Islanders may soon have the chance to fly through a forest of tall trees like a wide-eyed woodpecker. A Bainbridge Island couple who have been pioneers in the commercial zipline industry are planning on starting a zipline canopy tour business near Pleasant Beach Village.

Rachel and Matthew DeSpain have applied for a conditional use permit for their new zipline business with the city of Bainbridge Island.

A zipline is a gravity-powered cable system that allows riders in a harness to ascend steep slopes through scenic landscapes, and have proven popular across the United States and the world.

Rachel DeSpain said the couple hopes to create an attraction for islanders, especially one that will give families with children something to do on Bainbridge.

“It’s just really a unique experience,” she said.

“It’s not an adrenaline thing. It’s more of like gliding from tree to tree. It’s just a really nice outdoor experience.”

The DeSpains have a long history with ziplines.

The couple moved to the island from Alaska, where they opened the third zipline tour to open in the United States in the winter of 2005.

They operated the business for 10 years, and it was once rated the number one tour in Juneau.

The pair have also served as consultants in the zipline industry, and Rachel DeSpain served for four years on the International Zipline/Canopy Tour Committee through the Association of Challenge Technology, where she helped with developing standards for installation, inspection and construction of zipline tours around the world.

The first time she ziplined was in Costa Rica 15 years ago, she recalled, and she’s been on so many tours since then that she’s lost count.

Her love of nature, she said, is a main reason why she’s become such an advocate for ziplines.

“I’ve always had a huge love for the trees and for nature,” she said.

Her husband, too, so much so that they named their 4-year-old daughter Zoelle Arbor.

“Now, as parents, we’re excited to give our daughter and her friends nice, outdoor, family friendly activities to do on the island. There’s not a lot of options for that on Bainbridge,” she said.

The couple’s proposal is planned for a parcel near the pool at Pleasant Beach. It includes five zipline cables, 10 aerial platforms, four suspension bridges and two elevated platforms, where zipline riders will gear up or down. There will also be gravel trails through the operation.

Construction and the operation will be low-impact.

The location was chosen “very mindfully,” she said, and should fit in well with the existing amenities at Pleasant Beach Village.

DeSpain said they also plan to open a retail space, called Bainbridge Island Outfitters, at Pleasant Beach Village.

The location will sell merchandise — and provide everything from outdoor gear to bike and paddleboard rentals — but will also be used to check-in people taking the zipline tour.

DeSpain said ziplines have widespread appeal.

“You don’t have to be hardcore super fit. If you have a sense of adventure, and basic strength and mobility, then most people can do it,” she said.

Tours will be fully guided, with staff on hand to prepare riders for the tour, handle the equipment and gear, and serve as guides for the zipline experience.

“In Alaska we had two people in their 90s who even did the tour,” she recalled.

Safety is a serious concern, she said. She noted that during the company’s decade of operations in Alaska, they didn’t have a single insurance claim or incident.

The DeSpains hope to have the business up and running by spring.

A public hearing on the zipline proposal isn’t planned, but the city is accepting comments on the couple’s application through Dec. 28.

DeSpain said the couple will maintain an emphasis on serving the community.

The business isn’t aiming to capture tourists already coming to the island.

“If tourists were the main thing we were after, we would be in a different market,” she said.

“We’re not doing this to be a big, money-making adventure,” she explained. “It’s purely because we’re raising our daughter here. We generally would like to see more fun outdoor activities that are family friendly on the island.”

“This is our passion; this is what we do. It just seems like the perfect fit,” she said.

DeSpain encouraged those who want to know more about ziplines or their proposed tour to contact the business at info@bainbridgeoutfitters.com.