Guest Blog: Black Mtn., Cypress Provincial Park Volunteers
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From Andrew Wong, 2012 Knee Knackered Trail Day Coordinator
For the second consecutive year, BC Parks asked the Knee Knackered community for help to build and repair bog bridges on the Baden Powell Trail at Black Mtn. (Cypress Provincial Park). The Knee Knackered community regularly does trail work at its annual June Trail Day with the District of North Vancouver, but we’ve always looked for other opportunities to help, so it was easy for us to say “yes” to BC Parks’ request. Sunshine and bugs were the order of the day–such a welcome contrast from last year’s projects hurricane-like weather.
In order to tackle the five different worksites, the crew was split into two teams: Team Jeff and Team “Hike farther than the other guys” (aka Team Rob). Team Jeff started at the closer worksite and moved west while Team HFTTOG started at the western-most site and worked its way east. The idea was that both teams would meet at the third (middle) site to tackle it together.
Every hiker who walked past our worksites–and there were lots, it was like Robson Street all day long–thanked us for both the work and the wonderful cedar aroma (from the cut boards). By mid-afternoon, both teams had finished their first two projects and met up again at the final worksite. Looking around us at all the cedar planks still in a neat pile, we knew there wasn’t time to tackle this last section so we called it a day and headed out.
Despite leaving the last section untouched, we were very happy with what we accomplished. It was also encouraging to hear “thank-you for doing this” from almost every trail user we met. Their response shows how important projects like this are and how much the work is appreciated.
Many thanks to BC Parks, the North Shore Wetland Partners and the Friends of Cypress Provincial Park for organizing the event, and to all the Knee Knackered volunteers for showing great community spirit.
From Katharine Steig, President, Friends of Cypress Provincial Park Society
Completion of the Black Mountain Plateau Bog Bridge project this September is cause for great celebration. Friends of Cypress Provincial Park Society (FCPP) had been advocating for years for BC Parks to improve this muddy, heavily used section of the Baden-Powell Trail across Black Mountain Plateau due to serious damage occurring to the wetlands from trail braiding.
Now, as a result of two BC Parks’ grants received by North Shore Wetland Partners and FCPP, additional financial support from the BC Wildlife Federation and FCPP, and vital volunteer labour, 470 feet of bog bridges and gravel were installed on Black Mountain’s Baden-Powell Trail during September 2011 and 2012. At last the wetlands can begin to heal and hikers no longer have to circumnavigate mud on this very important trail. The project was a team effort involving Park Rangers, a volunteer project manager, Knee Knackered Running Club volunteers and many others. All involved can feel very proud of this accomplishment.
Project Volunteers:
2012: Enzo Federico, Patricia Jensen, David Jensen, Hannah Jensen, Bruce McArthur (Friends of Cypress Provincial Park, North Shore Wetland Partners), Jan Snow, Andrew Wong, Mike & Kitty Castle, Anne Leathem, Katharine Steig, Mark Grist, Marc D’Aquino
2011: Bruce McArthur, Paul & Fiona Burlingette, Adrian Powell, Kathy Richardson, Doug Richardson, Cindy Newman, Renate Boorman, Jim Boorman, Elizabeth Trevisan, Andrew Wong, Mike Castle, Katharine Steig
All photo credits: Andrew Wong
