The province of British Columbia is blessed with more than 20,000 lakes, 25,000 kilometres of coastline and innumerable rivers and creeks. In most areas, the scenery is stunning and pristine but in the last number of years, some beaches, riverfront spaces, and lakeside spots have been marred by trash and other human encroachments. Luckily, it’s easy for all of us to make slight changes in our paddling practices to improve the experiences at all of these places.
Given June 2-11 is Ocean Awareness Week in Canada, we wanted to speak with an expert about how best to treat our saltwater sanctuaries. Paul Grey is the president of BC Marine Trails, a non-profit working to help build, protect, and promote long-term public access to the province’s coastline. As a fourth-generation Vancouver Islander, and the author of Easykayaker: A guide to laid-back paddling and Kayaking Vancouver Island, Paul knows first-hand how special it is to have easy access to beautiful paddling places. However, he says that currently “BC is the only area in North America that doesn’t have any laws protecting its coast” and so it’s important we all act as stewards of the land and water until such time as the legal system catches up. As the Marine Trails website says, “As users of these lands and waters, we are accountable to protect and preserve sensitive ecosystems, wildlife and habitat by minimizing our environmental impact through education and stewardship.”
To do so, Paul has helped develop a Code of Conduct as a handy guide for paddlers to follow when exploring BC’s marine environment. Most of it can be applied to freshwater paddling places as well. The pocket version is below but to download a more comprehensive list, visit bcmarinetrails.org/protectingourcoast.
Another initiative with a mandate of protecting the places where we love to play is Don’t Love It To Death, launched by the Sea-to-Sky Destination Management Council in 2022. The campaign seeks to remind outdoor enthusiasts and visitors enjoying the outdoors to recognize the impact their behaviour and activities are having on BC’s ecosystems and communities. We’ve combined useful tips from both the Marine Trails organization and Don’t Love It To Death to create this easy-to-follow list for all paddlers in the province.
Tips For Being A Stellar Steward While Paddling In BC
Saltwater Paddling
- Disturb nothing. Take nothing.
- Campfires below high tide line only. Use small driftwood instead of foraging in the forest. Adhere to fire bans.
- Use tidal flush for human waste when a toilet is unavailable. Pack out waste in highly sensitive locations.
- Stay to the campsite area to avoid trampling.
- Dispose of gray water below high tide line.
- Avoid disturbing wildlife and maintain your distance from them. In fact, it’s federal law that all paddlers must remain a minimum of 400 metres from orca whales in the Salish sea between Campbell River and just north of Ucluelet.
- Leave a site in its natural state and leave nothing behind.
Freshwater Paddling
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
- Dig a pit for human waste 6” deep and 200’ from water and trails. Or pack it out.
Pack out all other garbage, including any you may find. - Clear campsites of wildlife attractants.
- Stay on designated trails.
- Obey all signage including those that indicate a place is off limits.
- Leave what you find.
- Minimize campfire impacts. Know the fire danger and regulations.
- Respect wildlife.
- Think of the consequences before sharing and geo-tagging places on social media.
For more about the organizations referenced in this articles, visit bcmarinetrails.org and dontloveittodeath.com.
