining the status of implementation of the Trails Strategy’s 22 Action Items.
– The opportunity to provide feedback will be open from January 13 to February 28, 2020 at 4 pm.

During this time, you can share your feedback by completing the online questionnaire.

Feedback from this engagement will help inform changes and updates to the Trails Strategy for B.C. and hopefully help influence land use issues in Fernie.