Island hikers and walkers are being advised that Jarrod’s Grove Nature Reserve will be temporarily closed for one month as construction crews work to replace a bridge.
The eight-hectare nature reserve, managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), overlaps part of the salmon-bearing Cusheon Creek on the west side of the island and features a network of walking paths.
“The existing wooden pedestrian bridge that crosses the creek has decayed significantly, posing a potential safety risk to visitors to the nature reserve,” the NCC explains in a press release. “From Aug. 15 to Sept. 15, crews will be working to construct a custom steel pedestrian bridge that will have a longer lifespan and will better support streambank structure. Due to the presence of heavy machinery, no visitors will be allowed within the entirety of the reserve during this time.”
The neighbouring Creekside Rainforest Nature Reserve, managed by the Salt Spring Island Conservancy, can only be accessed through Jarrod’s Grove and, therefore, will also be closed for the duration of the bridge construction.
Jarrod’s Grove was first conserved in 2008 and has been owned and stewarded by NCC since 2015. Jarrod’s Grove and Creekside Rainforest nature reserves are considered to represent the largest section of pristine riparian habitat on Salt Spring Island. The NCC says the bridge construction is happening at the safest time of year for salmon-bearing systems as water levels are low and very few to no fish are present.
For updates on the bridge replacement project, people can visit the Jarrod’s Grove NCC website page.
Jarrod’s Grove was first conserved in 2008 through the dedicated efforts of the local community. The land has been owned and stewarded by NCC since 2015. Jarrod’s Grove and Creekside Rainforest nature reserves are considered to represent the largest section of pristine riparian habitat on Salt Spring Island. The bridge construction is happening at the safest time of year for salmon-bearing systems as water levels are low and very few to no fish are present.
Great news! I will check this place out after the job is done!