Pacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada

The landscapes of Canada are admired and visited by thousands each year. Blanketed in rainforests, rivers, prairies, mountains and unforgettable seaside locations, Canada prides itself on protecting its natural heritage for future generations, and has therefore designated carefully chosen areas as national marine conservation regions, national parks and reserves. Included among these is the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada. It is a magnificent national park as it includes both coastline areas and lowland forests, and also has a fascinating history attached to it.

Located in British Columbia, the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve has three divisions, namely the West Coast Trail, the Broken Group Islands and Long Beach. Altogether, sea and land, the park covers an area of over five hundred square kilometres, and each division of the park has its own unique features. Long Beach, for instance, is visited more often as it is more easily accessible than the other two divisions. Not only does it offer a magnificent coastal area to explore, but it is home to the Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre and to the ranger station. There is a camping ground called Green Point that is an ideal base camp from which to discover the rainforests and enjoy the numerous trails located around the camping site. The interpretive centre is educational, providing information on the history of the park, the wildlife and plant life. It also boasts a restaurant, gift shop and theatre.

Broken Group Islands is an appropriate name for the other division of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada, as it consists of more than a hundred small islands located in Barkley Sound. Visitors will only be able to access some of the islands by boat, of which Dodd, Effingham, Nettle, Turret and Gibraltar Islands are the most popular. It must be noted that no fresh water is available on the islands, so visitors will have to ensure they take fresh water with them. A trail to assist in rescuing sailors that were shipwrecked was constructed between the years 1907 and 1910. This trail is located on Vancouver Islands' west coast, is seventy five kilometres in length and known as the West Coast Trail. During the 1950s the trail was completely abandoned and is now merely a trail of exploration that takes hikers over the beaches, through the dense rainforests and across some challenging terrain that can take between five to seven days to complete.

Conservationists overseeing parks, such as the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada, invite visitors to discover the beauty of these parks as it not only assists them in preserving nature, but aids in educating the public regarding the need to conserve natural areas such as this park, its unmatched magnificence and wildlife.