The province has started work on the trail system in Gowlland Tod Provincial Park that will see some unauthorized areas permanently closed off and ecologically restored.
The $500,000 project in Partridge Hills will see about 16 kilometres of multi-use trails formalized and upgraded with new boardwalks, bridges and signs to provide directions.
A small gravel parking lot is being developed at the trail head to improve safety and help to reduce congestion along the shoulder of Willis Point Road.
Partridge Hills, near Durrance Lake on the Saanich Peninsula, has about 24 kilometres of unmapped trails created by hikers and mountain bikers.
B.C. Parks said some of the trails have damaged sensitive ecosystems and have created difficulty for first responders trying to find lost or injured people.
About 7.6 kilometres of user-created trails are being closed to protect coastal Douglas fir habitat. Part of the overall project includes restoration work on rocky outcroppings, meadows, wetlands and fragile bluffs.
The South Island Mountain Biking Society has volunteered to work with B.C. Parks to maintain the multi-use trail system.
Construction is expected to continue until June with intermittent trail closures.
The project is part of a $21.5-million investment to expand outdoor recreation in the province, which includes new campsites and trails, and upgrades to existing facilities.
Established in 1995, Gowlland Tod Provincial Park protects a significant portion of the Gowlland Range and the natural shoreline and uplands of Tod Inlet.
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