UCLUELET — A prominent B.C. environmental organization is backing a proposal to expand the boundaries of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

The Western Canada Wilderness Committee announced Wednesday it backs a proposal by Keith Martin, Liberal member of Parliament for Esquimalt–Juan de Fuca, to expand the park along the Juan de Fuca Trail to Jordan River.

The expansion would include the San Juan Valley’s ancient rainforests, too.

“We support Keith Martin’s proposal to expand the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve to widen protection along the Juan de Fuca trail by including adjacent lands, all the way south to Jordan River,” said Tara Sawatsky, forest and marine campaigner for the Wilderness Committee, in a press release.

“Currently, the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park is just a sliver along the coastline.”

WCWC said it would also like to see the Carmanah and Walbran Valleys added to the park, too.

At present, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve consists of three separate units.

The Long Beach Unit is located between Tofino and Ucluelet and includes a 16-kilometre stretch of sandy beach.

The Broken Islands Unit includes more than 100 island and rocks in Barkley Sound.

The West Coast Trail is a 75-kilometre trail south of Bamfield.

“Already 75 per cent of Vancouver Island’s productive old-growth forests have been logged, including 87 per cent of the productive old-growth forests south of Port Alberni,” said Ken Wu, Wilderness Committee campaign director, in a press release.

“Expanding the Pacific Rim National Reserve is key to protect[ing] these amazing and endangered old growth rainforests.”