BMP 7 – Road and Trail Access

Temporary access trails may be necessary for allowing exploration companies access to their Claim and proposed work area(s) that may not have been accessible previously. Exploration access trails are intended for temporary use and should be left as natural as possible to promote regrowth back to pre-disturbance conditions in a timely fashion.

Proposed access to a site via roads and trails is part of the review and approval process for a Work Permit Application. All potential routes are to be considered and proposed during route selection. Each route will be assessed according to its ability to meet the goals and objectives of both the Proponent and the Manitoba government. A Proponent should review options and consider future program operations to minimize the need to develop new access trails if possible.

NOTE: Re-opening of previously revegetated access routes and trails is considered re-established access.

A Proponent seeking a Work Permit to conduct mineral exploration should consider the impact on wildlife populations and other users when proposing site access and management plans. A permit work proposal may need to consider program timing to protect critical wildlife breeding, nesting or survival periods, the destruction or fragmentation of wildlife habitat, as well as other wildlife sustainability measures. See BMP 15 – Wildlife.

Routes and trails place additional wildlife risks in terms of access for increased hunting pressures, increased predator efficiency, unintended attraction to trails, and infiltration of competing or non-native species. As such, where possible, a Proponent should minimize disturbance by utilizing existing routes and trails and planning activities outside of critical timing windows in areas with known Wildlife Sensitivities like caribou calving and migratory bird nesting. See BMP 15 – Wildlife.

Proponents are encouraged to use existing and or re-established access trails leading directly to the property wherever possible. These trails are often located in the most suitable topographical location, closest direct route and have already been cleared, with some degree of soil compaction.

New access trail development may be prohibited where reasonable access already exists. The Proponent should consider access utilizing a frozen Water Body to minimize impacts on terrestrial environments.

Areas that may have sensitivities for trail clearing include:

Areas of critical or sensitive wildlife or fish habitat (e.g., riparian zones);
Areas where activities will result in unstable soil or erosion conditions;
Sites of religious, archeological, historic, aesthetic, paleontological, natural, or cultural significance;
Legislated protected areas (e.g., game preserves, Provincial Parks and protected areas, Representative Area Network lands, certain land use planning areas, wildlife lands, ecological reserves, etc.); or
Other areas with social considerations based on current or historical use (e.g. by trappers, cottagers, or Indigenous peoples etc.).

In the work proposal, the Proponent should consider construction practices, seasonal timing, and local community issues, etc. Areas requiring access restrictions such as temporary decommissioning should be identified if possible; including berm or roll back of woody debris created, etc. In addition, any decommission plans related to trails proposed for development or use by the Proponent should be detailed in the work proposal. See BMP 16 – Decommissioning.

Seasonal Restrictions of trails may apply in some areas, as an example to prevent Rutting in the spring field season. The Proponent should also respect and engage with other known resource or recreational users who may be accessing a trail or those who may be impacted by trail creation.

NOTE: Early engagement with other local users can help avoid conflicts with the creation and utilization of access routes and trails.

Trail centerlines should be flagged prior to trail construction to avoid unforeseen problems. Routing should avoid long straight sections and incorporate curves to reduce the length of sightlines. Trail access points from well-travelled roads should be routed in a manner that does not create a long initial sightline.

For clearing operations, refer to BMP 6 – Timber Clearing Activities.

The utilization of access routes and trails should occur on dry, stable, or frozen ground conditions, if possible. While using access routes and trails during wet conditions, all efforts should be made to minimize Rutting of the ground surface where possible. If Rutting occurs, rehabilitation may be required (e.g., back blading) in order to re-establish surface water flow to the pre-disturbance condition.

Cuts and fills resulting in damage to the ground surface should be kept to a minimum.

For winter access, the Proponent should consider snow/ice in lieu of soil for cuts and fills.

If fill materials (e.g., sand, gravel, till, etc.) are required for trail improvement, a separate authorization may also be required for the use of local quarry aggregates. Proponents should engage the Mines Branch at minesinfo@gov.mb.ca to determine if further authorization is required.

Vehicles and equipment should where possible be confined to the identified access right-of-way unless otherwise approved.

When crossing all wetlands, such as bogs or marshes, the ground must be frozen sufficiently to support equipment. See the Boreal Wetland Conservation Codes of Practice for more information. If frozen ground conditions do not exist, alternate and approved methods by the Department of Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources should be used to prevent Rutting of the ground surface (e.g., matting, corduroy, planks, etc.). For access using frozen water bodies, see BMP 11 – Land Based Drilling and BMP 12 – Lake Based Drilling.

All access routes and trails should be identified in the detailed project description of the Work Permit Application and outline:

If the access route is existing, requiring re-establishment or new;
Dimensions, both in length and width;
Method(s) of construction;
Intended purpose; and
Decommissioning measures following use.

As a standard condition; there shall be no use of heavy equipment within 100 metres of any Water Body (lakes, rivers, streams) unless prior approval is obtained from the Permit Office or Supervising Officer. One approved method of clearing is hand clearing, if operationally safe and practical.

Within 30 meters of any Water Body there should be no excavation to reduce the risks of downhill erosion, and travel surfaces need to be built up from the ground level. Within 30 meters of the shore of any Water Body; a trail should be hand cut, cleared under frozen ground conditions if possible, and doglegged.

Any new trail clearing, or expansion of existing trails shall be of a minimum reasonable size (width) to facilitate the operation.

If the use of a pre-existing road on a Forest Management License is planned, the Forest Management License holder must be consulted as directed by The Forest Act.

Note: If new access onto a Provincial Road or Highway is required, construction of an approach must be approved by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Inspection and cleaning of all machinery and equipment should be conducted prior to entering areas with limited vehicle access.