Environmental Stewardship

The Environmental Stewardship Program at BC Marine Trails empowers recreational users to actively care for the BC coast during their adventures. Through Site Condition Reporting,  coastal recreationists help to keep our site map up to date by documenting the state of over 1,500 marine sites — reporting issues like broken infrastructure, marine debris, changes to landings and tent sites, or human impacts. These reports are key to the Coastal Caretaker Program, where volunteers commit to taking small caretaking actions to the sites they visit (easy fixes to infrastructure, clipping overgrown trails, packing out marine debris), and submitting reports along the way! This program allows for ongoing monitoring and maintenance coast wide. Collected data is shared with First Nations, BC Parks, land managers, and regional stewardship partners to inform on-the-ground action. This user-driven model connects recreation with real stewardship outcomes.

Our environmental stewardship team also takes direct action through projects like coastal cleanups, marine debris removal, and invasive species pulls. These efforts restore coastal ecosystems and offer meaningful, hands-on ways for members to contribute. At select sites along the coast, we have installed marine debris drop zones, allowing you to contribute to marine debris collection while exploring. Piling of marine debris above the high tide line and reporting through a Site Condition Report is also highly encouraged! We then work with partners like Rugged Coast, Ocean Legacy, Living Oceans Society, and Western Canada Marine Response Corporation to remove debris from reported areas of high concentration. 

At the core of this work is the Marine Trails Code of Conduct — a guide developed in collaboration with First Nations, researchers, and land managers that outlines best practices for respectful, low-impact travel on the coast. Whether joining a cleanup, reporting on site conditions, or following the Code, visitors play an active role in protecting the coast. Rooted in reciprocity, the Environmental Stewardship Program helps ensure BC’s marine trails remain healthy and accessible for generations to come.

While our work began with a focus on reducing the negative impacts of recreation on the coast, we’re now shifting toward creating opportunities for recreationists to make a positive difference in the places they love to explore.

Want to get involved?

Marine Trails Code of Conduct

Coastal Caretaker Network

Site Condition Reporting

Vargas Island Project

Gerald Island Project

“As a brand that is committed to inspiring a love of the water and protecting the lives of those living beyond land, we deeply appreciate the work that BC Marine Trails is doing to preserve and protect the BC coastline. With their continued efforts, the BC coastline will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.”
Mustang Survival

Public Education

We developed a Marine Code of Conduct to minimize the environmental impact of coastal recreation. The Code outlines best practices and gives context to the environmental and cultural significance of the British Columbia coast.

Coastal Caretakers

Did you know that British Columbia's rugged coastline stretches for 25,725 km? With so much coast to maintain, we launched this project to inspire individuals, clubs, and businesses to become Coastal Caretakers and join us in preserving these wild places.

Site Condition Reports

Consider combining your adventure with contributing valuable data on marine sites through site condition reporting. This not only helps us ensure the safety and sustainability of our trails, but also makes you an integral part of our organization.

Collaborative Cleanups

We invite volunteers to join as we work with other organizations to collect, sort, and remove larger debris from shorelines. We have also worked with volunteers to remove invasive species from Gerald Island. Join us and give your paddle a purpose.