An Aerial view of Zeballos. Western Forest Products contributed five parcels of land totalling nearly three acres towards the proposed 25 km Community Unity Trail connecting Zeballos and Tahsis. Photo courtesy, A. Janisse.

Forestry company donates nearly three acres of land for Tahsis & Zeballos’ community trail project

Western Forest Products’ five parcels of land will serve as an access point to the Community Unity Trail

• BINNY PAUL, LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
• Mar. 10, 2021 3:10 p.m.
• LOCAL NEWS
• NEWS

Forestry company Western Forest Products (WFP) has announced a contribution of five parcels of land for a proposed 25-kilometer Community Unity Trail that connects Zeballos and Tahsis.

WFP’s total contribution amounts to nearly three acres of land located within Zeballos’ municipal boundaries and provides an access point to the Community Unity Trial, the company said in a statement.

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 said in the statement.

“We are pleased to extend our long-standing commitment towards supporting recreational opportunities for visitors and residents by providing this land for a multi-use trail,” said Don Demens, President and chief executive officer of WFP.

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 trail is being developed and constructed by Uniting 4 Communities Society, which consists of representatives from Mowachaht Muchalaht First Nation, the Ehattesaht Chinehkint First Nation and the Villages of Tahsis and Zeballos.

Julie Colborne, U4C Society Board Member and mayor of Zeballos, said that they were excited to have this access point secured as they have been working with the province on making this goal a reality since 2016.