Coastal Caretakers FAQ

Visiting Sites

  • If you begin planning a paddling trip using the BC Marine Trails map, you might print out a spreadsheet of the sites you are planning to visit and the information posted about those sites. As you examine the site information, if you notice there are photos missing, make a note to take specific photos while you are there.
  • In the BC Marine Trails monthly newsletter, you may see a notice asking if anyone is planning on paddling in a particular area. If that is you, then respond to the notice. Many of us assume that someone is paid to go out and do site condition reports or the more detailed site assessments. Actually, it’s volunteers like you who keep the map current and who have made it into such an amazing tool for exploring the coastline.
  • When you are out exploring an area, if you see a promising site that is not listed on the BC Marine Trails map, send in a site condition report and photos. You may be the first person reporting on this site or you may be one of many. Either way, your information gets added to our database and becomes part of the conversation with land managers about which sites to list on the map.
  • Before a site can be listed on our map, we have a process we follow. The site must have been assessed for accessibility, safety, and most importantly, we must have permission from the land owners or managers to include the site on our map. This process takes time. While we have over 1400 sites on our map, we have at least as many sites waiting to be discussed. The Site Condition Reports you submit help us to gather the data we need for these discussions. 
  • It’s important to note that BC Marine Trails does not own the sites shown on our map. Our mission is to work with First Nations communities and stakeholders to build, protect and promote a public network of marine trails allowing safe recreational navigation of the BC Coastline with minimal impact on the environment. Through respectful discussions, we are working together with these partners to help secure long term public access to the BC Coast.
  • It’s equally important to respect sites that have cultural significance for First Nations communities. As we work with communities, we explore options for safe recreational navigation while ensuring we are not directing visitors to sensitive ecological areas, bird nesting sites, burial sites or ceremonial sites.

Observing

  • Begin by thinking about what you read from the BC Marine Trails map before coming to this site. Was there something more you would have liked to know about the landing, the camping possibilities, any evidence of trampling? Did you find examples of rare flora and fauna other visitors might like to know about?
  • While you are at a site, what suggestions can you make in your Site Condition Report (SCR) to keep the site pristine for others to appreciate? (e.g. recommending a composting outhouse or green throne may not result in a new outhouse for your next visit, but in heavily used sites, these recorded observations help build a case for preserving the natural site). The same is true for a clearly marked trail in heavily used sites instead of having everyone trample the flowers.
  • Some sites have Visitor Logs and while visitors may have written in the logs, that data may not have been shared. Taking a photo of the contents of the log and sharing it with your Site Condition Report (SCR) is another way to give voice to the site, not just your voice but other visitors’ voices too.
  • BC Marine Trails is able to post relevant information on the map for a specific site so users are aware of potential hazards or issues identified.
  • Depending on who manages the land, action may or may not be taken to address the maintenance concern raised. For example, if the land is managed by BC Parks, Recreational Sites and Trails BC, or First Nations communities, the information is passed along for the land managers to decide what to do with the resources and time they have.

Interacting with Others

  • Absolutely! People may know about our mission and the data on our map, but our members’ actions bring these to life. Without our members, we could not do the work we do and we are grateful you want to do this work with us! 
  • Membership fees, donations, and volunteer commitment allow us to move forward with our mission, so please promote BC Marine Trails in whatever way you can. Your actions lead by example and we love it when you let others know what you are doing!

As a Coastal Caretaker, we appreciate any actions you take to share the Marine Code of Conduct but you are not the Park Warden or the land manager or owner. Friendly conversations work best. Modeling by building your small fire below the high tide line works well, too.

Thanks to a recommendation from one of our Coastal Caretakers, we have business cards with the Coastal Caretakers VOICE acronym on one side and the BCMT Code of Conduct on the other. We also have Code of Conduct decals for putting on kayaks. If you would like to pass these on to your friends or club members or if you are a kayak rental company and want to share these with your customers, send BCMT an email with your mailing address, phone number, and the number of Coastal Caretaker/Code of Conduct business cards or Code of Conduct decals you would like to receive to share with others: volunteer@bcmarinetrails.org.

Yes — find one here you can print and share! We also have tri-fold brochures available — reach out to scutcliffe@bcmarinetrails.org with any questions on physical resources. Please ask the boat launch manager or business owner for permission before putting up posters or dropping off brochures.

  • Write an article on a recent trip along BC’s coastline. 
  • Become a member or donate directly to one of our three pillars or the general operations of BC Marine Trails.
  • Let your friends know why you are supporting BC Marine Trails. Maybe your enthusiasm will encourage your friends to become members, too. 
  • Like our Facebook and Instagram posts; share them with your friends.
  • Model the Marine Trails Code of Conduct in whatever coastal spaces you visit.

Caretaking at a Site

  • If it is a small, manageable amount that can be removed and you have space, remove the debris and put it in with your household garbage or recycling after your trip is complete.
  • If you are leaving the debris at the site, collect and sort the debris, then store it far above the high tide line, in a place well above any logs. You want to avoid the debris being redistributed into the ocean once storm surge and king tides arrive in the winter months. Take photos to submit with your SCR to show the location, quantity and type of debris.
  • A few sites may have a collection sign indicating that debris materials can be stored by the sign for future clean up activities. This is rare at the moment, but kudos to those who are setting up debris collection sites for easy removal at a later date! 
  • Please note in your Site Condition Report if you completed any of the above clean up actions  and include photos of the debris too!

If you come across a ring of stones around a pile of burnt wood, go ahead and toss the stones around the site and toss the wood into the water so the next group on the beach would never know someone had lit a fire in this spot. Caution: If you dismantle a fire ring, use a stick to check for hidden objects (nails, tin cans, glass) and take these objects away with you or add them to your debris pile high above the logs and winter storm surge areas.

Exchanging Data (Site Condition Reports)

Find a video walkthrough of loading the SCR form on the app here. 

To download the Survey123 app, search ‘Survey123’ in the App Store, or Google Play Store. You should see the following icon:

Once downloaded, you will need to download the SCR form to the app. To do so, return to this page, and click ‘Go to form’ above. At this point, the SCR form should be available through the app. 

If preferred, you do not need to use the app — it is always an option to record information in your notes app, notebook, etc. and then fill in the form in your browser from your laptop / desktop computer. To do so, click ‘Go to form’ above, and select ‘Open in browser’.

When using the Survey123 app, report forms can be filled out in the field, and they will automatically upload when you are back in service / wifi!

Alternatively, you can record relevant information in a waterproof notebook, and upload your findings when you are back home!

The printable PDF version of the SCR can be helpful — print off one for each site, or use only one as reference for your notebook.

  • Begin by thinking about what you read from the BC Marine Trails map before coming to this site. Was there something more you would have liked to know about the landing, the camping possibilities, any evidence of trampling? Did you find examples of rare flora and fauna other visitors might like to know about?
  • While you are at a site, what suggestions can you make in your Site Condition Report (SCR) to keep the site pristine for others to appreciate? (e.g. recommending a composting outhouse or green throne may not result in a new outhouse for your next visit, but in heavily used sites, these recorded observations help build a case for preserving the natural site). The same is true for a clearly marked trail in heavily used sites instead of having everyone trample the flowers.
  • Some sites have Visitor Logs and while visitors may have written in the logs, that data may not have been shared. Taking a photo of the contents of the log and sharing it with your Site Condition Report (SCR) is another way to give voice to the site, not just your voice but other visitors’ voices too.
  • BC Marine Trails is able to post relevant information on the map for a specific site so users are aware of potential hazards or issues identified.
  • Depending on who manages the land, action may or may not be taken to address the maintenance concern raised. For example, if the land is managed by BC Parks, Recreational Sites and Trails BC, or First Nations communities, the information is passed along for the land managers to decide what to do with the resources and time they have.
  • If it is a small, manageable amount that can be removed and you have space, remove the debris and put it in with your household garbage or recycling after your trip is complete.
  • If you are leaving the debris at the site, collect and sort the debris, then store it far above the high tide line, in a place well above any logs. You want to avoid the debris being redistributed into the ocean once storm surge and king tides arrive in the winter months. Take photos to submit with your SCR to show the location, quantity and type of debris. We will pass off your report to organizations that may be performing large scale cleanups in the region.
  • A few sites may have a collection sign indicating that debris materials can be stored by the sign for future clean up activities. This is rare at the moment, but kudos to those who are setting up debris collection sites for easy removal at a later date! 
  • Please note in your Site Condition Report if you completed any clean up actions and include photos of the debris too!

Not yet! If you take a short video of your site, send it to our new communications outreach coordinator, Sam (scutcliffe@bcmarinetrails.org), and he may ask your permission to use it in our social media communications.

  • Minimum size is 1280 x 720 px and under 12 MB.
  • Take photos that provide users with better visuals about what to expect or watch for at a site: views of the approach, the landing, the tent site, geo location of debris and quantity/type, as well as location of any hazards (dangerous trees, buried metal).

At this time, land managers (BC Parks, Recreational Sites and Trails BC, Parks Canada, and some First Nations communities working with us) receive SCR data that is pertinent to their area, including which sites were cleaned and which sites need repairs.

Sharing as a Coastal Caretaker Community

Yes, request a copy of the session information by sending an email to volunteer@bcmarinetrails.org. Of course, the information presented at each Coastal Caretaking sharing session will depend on the ideas from those participating and will change as the project evolves, so indicate whether you want information from a specific session or simply the most recent updates.

Our group is called BCMT Coastal Caretakers. If you are having trouble finding us on Facebook, send an email to volunteer@bcmarinetrails.org. Anyone who signs up as a Coastal Caretaker is automatically eligible to join this member group.

  • Most of us decided to become Coastal Caretakers because we love the coast and we have a desire to give something back to the wonderful places we have the privilege of visiting. We also like being part of a group of like-minded people who also care about the coast. 
  • To remind people that they are an important part of BC Marine Trails’ successes, we have our annual SCR/Coastal Caretaker contest. Each time you submit a Site Condition Report (SCR), you are invited to enter the contest. 
  • Some of our frequent SCR contributors from last year were invited to join our Stewardship Committee as a “reward.” We are thrilled to have four new members on our committee. If you are interested in helping out with Stewardship or another committee in BC Marine Trails, let us know! Send us an email at volunteer@bcmarinetrails.org.
  • Some special projects are open only to BC Marine Trails Coastal Caretakers. Our West Ballenas pilot project is one example. At West Ballenas, we are collaborating with the BC Parks Foundation to gather data and make recommendations for how to promote respectful visitation of West Ballenas’ sensitive ecological environments. This year, Coastal Caretakers have also been given permission to remove invasive Himalayan blackberry and English ivy from the island. If you are interested in volunteering with this project, send an email to volunteer@bcmarinetrails.org to request more information. 

We can promote your events and products to members.

Thank you for being a Coastal Caretaker! It’s great to be volunteering alongside all of you!