The new walkway gives students, researchers and visitors unprecedented access to the “rarely seen forest canopy of the Pacific Northwest.” The unique eco-attraction aims to interactively educate visitors in research and sustainability.

Canopy walkways, a new feature at the University of British Columbia’s Botanical Garden, lets visitors climb through the treetops and peer into the “wilderness” from a totally unique and enlightening vantage point.

The 308-meter walkway reaches heights in excess of 17.5 meters, enables visitors and researchers to experience the unique biodiversity of a Pacific Coastal Rainforest canopy, which include s treetop mosses, lichens, birds, insects and other invertebrates, and offers a “bird’s eye” view of the forest canopy.

Developed by GreenHeart Conservation, the walkways utilize suspension bridges and portable towers that allow minimal impact on the surrounding grounds and plantlife. The walkways are constructed entirely of separate pieces that can be manually transported from location to location, eliminating the need for construction vehicles and roadways within the ecosystem. Sustainable construction technology has been used to secure the walkway’s eight platforms and nine bridges to trees in the UBC Botanical Garden’s 15-hectare David C. Lam Asian Garden. Instead of using invasive fasteners that can damage trees, the walkway is secured by a patented “Tree Hugger” system of interlaced steel cables, provided by Greenheart Conservation Company, a private eco-attraction company from Vancouver. The cable system is designed to expand allowing for normal tree growth.

“The Greenheart Canopy Walkway gives students, researchers and visitors unprecedented access to the rarely seen forest canopy of the Pacific Northwest,” says Murray Isman, Dean of UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems. “This unique eco-attraction will be a destination for education and interactive learning, adding to UBC’s reputation as a global leader in research, teaching and sustainability.”

GreenHeart has already constructed similar systems in Ghana, Brazil, England, Peru, and Madagascar. This new development marks the first treetop walkway in Canada, and the second in North America.

The new walkways allow researchers and on-lookers to study and appreciate first-hand the intiricacies of the canopy, including wildlife - birds, insects, animals - as well as fauna. Researchers are steadily identifying previously undiscovered species throughout forest canopies, as the ecosystem of forest canopies is still widely unknown. They are also accessible to people living with disabilities, thanks to a motorized wheelchair device.

Local guides who specialize in the subject lead visitors through the treetops to witness this rare sight, up-close and personal, while maintenance is the responsibility of local residents - promoting a sustainable, culturally-progressive economy.

From September to June, hourly tours begin at 10am except on Wednesdays. On Wednesdays, hourly tours begin at 12 noon. The last tour of the day begins at 4pm.

UBC’s Botanical Garden will use revenues from the walkway to support and expand existing horticultural, educational and research programs.

“Nature tourism is considered one of the fastest growing markets in the tourism industry,” said Ian Green, president and co-founder of Greenheart, which has used “Tree Hugger” technology in eco-attractions in National Parks in South America and Africa. “We are helping to develop viable long-term businesses that support the local economy while also creating sustainable conservation strategies that leave a minimal footprint on the environment.”

About the UBC Botanical Garden
Established in 1916, UBC’s Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research is Canada’s oldest continuously operating university botanic garden. The mission of the Garden includes research, conservation, teaching and public display of temperate plants from around the world, particularly Asian, alpine and native plants.

The Garden’s research arm is the UBC Centre for Plant Research, which produces world-class research on topics including plant adaptation, evolution, genomics, plant physiology and biotic interactions, phytochemistry, plant biotechnology and plant breeding.

For more information on Greenheart Canopy Walkway, including hours of operation, fees and group rates, visit www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/visitorinfo/greenheart-canopy-walkway.php.

About GreenHeart
GreenHeart is a private conservation company based in Vancouver. It has built canopy walkways and aerials trails in Asia, South and North America and Africa.

For more information on GreenHeart, visit www.greenheart.ca.