WHEREAS our provincial park system represents an invaluable public asset, supports the integrity of our economic, social, and family structures, promotes the physical well-being of our citizens, and a healthy and diverse environment; AND WHEREAS ever-diminishing road access to our communities provincial parks is currently enabled by abandoned and unmaintained logging roads: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that forest service roads which currently provide, or have formerly provided, public access to provincial parks, be designated, improved and maintained by the provincial government as public highways.
Ministry of Forests, Lands Natural Resource Operations The Province remains committed to maintaining access to provincial parks; however, maintaining roads to provincial public highway standards is not appropriate for provincial parks access in all circumstances. Some recreation areas are intentionally rustic and increasing vehicle access could negatively impact the natural values which parks are designated to protect. Decisions on what Forest Service Roads are maintained take into consideration a number of factors, including what recreational areas are accessed by them, how popular those sites are and what type of access is needed consistent with provincial parks planning objectives. Given limited resources, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations focuses its Forest Service Road maintenance budget on maintaining high public use roads - notably, roads providing access to community and rural residences and established high-value recreational areas in coordination with BC Parks.