This year, coastal recreationists once again proved the power of community stewardship. As of mid-October, BC Marine Trails (BCMT) has received 429 Site Condition Reports (SCRs) — a 21% increase over 2024 and a 44% jump since 2023.
These reports are the eyes and ears of the coast. Each one documents real-time conditions, from changes in tent sites and landings, to infrastructure requiring a bit of TLC, and everything in between. These reports help us and our partners protect and improve the coast we love. While this was our most active reporting year yet, we’re only seeing the beginning of what’s possible.
How much coast did we cover?
This season’s 429 reports covered 337 unique sites — roughly 21% of the BC Marine Trails network. That means nearly four out of five sites still haven’t received a report this year.
Imagine if every paddler took five minutes to submit just one Site Condition Report from their trip. We’d have a complete, living snapshot of the BC coast, year after year!
Regional reports this season came from:
Vancouver Island: 195
Discoveries & Mid-Coast: 80
Central Coast: 63
South Coast Mainland: 51
North Coast: 36
Haida Gwaii: 3
Stewardship in action
This year, nearly one-third (32.4%) of all SCRs included direct caretaking actions — from packing out marine debris to clearing trails and brushing tent sites. That’s a huge impact, and a testament to the hands-on spirit of BC’s paddling community.
Most common actions included:
Packing out marine debris — 62 reports
Collecting debris for later pickup — 50 reports
Brushing tent sites — 33 reports
Trail clipping — 26 reports
Outhouse cleaning or maintenance — 27 reports
Fire pit disassembly — 22 reports
Each action, no matter how small, helps maintain the coast’s natural beauty and safety for the next visitor.
When marine debris is stashed above the high tide line, with details and photos submitted through an SCR, we share these reports with local marine debris cleanup organizations.
The Ocean Legacy Foundation, Rugged Coast, and Living Oceans Society are some of the groups dedicated to large scale cleanups of our coast. By sharing reports of debris accumulation, they are able to take action on reports, removing and recycling debris piled by recreationists like yourself. Help us close the loop on marine debris by piling and reporting on your next adventure!
Some sites in Clayoquot and Quatsino Sound even have dedicated drop zones which are emptied periodically throughout the year, in Clayoquot and Quatsino Sounds. We are always on the lookout for partners and locations for future drop zones! If you see a drop zone in your travels, collect debris washed up on shore, and pile it at the base of the sign for future collection!
Building a record of coastal site conditions
SCR submissions also generated 1,366 new photos for the BCMT map, an average of 3.2 per report. These images and reports capture changing conditions and are shared with First Nations and land managers to support on-the-ground stewardship.
Twenty-one reports flagged danger trees, with several already addressed thanks to volunteer action and partner coordination.
Reports live on the member map
Site Condition Reports are now visible on the member map! You will now be able to see the most up-to-date information possible for your trip planning. Displayed reports (shown by orange pins) will include important information on conditions, photos, and more.
Head to the layers section of the map and toggle on ‘Site Condition Reports’.
Help us reach 100% coverage
We’re proud of this year’s record-breaking participation, but our work is far from over. Our goal is for at least one report, per site, per year – help us get there!
You can help by:
Making Site Condition Reports a part of your adventure routine after your next trip
Joining our Coastal Caretakers program
Encouraging your paddling friends to join in
