Vancouver's Stanley Park unveils its first ever boardwalk — The Cathedral Trail boardwalk — today.

The boardwalk is located just north of the Lost Lagoon stone bridge in Stanley Park.

The boardwalk aims to "restore the area's ecological health by improving the flow of water, nutrients and animals, and reconnecting a divided wetland."

(Sachi Wickramasinghe/CBC)

The park has some of the best urban running and walking trails in North America. But many people don't realize the impact manmade gravel trails have on the delicate ecology of the park.

The 75-metre-long elevated boardwalk is made out of western red cedar and replaces a gravel path.

The boardwalk is located in one of the most biologically rich sites in Stanley Park.

A second smaller boardwalk has been built at Tunnel Trail near Stanley Park Drive and Pipeline Road.

There are also plans to build a third boardwalk to protect and preserve the bog at Beaver Lake.