The Forest Range Practices Act has three sections that trail builders should be aware of when working on Crown Land. In short:

  • Section 56 establishes a trail on Crown land
  • Section 57 allows construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of a trail on Crown land
  • Section 58 offers protection for a trail on Crown land
  • Section 118 Agreement (Partnership Agreement) provides authority for a land manager to enter into an agreement to develop, expand, maintain, repair or close a recreation site or trail. Entering into an agreement makes the agreement holder a formally recognized stakeholder

Please refer to these sections in the FRPA for full details.

Recreation, Sites and Trails BC manages trails on Crown land. Seeking authorization to build, rehabilitate or maintain a trail on Crown Land requires the following steps (found on the Rec, Sites and Trails website):

Authorizing Maintenance and Development

  • Prior to maintaining or developing a trail or recreation facility on Crown land the proponent must have the consent of the District Recreation Officer.
  • Recreation maintenance and development activities may occur only at recreation sites and trails established under Section 56 or at trails and recreation facilities authorized under Section 57 of the Forest and Range Practices Act.
  • Proposals to develop a recreation site, trail or facility should include a plan or commitment to maintain the site, trail or facility for the long term.
  • Applications for authorization to construct, rehabilitate or maintain a trail should be submitted to Front Counter BC using the ministry’s application form available at www.frontcounterbc.gov.bc.ca/

Additional Links

  • Index of Recreation Orders since 2004 (gazetted trails)
  • Provincial Trails Strategy
  • Rec, Sites and Trails Policy for Authorizing Recreational Mountain Bike Trails on Provincial Crown Land
  • Rec, Sites and Trails Sea to Sky Corridor Recreational Trail Strategy