A new eight-metre bridge at Forests for the World in Prince George, B.C., is now in use to help amphibians cross an area where park users previously caused trampling deaths.
The Story
A new eight-metre bridge spanning an amphibian migration trail at Forests for the World in Prince George, B.C., wrapped up on Nov. 12 and is now in use.
The bridge is on the northwest shore of Shane Lake and is intended to let people walk above the trail during amphibian migration from lake to forest each July and August, reducing the risk of stepping on salamanders, frogs and toads.
Forests for the World is described as a large nature park that is home to species including black bears, moose and deer, as well as long-toed salamanders, western toads, wood frogs and Columbia spotted frogs.
Ashley Sutherland, a Prince George resident and forester, said she first raised the trampling issue after observing deaths while walking her dogs around Shane Lake in early August 2022. She said she emailed the city and that the effort led to awareness signs being installed in the park.
Sutherland said the migration around Shane Lake involves movement in the thousands and that the animals’ small size and colour make them difficult to see, increasing the chance they could be stepped on by trail users.
She cited data from 2025 that the main loop trail around the lake saw mortality as high as 12.8 per cent, noting not all deaths would have been from trampling.
In the longer ecological picture, Sutherland said only one in about every 100 amphibians makes it to full maturity, making survival through migration important.
Dean Price of Nahanni Construction said a cost estimate was not available, and that the City of Prince George paid about 30 per cent of the bill while the rest was covered by donations.
Michael Le Morvan of the city parks department called the project “wonderful” and said another bridge at another amphibian crossing is being planned, likely about 100 metres from the current one.
← More stories