Did you know that Stave West Forest & Recreation Area is located within the western portion of Mission’s Tree Farm Licence (TFL#26) and has been given provincial designation as an Interpretive Forest?

Stave West is a partnership between the District of Mission, Recreation Sites & Trails BC, and Kwantlen First Nation, along with other local First Nations and recreation user groups who have helped to guide the transformation of the area, and those who hold a connection to the land.

As part of this process, education and understanding has been an instrumental part in the project’s continued success, thanks to the above-mentioned partners, in addition to the Mission Public School District, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) who have been developing an educational component for the project.

The FVMBA is also one of many of stakeholders who has played (and continues to play) a lead role in non-motorized trail planning and development throughout the area. This spring we were invited to speak to BCIT students attending the Forestry and Fish & Wildlife programs, where we were able to discuss trail design and management within a working forest.

Our President, Rocky Blondin, was able to share his experience and background knowledge while also spending time work-shopping the students’ trail ideas on maps of the area. Plenty of information and ideas were passed along and discussed with respect to multi-use trail design, accessibility, and the sustainability of trails.

For instance, Rocky was able to impart our love of the “wavy gravy” and how that both pleases the rider… and makes the trail more sustainable too! Of course, this was enlightening to the student groups who were carving MTB trail lines straight down the face of the mountain thinking that MTBers only love to go fast downhill… although we do!… it helped them begin to learn and  understand the challenges and pitfalls of fall-line construction.

We are thrilled to have had this opportunity to connect with people who care about the land. We hope to always share the importance of inclusiveness and sustainable trail design.

Building trails. Building communities.

Fraser Valley Mountain Bikers Association
FVMBA

Rocky Blondin, President, listens to BCIT students’ discussion regarding trail development.

Rocky Blondin, President, hilariously explains what “jank” means to a group of BCIT students.