How to Design Effective Shoreline Access

Shoreline access is important to all those who visit, play or work on shorelines. Well-managed access also protects the environmental values of shorelines.

For many communities, shorelines provide vital spaces for harvesting traditional foods like clams and oysters – and access to these resources impacts the ability for First Nations to carry out traditional harvests and management. Additionally, the beauty and openness of these areas contribute to overall health and well-being (Five Surprising Benefits of Nature-based Shorelines).

Shorelines are generally considered accessible to all citizens in Canada as they fall within “Crown” jurisdiction. Under the Nature-based Shoreline Project Checklist process available through the Province of BC, the restoration project design has to provide the following:

“Members of the public must be able to readily go around or cross over any constructed structures along the foreshore, i.e., access along the foreshore should not be impeded. Overall, the objective is to provide improved public access to the shoreline.”

The question of the importance of having free access to coastal shores is prominent across Canada. For example, in Nova Scotia, shoreline access is discussed in a Coastal Access Project podcast, ”Right of Way .” The podcast explores the issue of coastal access through the stories of property owners, communities, scientists, policymakers, environmental activists, surfers, and hikers.

Picture Credit: The Nova Scotian podcast "Right of Way" goes on a deep dive exploration of coastal access and jurisdictions limiting people's use of shorelines and the benefits they provide. Cover artwork by Laura Bonga.

Other programs, such as Shore Friendly in Washington State, require consideration of safe and reasonable access for all potential users (resource: Shoreline Master Programs Handbook: Chapter 9).

Considerations for Designing Effective Access

The Stewardship Centre for BC’s Green Shores® program provides guidance on nature-based solutions for shoreline properties. Among its many recommendations, shoreline access design is a key consideration, balancing ecological preservation with public and private needs. Homeowners and communities can refer to the Green Shores for Homes Credits and Ratings Guide (Credit 2.7, pages 93-95) for detailed insights. Owners and managers of public and commercial shoreline properties can refer to the Green Shores for Shoreline Development Guide for further guidance on shore-friendly access (Credit 2, pages 45-50).

A well-designed access route should protect the ecological integrity of riparian zones – the transitional areas in between the upland areas and the adjacent lake, river, stream or ocean. Shoreline access should also be designed to provide safe and reasonable entry while respecting homeowners’ privacy. Remember that unmanaged pet access can disturb wildlife, particularly nesting birds, pollinators and sensitive ecosystems.

Best practices for shoreline access include:

Limit access paths to a minimal width and footprint and, if possible, avoid a linear design that runs straight to the shoreline.
Use permeable paths that allow water filtration and reduce overland runoff that may transport contaminants from the upland.
Incorporate native plant buffers for habitat support and shoreline stability.
Avoid artificial lighting on pathways, which can disrupt nocturnal wildlife.
Ensure all required safety codes are adhered to for the access design.
Provide designated entry points to minimize disturbance.
Manage movement of pets on the shoreline through signage directed to owners, requesting that pets stay on leash. In many communities, there may be signage that restricts off-leash dog access to particular seasons or areas.
Promote limited shoreline access in areas where wildlife values are key. Installation of temporary signage during active seasons for bird breeding (March –August), peak nesting (May-August) and fish spawning (October – December) to inform passersby about ecologically-sensitive times of the year. This should be based on local ecosystem information.
Launch watercraft, such as kayaks, from designated areas to avoid damage to riparian vegetation. Since riparian ecosystems are sensitive to disturbance and take a long time to re-establish, it is best to launch boats from open shoreline areas (with sand/gravel) and preferably from the designated location to limit disturbance elsewhere.
Public access doesn’t always mean direct shoreline entry. Alternative approaches include:
- Lookouts or breezeways for views.
- Interpretive signage highlighting historical, ecological, or cultural features.

How does habitat-friendly beach access support salmon?

By keeping your beach pathway narrow, you are allowing more of your shoreline property to be vegetated with shrubs, trees and salt tolerant grasses, which means more food for salmon! Terrestrial insects will fall from the greenery into the water, providing a tasty snack for salmon passing by.

Photo by Fernando Lessa

Pacific salmon, and many of creatures of the coastal food web, need clean water to explore in the nearshore environment. By opting for a beach path made of sand, gravel or other permeable materials, you are reducing the amount of runoff that enters waterways directly. Click here to learn more about how to manage stormwater runoff with nature-based solutions.

Example of shoreline access

See below for examples of Green Shores for Homes projects with good access design and features that demonstrate best practices. Visit the Stewardship Centre for BC's Green Shores for Homes Case Studies page for more examples.

A. Prospect Lake, Saanich

• The walkway includes a narrow, flat-rock path interspersed with native grasses, which connects to an untreated wood dock. The dock has spaces between the boards that allow natural light penetration to benefit aquatic plants and organisms below.

• Extensive riparian vegetation, including overhanging shrubs and trees, was retained for shade, temperature regulation, and habitat diversity.

B. Portage Road, Saanich

• The pathway was created with minimal width through the native riparian vegetation, to protect habitat and biodiversity. The walkway is surfaced with natural materials, and there is no artificial lighting.

• Shrubs and trees were retained to enhance habitat and stabilize the shoreline.

• The entire riparian area is protected under a legally established conservation covenant.

C. Agate Lane, Saanich

The pathway is non-linear and made of untreated wood materials;
Riparian vegetation was infilled with native plants and is protected from foot traffic both to and from the shoreline;
No artificial lighting was installed along the path.

D. Songhees Walkway Pocket Beach Green Shores for Shoreline Development project: Victoria

The public pathway is made of solid and yet permeable material, allowing for water infiltration and stability for wheeled carts, walkers and strollers to access the shoreline. This was important for the cultural use of this shoreline by the Songhees Nation with their traditional canoes.
There is no artificial lighting, and the pathway integrates well with the natural shoreline edge.

E. Nile Road, Qualicum Bay

Minimal vegetation diversity;
Linear shoreline allows high water migration inland, particularly during storm events;

Non-linear pathway infilled with native vegetation;
Path is made of permeable material, allowing water infiltration and decreasing overland runoff;

Conclusion

Shorelines are special places that people and wildlife use and enjoy. By integrating these thoughtful design principles, we can ensure shoreline access benefits people while preserving the ecological and cultural richness of marine and lake shores. For more details, explore Green Shores and the Resilient Coasts for Salmon Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change - Resilient Coasts for Salmon project website to discover how sustainable shoreline management can work for you!

Cover image from SCBC's Green Shores for Homes project Agate Lane in Saanich, BC. Photo Credit Kelly Loch.

All photographs in the 'Examples of Shoreline Access' section by Kelly Loch, Stewardship Centre for British Columbia.

Monitoring Shorelines

Why Monitor Your Shoreline?

Monitoring shorelines allows waterfront homeowners and property managers to keep track of changes to the shoreline and adjacent property and to see how restored shorelines respond to storms. Restoration professionals recommend monitoring before and after any development or restoration to evaluate the effectiveness of restoration efforts, to observe ecological change over time, and to determine if any site maintenance is necessary. This information can be used to adapt the design for better performance and revise its application in future projects. Monitoring can help identify erosion risks, track sediment loss, and assess the effectiveness of shoreline protection against rising sea levels and flooding.

Documented Benefits of Nature-based Solutions from Monitoring Studies

Several scientific studies have monitored nature-based shoreline (NBS) designs to document how resilient these systems are to disturbance and how well they perform over time. For example, a study in Florida found that three living shorelines persisted through extreme weather events. They absorbed up to 28% of wave impact during hurricanes, and saw a five-fold increase in vegetated areas within two years of restoration. Similarly, monitoring of a living shoreline design in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, showed that the nature-based shore design withstood a tropical storm with minimal erosion. Of note, the storm washed out walking paths along the waterfront - except for the section protected by the living shoreline, which remained in excellent condition. One study found that a naturalized shoreline gained four times more sediment than it lost.

Monitoring has also shown how NBS designs can help remove excess nitrogen from the environment that might otherwise cause algal blooms; this protects the diversity and richness of aquatic organisms like shrimp and fish, benefiting ecosystem health and function (Onorevole et al., 2018; Shinn et al., 2025, Smith et al., 2024). Monitoring has also shown increases in native vegetation cover on restored shorelines, reductions in invasive plant density, and increased activity of native and at-risk wildlife on naturalized shorelines (Tower et al., 2023).

Photo credit: Kelly Loch

How to Monitor Your Waterfront Shoreline

Waterfront homeowners can learn how to monitor their shoreline using the Green Shores for Homes Monitoring Guide, developed by the Stewardship Centre for BC and TransCoastal Adaptations: Centre for Nature-based Solutions as part of the Green Shores® program. This guide offers practical advice for both homeowners and professionals and can help develop long-term records to track the performance of nature-based solutions.

As a homeowner, you will find helpful “how-to” descriptions, checklists for shoreline maintenance and landscape activities, and notes on reducing water runoff and maintaining septic systems to protect the ecological integrity of the shoreline and adjacent aquatic environment. While some technical monitoring requires trained professionals (such as assessing habitat for species at risk or shoreline profile changes using specialized equipment), homeowners can perform other monitoring activities, such as taking photos at set viewpoints.

Example of monitoring activities for waterfront homeowners

1. Wildlife Monitoring

One of the exciting ways to note changes in the ecological function of your shoreline is by monitoring wildlife and migratory birds near your home. You might only need a pair of binoculars and a phone to observe wildlife and track your observations. You can make records in a document such as a spreadsheet or an app like iNaturalist or Merlin. By taking photos, you are helping create records that can be used to assess change over time, and joining a community of citizen scientists who can help identify what you find!

Blue Heron along the shore. Photo by Pete Nuij in Delta, B.C.

Forage Fish Monitoring

If you are looking to participate in more widespread monitoring, you can volunteer as part of the Coastal Forage Fish Monitoring Network (CFFN). Depending on your location, you can volunteer with the following organizations, who are part of the CFFN: Project Watershed, Peninsula Streams and Shorelines, and MABBRI, among others!

Photo Credit: Jake Dingwall

2. Photo-point monitoring

Taking pictures from the same location across years is a great way to document vegetation growth, beach erosion and impacts of extreme weather events.

We recommend taking photos of your site:

1) before restoration,

2) after completing restoration and

3) at periodic intervals in the future.

*An example of photo monitoring conducted as part of a Green Shores for Homes project, and the information that was recorded during the survey. Photo by Kelly Loch, Stewardship Centre for B.C.*

The gallery above is an example of photo point monitoring of a Green Shores for Homes project in Qualicum bay, B.C. The photo on the left was taken before Green Shores for Homes nature-based restoration; the photo in the middle was taken just after restoration was completed in 2016; and the photo on the right was taken as part of monitoring of 2022. Monitoring with photos helps to document changes n native plant growth, as well as changes in the accumulation of sediment and organic material on the shoreline. Photos by Kelly Loch, Stewardship Centre for B.C.

Shoreline Monitoring through the Resilient Coasts for Salmon project

The Resilient Coasts for Salmon project is developing monitoring plans for three Green Shores for Shoreline Development demonstration projects on Vancouver Island: Songhees Walkway Pocket Beach, Dyke Road Park, and Esquimalt Gorge Park. The Songhees Walkway will be the first site to undergo monitoring, and results will be shared with the public. To stay updated on shoreline monitoring efforts and project developments, sign up to receive the Resilient Coasts for Salmon e-news updates.

How does shoreline monitoring support Pacific salmon?

Monitoring of the shoreline can give you a rich understanding of the importance of coastal habitats. As a CFFN volunteer, you can gain firsthand knowledge on which shorelines are used as spawning habitats by forage fish species, which are an important food source for Pacific salmon, humpback whales, and more!
By monitoring your shoreline regularly, you can respond to changes in the habitat, ensuring that those resources are available for migrating salmon.

Conclusion

Monitoring shorelines is key to successful restoration efforts, improving coastal resilience, and protecting ecosystems. By tracking changes over time, homeowners and professionals can ensure that nature-based solutions remain effective, adapt to environmental shifts, and support biodiversity. The Resilient Coasts for Salmon project highlights the value of ongoing shoreline monitoring, providing data that strengthens restoration practices and benefits both communities and wildlife. With simple tools like the Green Shores for Homes Monitoring Guide, everyone can play a role in preserving healthy shorelines for the future.

Additional Resources

For the full list of CFFN partners that you can volunteer with, visit https://mabrri.viu.ca/forage-fish-spawning-habitat-monitoring.
See our Tool Kit article on coastal stewardship opportunities for other ideas to be a part of an existing monitoring program!

Naturalizing Shorelines

By naturalizing shorelines, waterfront homeowners can protect their property, embrace environmental stewardship, and invite nature into their backyards.

Naturalized shorelines provide a range of benefits, including shoreline stabilization, habitat restoration for wildlife, ecosystem health and biodiversity, filtering of aquatic pollutants, climate resiliency, improved shoreline aesthetic, access to recreational opportunities and financial savings in shoreline maintenance. Check out the article Five Surprising Benefits of Nature-based Shorelines to read more!

Naturalized shorelines benefit waterfront homeowners by protecting their shorelines from erosion and floods, supporting ecosystem health and the natural aesthetic of the shore.

Threats to Shoreline Properties

Many people are drawn to live near lake or ocean shorelines, but human activity next to shorelines can have negative impacts on coastal processes. Changing climatic conditions caused by humans can also threaten the safety and integrity of shoreline infrastructure. Coastal properties can face several hazards and threats, including storms, erosion, flooding, and sea-level rise. Erosion, in particular, undermines the physical structure of beaches by depleting sediment (e.g., sand, gravel, cobbles) that is essential for absorbing waves and for habitat to many species. Read this article from the Stewardship Centre for BC to learn more about how climate change could impact the shoreline.

While hard armour (e.g., seawalls, rip rap) has often been used to protect shorelines, it can worsen erosion and increase risks to shoreline properties and neighbours. Hard armouring alters coastal processes, increases wave energy, and causes erosion at the base of these structures through scour. This makes the hard armour structure vulnerable to collapse or failure.

Rigid hard armour can actually increase wave energy and make erosion worse, threatening shoreline properties. Wave energy can be reflected by seawalls, leading to scouring (sediment loss at the base of the hard wall) and eventually to a collapse of the structure.

Why should you consider naturalizing shorelines?

Naturalized shorelines are more resilient to changing coastal environments and climate because they are better at dissipating wave energy, and include ecosystem features that help coastal ecosystems adapt to change. Nature-based coastal solutions incorporate natural processes and features that are better able to withstand wind, wave action, tides, seasonal changes and longer-term impacts of sea level rise.

*Homeowners enjoying a naturalized shoreline restored using Green Shores for Homes nature-based solutions.*

What can you do to naturalize your shoreline?

When considering applying nature-based protection on your shoreline, consult with qualified environmental professionals such as coastal engineers and biologists to develop the best solution for your shoreline and property needs. Click here to learn more about nature-based solutions. Some related activities can include:

Remove structures that negatively impact the shoreline: Eliminate old docks, hard armour (e.g., rip rap, seawalls), creosote-treated logs, or other non-native materials that contribute to erosion or pollution.
Consider a hybrid solution: This approach combines limited hard elements to support the function of soft elements such as gravel and woody materials. Hybrid designs can include off shore rocky headlands along with regraded shorelines to create a different shoreline profile. Installation of a buried revetment at the natural boundary is another example of a hybrid solution that provides enhanced wave dissipation, riparian zone function and increased habitat.
Add natural materials: Designed placement of stable, large woody material and beach nourishment materials (e.g., sand, cobble, or gravel) can help stabilize the shoreline and create a natural buffer to absorb wave action, retain sediment and provide micro-habitats for organisms and vegetation.
Plant native vegetation: Retain overhanging vegetation and plant a variety of native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants that are adapted to the site conditions to stabilize the shoreline while providing habitat for fish, amphibians, birds, small mammals, pollinators and other native wildlife.

Removing invasive species and adding native vegetation helps support local biodiversity and ecosystem health. Adding native plants like beach pea (left) and salmonberry (right) add beautiful colour to the shoreline, and support native pollinators!

Remove invasive plants: Remove plants that outcompete native species and reduce biodiversity.
Create low-impact access routes: Design pathways that enhance access to the shoreline for homeowners while protecting the riparian and limiting soil compaction and habitat disturbance.
Manage stormwater run-off: On the upland, create permeable surfaces to filter water, reduce runoff and replenish subsurface groundwater. Use pervious surface materials and rain gardens to encourage run-off to soak into the ground. Check out our Tool Kit to learn more about how to build a rain garden, and the benefits of using permeable paving stones to reduce runoff!

*The upland part of the property can benefit from a raingarden or permeable paving to filter and divert rainwater and reduce surface runoff. Illustration by *Ravi Maharaj* and Holly Sullivan.*

Next Steps

The Stewardship Centre for BC offers the Green Shores^® Program, which includes technical guidance, homeowner support, and information about best practices for implementing nature-based solutions that promote naturalized shorelines. Green Shores^® is applicable to residential properties and commercial, multi-family residential, subdivision, parks or institutional waterfront developments. Learn more on how to get started with Green Shores.

As part of the Resilient Coasts for Salmon project, waterfront property owners on the East Coast of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands might be eligible for a free shoreline assessment to apply nature-based solutions with Green Shores. Click here to learn more about shoreline assessments on the Stewardship Centre for BC website.

Photo credits: Kelly Loch, District of West Vancouver, and Holly Sullivan.

Being a green boater

If you are a boater, kayaker, or wakeboarder, chances are you love the water and being out in nature.

While recreational boating is a great way to experience nature, it can have numerous impacts on the environment - aquatic invasive species can be spread, cleaning agents can pollute, and where you anchor can damage habitat. Learn how you can take care of these places that fill your cup (literally and figuratively) while out on the water.

How does being a green boater benefit salmon?

Taking steps to minimize your impact while out on the water keeps habitats healthy and the water clean thereby reducing the collective pressures that salmon face.

Read on to learn about steps that you can take to prevent negative consequences to the environment and minimize your impact while boating.

Use Environmentally-friendly Cleaning Products and Wash on Land When Possible

Grey water, the water that goes down the drain while washing up, can have impacts to our nearshore environment, especially when it is discarded straight into the water - such as when you are boating or camping. If you are able to, the best option is to wash on land at a marina where dishwashing and showering facilities exist so that water with soaps and detergents will get processed by municipal treatment plants, or at minimum, pass through a septic system.

If you must wash where you will discard the water directly to the environment, here are some considerations:

Use a soap that is readily biodegradable. Soaps that make lots of suds often have surfactants that stick around in the water and are harmful for aquatic species. Surfactants are known to cause a suite of problems for fish including gill damage, vision impairment, and reproduction issues.
Use soaps that are phosphate-free. Phosphate, a key nutrient for plant and algal growth, can contribute to algal blooms that may reduce the amount of oxygen for marine life.

Similar rules apply for washing and maintaining your boat. Cleaning and maintaining your boat on land is the best option to avoid polluting the ocean and harming marine life. Cleaning within marinas is not a good option. They are typically set up in bays where there is less water exchange, and that means the pollution and residues that enter the water will stay there longer and concentrate in that area.

When cleaning your boat:

Avoid the use of products that contain chlorine and petroleum distillates as these can harm aquatic life.
If you are doing maintenance work on your boat that cannot be done on land, use tarps to contain any debris from entering the water. Doing this work at a boatyard is preferable.
Opt for non-toxic products to use on your boat.

How can you be sure a product is safe?

Greenwashing, weak or false environmental claims, can be hard to decipher when faced with a myriad of products on the store shelves. See our post about decoding eco-labels on cleaning products, or try creating your own safe cleaning products with food safe products you probably have in your pantry that are free of harmful chemicals.

Find products that have been assessed to be environmentally friendly in a searchable database created just for boaters!

Be responsible with your waste

Boating can generate a lot of waste, and it is every boater's responsibility to dispose of it appropriately. Not only is trash in the water unsightly, it can cause death and destruction. Ghost gear (nets and fishing line) entangle fish, birds, and marine mammals; broken down plastics become part of the food chain; and chemicals impact the health of habitats and animals.

It is not always easy to get rid of things while out on the water, so here are some helpful tips:

Bins may not always be available, especially in remote areas, be prepared to pack out all of your waste.
Remove extra packaging before you go to minimize what you have to stow on your boat.
Keep waste items secure so that they don't accidentally blow or wash off the boat.
Do not mix waste oils, paints, etc. this limits your future ability to recycle or properly dispose of these items.
Many items can be brought to a marina or service station such as used oil, filters, antifreeze and containers.
Batteries can be brought back to the retailers for recycling.
Minimize the waste you make overall, try going zero-waste.
Find out more from these resources:
- BC Used Oil Management Association is can help you find where used oil, filters, etc. can be dropped off.
- Recycling Council of BC website (or 1.604.RECYCLE) can provide advice on where items can be disposed.
- Electronic Products Recycling Association of BC can assist you with dealing with end-of-life electronics.
- Product Care Association of Canada provides special waste recycling programs for tricky hazardous products including paints, pesticides and flammable liquids, lighting products, appliances, power tools, etc.

Paint safely and with non-toxic paints (or avoid painting altogether)

Many boats are coated with anti-fouling paint. The reasons these paints keep your hull from becoming covered with critters is because they contain highly toxic ingredients such as copper pesticides that prevent life from thriving. As you can imagine, residuals from these paints in the environment are terrible for aquatic life.

It is best to avoid painting, instead you can keep your hull clean by:

Manually de-foul by scrubbing as needed.
Prevent fouling with dry storage, fouling organisms can't attach to the bottom of your boat if it is not in the water! Dry storage saves you from having to continually clean your boat.

If you must paint your boat, minimize your impact by:

Using more environmentally-friendly paints that aren’t copper-based, but are biocide-free silicone-based
Always using drop sheets to help collect any residual products or paint from entering the ocean. Keep absorbent rags on hand in case there are spills.
Disposing of excess paint appropriately.

Pump out properly

This goes without saying, but sewage needs to be managed with the environment in mind. Sewage waste contains concentrated nutrients, chemicals, and pathogens - all of which have serious environmental, human health, and economic consequences.

Excess nutrients can cause algal blooms that rob the water of oxygen. Chemicals including pharmaceuticals, which are found in sewage, can affect behaviour and reproduction of aquatic species. And, bacteria and viruses from human waste can affect sensitive habitats and species, make beaches unsafe for recreation, and cause shellfish closures.

Not only that, it’s against the law to release sewage within 3 nautical miles of shore and sewage can never be discharged in rivers or lakes. Violations can be up to $1 million fine and/or up to 18 months of imprisonment.

Here is how you can avoid releasing sewage to the water:

Pump out at official sewage pump outs, become familiar with the locations around the Strait of Georgia and beyond, try using the interactive map by ahoyBC linked on the left.
If you don’t have a toilet onboard, use a temporary port-a-potty and haul it out at your next pump out station or washroom.
You could also install a marine sanitation device on board.

Fuel up Carefully

Fuel, oils, and all petroleum products used to power and maintain your boat are highly toxic to salmon, other fish, seabirds, shellfish, and, really, everything in the sea.

You can prevent accidental spills by taking care with the following tips:

Take it slow to prevent any fuel or oil from entering the water.
Keep an oil-absorbent rag on hand.
Always have a spill kit on board for emergencies.
And, report spills immediately (1-800-OILS-911).

Watch where you anchor

Avoid anchoring in sensitive habitats like eelgrass meadows, which are important nursery habitat for juvenile salmon and a myriad of sea life. Eelgrass is easily damaged by anchoring - it becomes fragmented and uprooted, reducing the amount of healthy available habitat that these critters and fish need. Anchor deeper than 7m and check out our Tool Kit article on the subject for more tips.

Avoid spreading invasive species

Whether you’re boating or paddling, we need to be careful that invasive species do not hitch a ride with us. Invasive plants and animals can change a landscape if given the opportunity. European green crabs, for example, damages habitats and competes with and preys upon native fauna.

Invasive species can easily be transferred from one body of water to another, so it is imperative to clean your boat and all your gear thoroughly and let it dry fully before using it elsewhere. The Invasive Species Council of British Columbia (ISCBC) provides great tips for preventing the spread of invasive aquatic species with their Clean Drain Dry educational campaign that we summarize below.

Recommendations for preventing the spread of invasive species:

Clean off all plants, animals and mud from boat and gear. Clean items away for other water bodies, ideally with a high pressure hose using freshwater.
Drain all water from boat, gear and equipment onto land.
Dry all parts of the boat and gear completely, preferably in the sun, before launching into a new body of water.
Never release or move fish, animals, or plants from one water body into another.
Learn to recognize aquatic invasive and non-native species and understand how they spread.
Inform others about the threat of aquatic invasive species.

If you invasive species, report them: DFO.AISPacific-EAEPacifique.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

Plan your boat’s retirement

All good things come to an end, and for boats planning that end is essential to protecting the environment. Abandoned boats can become navigational hazards, leak contaminants, and move with the currents, scouring sensitive habitats and washing ashore as they go. Abandoned boats often sink, along with all the extra items on board creating more marine debris that is difficult to remove, and any fuel is that is left onboard can leak into the ocean. Responsibly 'retiring' your boat is also required by law, the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act was implemented in 2019 to help regulate the disposal of vessels and outlines the responsibilities of vessel owners.

If your boat is no longer seaworthy, can no longer be safely operated, or the repairs to keep your boat operation exceed the monetary or emotional value of the boat, Boating BC Association suggests its time to retire your boat.

Here are the steps for retiring your boat:

Transport your boat to a disposal yard.
Ensure that hazardous materials are properly dealt with.
Recycle what you can. For example, metal hulls, electronics, propane tanks and engines can be sold.

This can be most simply achieved by enlisting a reputable full service boat disposal group to manage all steps to responsibly dispose of your retired boat. The linked document on the left by Boating BC Association is a directory of boat disposal services for the Vancouver Island region. It includes both full service disposal contracts and contacts for each of the steps mentioned above.

If you are simply upgrading your boat but there’s still life left in your old one, you can sell it or donate it to an organization that may have use for a boat. Find local non-profits close to home with this map of stewardship groups on Vancouver Island.

If you find an abandoned boat, report it!

Report derelict, abandoned boats to the Dead Boats Disposal Society, who specialize in removing and salvaging vessels.

Additional resources

Georgia Strait Alliance has written a helpful guide that is freely available. Many of the tips we share come from this guide.

Check out this newsletter all about selecting better products for your boating needs!

Photo credits: Eiko Jones, Kyla Sheehan, Maria Catanzaro, Debby Hudson on Unsplash, Coastal Photography Studio

Harvesting Rainwater

Water is a precious resource essential to all life.

For millennia, people experiencing regular or periodic lack of water developed ingenious methods to harvest and store every drop of rainwater they could. With changing climate patterns, depletion of water tables, and water restrictions due to unprecedented periods of heat and drought, many BC residents now realize that an abundant water supply is not assured and are thinking about harvesting and conserving this precious resource.

What is Rainwater Harvesting?

Rainwater harvesting is another way to manage stormwater runoff with the added benefit of being able to put that excess water to use at a later date when water is in shorter supply. Harvesting rainwater typically involves collecting and storing rainwater that would otherwise run off a roof or other impermeable surface. During storms, this diversion of runoff can help prevent flooding and erosion. On the flip side, during dry periods, using the stored water can take pressure off our natural freshwater resources – lakes, streams, and groundwater that may be depleted.

How does rainwater harvesting benefit salmon?

It diverts stormwater runoff from impermeable surfaces which could otherwise contribute to habitat damage from flooding and erosion where spawning salmon lay their eggs and young salmon rear.

Using harvested rainwater takes off pressure on natural water resources during periods of drought, such as late summer and early fall when salmon need water in streams to migrate.

Stormwater runoff often contains pollutants that negatively impact the ecosystem, diverting this water can prevent pollution from entering sensitive environments.

Check out the runoff management article for more information on common contaminants, and other nature-based solutions to capture runoff: Nature-based Solutions to Manage Stormwater Runoff.

Here are a few more benefits of harvesting rainwater:

Rainwater is free - truly a gift from above.
Use collected water to maintain your garden during water restrictions - rainwater harvesting can provide a buffer for your water usage needs during times when water is scarce.
Rainwater is perfect for your plants – it does not contain chlorine that would be in municipal water and when taken directly from the tank it will naturally be the right temperature to use on your garden.
It’s not only for the garden – harvested rainwater can be treated by simple disinfection processes to be made potable. It can be great for washing, flushing toilets, and even drinking water, but do seek out a professional to ensure the water will be properly sanitized.
Rainwater is naturally soft – harvested water will not contain salts or minerals that can form scale on appliances, soft water is also great for bathing.
You can reduce your dependence on other water sources - by using your stored water, you can let the water that would come from streams or groundwater support the ecosystem instead.
You can build your own emergency water supply – harvested rainwater makes a great back up in the case of a prolonged power outage, earthquake, fire or other emergencies.

Reduce pollutants flowing into lakes, streams, oceans, and groundwater– redirecting and reducing stormwater by harvesting rainwater can minimize the pollutant loads that enter sensitive ecosystems. .
Depending on the setup, a system can contribute to groundwater recharge – using a system that filters and redirects water into the ground can recharge aquifers.

There are two main methods of rainwater harvesting

Rooftop rainwater harvesting involves collecting rainwater from the roofs of buildings and houses using gutters, pipes, filters, and tanks or rain barrels. The collected water can be used for various household needs, such as washing, gardening, and even cooking or drinking (depending on the type of roof and ability to purify). Rooftop rainwater harvesting can also recharge groundwater aquifers by diverting the excess water to wells, boreholes, or recharge pits. Here is a schematic of a typical rooftop rainwater harvesting:

Surface runoff harvesting involves collecting rainwater that flows over the ground using swales, ponds, rain gardens, reservoirs, in-ground tanks, and percolation through penetrable surfaces, like sand, gravel, and permeable pavements. Collected water can be used for irrigation and watering livestock. It can also recharge groundwater aquifers when water is directed to infiltration basins, trenches, or percolation tanks instead.

There is no one correct way to harvest rainwater. It depends upon the system's scale, budget, and purpose; however, the costs can vary widely depending on the solutions employed.

Rain Harvesting for Homeowners

Rooftop rain harvesting is the most common and least costly approach for household purposes. Rain barrels, the cost of which are subsidized by many local governments, receive rainwater from a downspout attached to the roof's gutter and provide easily accessible water for the garden and other outdoor purposes, typically having a faucet or hose attachment at the bottom. Multiple barrels can be interconnected via pipes to store a significant amount of water.

For small-scale harvesting for use in the garden, you can even DIY in an afternoon with items from a hardware store, see this example of step-by-step instructions from instructables.com.

For households that do not have a municipal water source or those with significant water needs for garden plots and livestock, a more elaborate system may be required. There are large storage tanks that can hold thousands of gallons of water, which can be placed above or below ground. The tank can be connected to a pump and a filtration system to deliver clean water to different parts of the house or garden.

For large-scale harvesting and when you plan to use the water in your home, including for drinking water, it is best to seek the help of professionals.

Wondering how much you can harvest?

In this post about rainwater harvest ideas on morningchores.com, there is a rainwater harvest calculator. Simply put in the catchment area (the width and length (ft) of your roof you intend to capture water from) and the amount of rainfall (in) expected and it will tell you how many gallons you would receive.

If you wish to calculate it yourself (or prefer metric measurements), for every square metre of roof catchment area and millimetre of rainfall, one Litre of water will be produced. Based on that you can use the following formula will calculate your expected total:

Catchment area (m²) x annual local average rainfall (mm) = ____L

So, for a 10m x 10m (or 100m²) roof in Nanoose, which receives an average annual rainfall of 1086mm, there would be 108,600L (or 108.6m³) of rainwater. Note that the maximum efficiency of a typical harvest system would be between 75-80% of that total due to evaporation, periods of overflow etc.

Learn about rainwater harvesting in BC

In addition to, or instead of rooftop harvesting systems, simple surface runoff harvesting techniques, such as rain gardens and swales, are increasingly popular techniques to capture and filter rainwater. These do not usually supply a readily available source of water for household use but do contribute to groundwater replenishment and natural purification, making water available to plants within the immediate vicinity while also serving to remove pollutants that could otherwise be swept into waterways.

Rainwater harvesting is an ancient and sustainable practice that can help conserve water, save money, improve plant health, and provide an emergency water supply, all of which improves the climate resiliency of our families and communities. By collecting and storing rainwater for later use, we can use a precious natural resource that would otherwise go to waste.

Additional Resources

For further information on rainwater harvesting, including ways to establish your own system, try these sites and resources:

Rainwater Harvesting Best Practices Guidebook (Regional District of Nanaimo)

Water Harvesting Basics (wateruseItwisely.com)

Water Harvesting - Definition, Importance, Methods, Limitations (geeksforgeeks.org)

23 Awesome DIY Rainwater Harvesting Systems You Can Build at Home (morningchores.com)

Rainwater Harvesting: A Beginner’s Guide (treehugger.com)

Beginner’s Guide to Rainwater Harv e sting (familyhandyman.com)

Smith, J. (2010). Rainwater harvesting: Benefits and challenges. Journal of Environmental Science, 12(3), 45-56.

Photo credits: Ed Leszczynskl on Unsplash, Eiko Jones, Photo licensed under CC BY-NC, Photo licensed under CC BY-NC-ND Paul de Greeff, Nicole Christiansen, Illustration by Holly Sullivan

Places to Visit and Learn

No matter your age, learning about the environment and our local ecosystems is fun!

Whether you’re getting outside to a local park or trail, learning about the marine environment such as intertidal critters through touch tanks at an aquarium, or learning about Indigenous cultures on the land that you live on through virtual or in person field trips, there is so much to explore.

To get you on your way, we have compiled a map and a list below of great places and events to visit for you to get to know the coast of Vancouver Island!

Which ones have you visited? Are there any that we missed? Let us know by emailing ksheehan@psf.ca.

Click the map to explore!

How does visiting places benefit salmon?

Getting out to learn and appreciate nature, salmon, and First Nations culture encourages us to take care of our land and water and be better stewards for Pacific salmon.

Here are some places to check out:

Museums, aquariums, nature centres, and more

Museums

Rainy day with nothing to do? Check out some of our Island's great museums!

The Royal BC Museum in Victoria has exhibits on natural history and human history, including the Indigenous cultures of BC. Be sure to check out their rotating exhibits, and features in the IMAX theatre.
Explore the Hand of Man museum in Maple Bay to see their packed displays of natural history and artifacts.
Try out the Nanaimo Museum to understand your local history and cultures. The museum’s permanent exhibits offer learnings about the impacts of industry like forestry, coal mining and transport, as well as many aspects of life in a traditional longhouse of the Snunéymuxw Nation. This is a great place to take a school group, as they offer both in person and virtual field trips! Be sure to check their website often for seasonal events and presentations.
Visit the Whale Interpretive Centre in Telegraph Cove to learn all about the gentle giants of the sea. Check out their collection of marine mammals skeletons and learn about the life cycles of these amazing creatures.
Owned and operated by the Northern Vancouver Island Salmonid Enhancement Association (NVISEA), the Quatse Salmon Stewardship Centre in Port Hardy is a great place to learn about all things salmon in the north island region. Take a walk through their interpretive gallery to discover the intricacies of the salmon life cycle, their natural habitats, salmon enhancement and local conservation initiatives.

Aquariums

Vancouver has a renowned aquarium, but did you know about these gems on Vancouver Island? Dive into the fascinating world of marine life on our coasts at

the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea in Sidney where you may see a giant Pacific octopus play with toys and hear fascinating lectures!
the Ucluelet Aquarium, Canada’s first collect-and-release aquarium! Located on the traditional territory of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet) First Nation, this facility features many native fish and invertebrate species who are collected from the local waters, then returned after a short residency. The aquarium is also a part of many initiatives to map and protect nearshore habitats like eelgrass, and clean up microplastics and marine debris from their shorelines, and
the Discovery Passage Aquarium in Campbell River, which offers a 'hands on' experience and offers summer camps and school programs.

Nature Centres

Many national, provincial, and regional parks on Vancouver Island have nature houses or nature centres to learn about the features, ecology, and culture of the area. A few to check out include

the Goldstream Nature House, where you can learn about our temperate rainforest ecosystem, see the work of local artists, and bare witness to the incredible salmon run up the Goldstream River!
the living classroom that is the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, and their Nature House, where you can explore the native plant and animal species of the Garry Oak meadow on Christmas Hill, and the lake and wetland of Swan Lake. Did you know that Garry Oak meadows are almost exclusively found on the southeast coast of Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands?
- Connect with the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society (GOMPS) to learn more about these incredible ecosystems, and how you can help preserve and restore habitat.
the Gorge Waterway Nature House, located within Esquimalt Gorge Park, which is a community environmental learning hub, complete with a Seaquaria Aquarium marine touch tank and a model of the Gorge Waterway watershed!

the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre, an interpretive centre overlooking the Cowichan Estuary. Over 80% of the area’s wildlife use the estuary. You can learn about many of them and even observe some close up in their aquariums, touch tank, and microscopes! The nature centre offers immersive learning programs for students from kindergarten to grade 12 on topics like estuary ecosystems, microplastics pollution, and ecological restoration.

the Strathcona Park Lodge and Outdoor Education Centre, which offers youth programs like their Wilderness Youth Leadership Development camp expedition, where teens connect to nature and develop leadership and stewardship skills. Programs are also available for school groups.

And more...

Curious about composting and conservation? Check out the Compost Education Centre in Victoria to dig into their educational fact sheets on different methods of composting and other tips for your garden. They also offer workshops and educational programs for all ages on a wide range of topics – including how to convert your lawn into a native plant meadow and growing practices for a resilient garden!
Learn about birds of prey at Pacific Northwest Raptors in Duncan, which has a variety of experiences to get up close to amazing birds and support their raptor rescue efforts.
Check out the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre (NIWRC) to learn about the native wild animal species of Vancouver Island, their habitats, and what we can do to reduce our impacts on those species. Did you know that the NIWRC is able to rehabilitate up to twenty bears at a time at their facility? Through their Bear Cub Program, they are able to care for orphaned cubs in their facility until they are strong and healthy enough to be released. They also use radio collars to track the bears once they return to the wild to ensure their safety. (Errington, BC). The North Island Wildlife Recovery Association also offers free online learning resources including videos and activities.
Deep Bay Marine Station offers public drop ins, and hosts class field trips that are tailored to each age group. Whether you are a curious university student or just starting grade 2, Deep Bay Marine Station has so much for you to explore and learn. They even offer summer camps for kids!

Explore Through a First Nations’ Lens

There is no better way to learn about our natural places than from the First Nations who have stewarded these lands since time immemorial. On Vancouver Island, we live on the traditional and unceded territories of the Coast Salish, Nuu-chah-nulth and Kwakwakaw’akw Peoples. Check out Indigenous Tourism BC’s list of other places to visit on the mainland too to learn about the Indigenous cultures of BC.

Become familiar with the traditional place names where you live, the Nations on whose territory you live and work, and the history of colonization on these lands. With the Native Land interactive map, you can explore different areas to view the traditional territories, treaties, as well as the languages spoken by the Indigenous group.

Here are some amazing places to visit on Vancouver Island:

Book a walking or canoe tour with Explore Songhees to learn about the Lekwungen People on whose traditional territory Victoria and Esquimalt lie. Join cultural guides for an immersive experience that will enrich your understanding of the Lekwungen People, culture and connection to place.
Kwisitis Visitor Centre in Tofino, BC. This visitor’s centre within Pacific Rim National Park offers incredible opportunities to learn about the First Nations of this coastal area: the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation of the Nuu-chah-nulth People. Listen to stories, and recordings of local animal names in the local Indigenous languages, and explore the replicas of coastal animals, and a replica of a traditional long house.
Take a day trip over to Saysutshun/Newcastle Island from Nanaimo and learn about the significance of the island for sourcing traditional medicines and healing from native plants for the Snuneymuxw People.
Visit the U’mista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay to learn about the tribes of the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw. You can join a cultural tour, check out an exhibit, and maybe even catch a youth performance of traditional dance.

Visit Parks!

The best way to learn is by getting out there! Check out BC’s beautiful national and provincial parks, as well as regional parks and nature reserves.

The Province of BC has even created this interactive map where you can visualize all the parks in BC, as well as current closures or restrictions. Many parks have information centres where you can pick up brochures and maps, and learn about the history of a place and the nature it protects.

It is important to recognize the connections that Indigenous peoples and communities have with these special places having managed them for millennia. Read about Parks Canada’s commitment to honour the contributions and history of Indigenous people, co-management projects, and resources here.

Explore the parks in your own backyard

Here are a few suggestions for getting out there and enjoying your local areas along with links to regional directories to help you find outdoor adventures:

Victoria

Looking for a more spiritual experience? Try a guided mindfulness-based forest walking tour with Elemental Magick to discover the benefits of forest bathing.
Capital Regional District has a find a pak directory as does District of Metchosin, and the Township of Esquimalt has walking and cycling trails, and parks search functions.

Duncan

Take a walk through the beautiful trails of the Somenos Marsh Conservation Area in Duncan and see the Open Air Classroom – stop in at the informational signs to learn about the native wildlife, their habitats, and their name in the language of the Quw'utsun people.
Cowichan Valley Regional District has a directory of outdoor places to explore by area or activity type.

Nanaimo

Take a stroll around Buttertubs Marsh Conservation Area in Nanaimo. Don’t forget to bring along your Nature Guide to learn about the many plants and animals of the marsh as you walk!
The Morrell Nature Sanctuary, which is owned and managed by the Nature Trust of BC, offers field trips for school-aged children, and even summer day camps.

City of Nanaimo has a directory search for parks and Town of Ladysmith has a downloadable brochure.

Port Alberni

At Stamp River Park, you can explore 2 km of interpretive trails, and may have the opportunity to see salmon migrating up the river through the fish ladder or swimming in the pools below the falls.

Comox

The beautiful Comox Valley Regional District has a searchable map of trails, parks and beach access.

Campbell River

As a launching pad to the northern reaches of Vancouver Island, Campbell River is rich with outdoor places to explore, including within the City of Campbell River.

Events

Special events can be an excellent way to learn about local initiatives and get some hands-on learning experiences. There are many events around the Island that celebrate our coast, native species, and, of course, Pacific salmon. Keep an eye on your local newspaper to find other events near you and check out our events page to find ones Resilient Coasts for Salmon will be at!

Spring

The Brant festival, hosted by the Nature Trust of BC, celebrates nature and migratory Brant geese that visit Parksville and Qualicum Beach each spring. This annual event typically runs for about 7 days, with many different events, tours and presentations to attend.
Ocean Week Victoria offers 10 days of activities and fun events throughout the city of Victoria to celebrate our oceans and learn about ocean stewardship.

Summer

The Qualicum Beach Day annual event provides a ton of opportunities to learn about our local beaches and the critters that rely on good coastal habitat, including Pacific Salmon and forage fish.
Witness Nanaimo’s famous Silly Boat Regatta and Bathtub Race events every July!
Spend your BC Day long weekend at the Comox Nautical Days “Free Festival of Family Fun”!
Celebrate Pacific salmon at the Port Alberni Salmon Festival & Derby on September long weekend.
Join us for a shoreline mapping workshop in communities on the east coast of Vancouver Island. We will be hosting workshops each summer from Victoria to Port McNeill, so be sure to sign up for our newsletter to be the first to register!

Fall

Celebrate BC’s rivers at the Alberni Valley Rivers Day at Stamp Falls Provincial Park.
Fancy a visit to Pender Island? Be sure to check out (and register for) the Trees to Seas Ecofair. The Ecofair boasts incredible workshops, forest walks, lectures, and markets all related to conservation, restoration and environmental education and action. Not able to attend the Ecofair? Consult the Pender Island Conservancy’s event calendar for fun opportunities such as bird counts and exhilarating lectures on topics ranging from fungi to salmon!

Learn about salmon and hatchery production right at the source! Each fall, the Nanaimo River Hatchery hosts their Spawning Day event, where you can watch an egg take, make a fish print masterpiece, and even release a fry in the river! Check out their Facebook page to learn more!

Be sure to visit your local watershed during spawning season (usually late summer and fall) to witness the incredible migration and spawning of Pacific salmon in rivers throughout BC! Consult the PSF Salmon Spotting map to plan your trip to a spawning river near you.

Want to be even more involved?

Volunteer with a local stewardship group on a shoreline clean up, forage fish sampling, and more! Visit our Tool Kit article on stewardship to learn more about the opportunities for hands-on learning on Vancouver Island.

Virtual exploring options

BC Invasive Species Council has a selection of webinars available - Webinar Gallery - Invasive Species Council of British Columbia (bcinvasives.ca), plus virtual courses and e-learning through their Learning Centre
The Royal BC Museum has options for learning online as well! Many of their exhibits are available to scroll through, as well as digital field trips!
If you live on the west coast of Vancouver Island (Ucluelet to Hesquiaht), you could connect with N.E.S.T. (Nature. Education. Sustainability. Transformation.), a collective that offers west-coast based educational courses and resources from outdoor education to Indigenous-led courses.
Don’t forget to visit the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Salmon School for educational videos and lessons on all things salmon, including a salmon dissection, salmon life cycle, habitat restoration, and freshwater habitat (coming soon).

Photo credits: Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto on Pexels, Kyla Sheehan, Nicole Christiansen

Ways to Enact Actions for the Climate

How can we motivate ourselves to create new habits that make us feel good AND help the planet?

If it feels difficult to act on things that feel abstract, too large to solve, or don’t have immediate benefits, you are not alone – it is part of the human condition.

Research on human behaviour suggests that people tend to forgo long-term net benefit (for the individual or collective good) for immediate gratification. This is known as hyperbolic discounting. Examples include procrastinating while writing a report or giving into dessert while on a diet. Another example, which will be the focus of this post, is not taking the action needed to reduce our carbon footprint despite the negative impacts of climate change looming.

We are already experiencing the effects of climate change – floods, droughts, heatwaves and wildfires are impacting us and communities across the globe. We know from modelled projections that what we are currently experiencing is the tip of the (melting) iceberg if we do not start taking action. So, how can we shift our decision-making process to take immediate meaningful action?

Behavioural science research helps us understand how we make decisions and what influences our behaviour. For example, there are small adjustments or ‘nudges’ that can affect our decisions when we least expect it. Through 'choice architecture' or, in other words, organizing the context in which people make decisions, options can be presented in specific ways that can nudge our behaviour (for better or worse when marketers are trying to sell us things!). Research has shown that you can encourage healthier eating through the strategic placement of food items. The closer a healthy item was displayed at a cafeteria (i.e., vegetables right in front of you at the beginning of the line, with junk food in the back) the more likely people were to take it. If nudges are applied in a way that influences people to choose the more environmentally friendly option, it could be a great way to make progress towards reducing emissions. For example, a restaurant could structure its menu to encourage customers to eat more plant-based meals. Check out the book Nudge that dives into this strategy as a way to influence certain behaviours.

How we think about climate change and the environment can influence how we act. See the sections below for how we can apply lessons learned from this discipline to help us enact climate change action.

How does taking action against climate change benefit salmon?

Climate change is one of the greatest threats to the future of Pacific salmon. Taking action to minimize one’s carbon footprint is an important step to reducing the pressures future generations of Pacific salmon will face.

Below are some behaviour-change strategies to try out:

Focus on everyday small manageable actions

“In a world of more than seven billion people, each of us is a drop in the bucket. But with enough drops, we can fill any bucket.”

-David Suzuki

Individual actions CAN make a difference. A great place to start is with things like transportation, diet, and power usage at home.

There are many ways we can do our part while we are stewards on this earth (with long-standing benefits for future generations!) – take a look at our Tool Kit for some ideas to get started.

For example, taking steps like reducing your electricity use, reducing your waste, and eliminating toxins and contaminants from your cleaning products can reduce the cumulative stress on the environment and the species that depend on it (hint: including us!).

By improving the products we use in our households we can reduce the amount of detrimental toxins that enter our waterways. And if we take the steps to be a greener boater, we can reduce the impacts we have on vital ecosystems (that are also carbon sinks) such as eelgrass meadows – helping to continue to function as habitat as well as providing ecosystem services to coastal communities.

Shift Habitual Behaviours – Re-set your habits

Most of us are now in the habit of bringing reusable shopping bags every time we go to the grocery store, while just a few years ago this action was on few people's radar. We can do the same thing with produce bags, a water bottle, or your coffee mug. You can also get into the habit of unplugging your devices after use or using a clothesline to dry your clothes instead of using the dryer. These are simple steps that once you do it a few times, it will become second nature!

Try habit stacking - Building a habit can be tough, but if we use other habits as a base, we can stack new ones on top to build a new routine more easily. For example, you might want to start bringing a reusable coffee mug to reduce waste created by single use cups. If you already have a habit of packing your lunch for work the night before, you can put your reusable mug in the fridge with your lunch so it is all ready to go in the morning. Habit stacking such as this can help us make small changes that make a big difference.

Make Yourself Accountable – Strategies to make your intentions stick

Commit to a goal by sharing it with a friend – What is something that feels important to you? For example, let’s say you want to reduce your dependence on your vehicle and reduce your emissions. Create a goal (you can start small) and tell someone that is close to you. Here’s a helpful form to get you started! For instance, you may choose to ride your bike to work 3 out of 5 days a week instead of driving. By telling a friend, it helps us feel more accountable and more likely to stick to it.

Create a Buddy System – You can strengthen your goal setting and follow-through by creating a buddy system. We hold ourselves and each other more accountable when we do it together. Even if you live in different towns, you can send one another a photo of your commute to work each day. This will also motivate your partner to keep at their goal!

Encourage yourself with Positive Reinforcement

Tracking your progress - Posting your progress somewhere you will see it on a regular basis, such as on your fridge, can help encourage you to continue with your goals.

For example, you can mark on your calendar when you bike to work each week and then plot it in a simple graph. You will be able to visualize how you are reducing your reliance on your car over time.

You can even take it a step further and determine the cost of your daily commute in gas and wear and tear – often calculated around $0.68 per km – and work out how much you are saving each month – treat yourself at your local ice cream shop (or whatever motivates you) with the money you saved!

Another good example is receiving feedback on your energy usage – because it can positively impact your behaviour. Home energy reports and real-time feedback are helping us visualize our energy usage at home in a way that can encourage positive action. Some reports even show typical usage during the day, and when it would be more cost-efficient to use things like washing machines. These reports often show you a graph of your energy usage for the previous months and across seasons. By tracking our usage, it can help us identify trends in our use and where we may be able to improve it – awareness of our progress can be very motivating.

Neighbourly Competition - Social norm comparisons help encourage more positive behaviours as well – you can think of it as friendly competition with your neighbours. Research has shown that home energy reports that incorporate behavioural science strategy in their design can help you save money and be gentler on the planet, this includes adding energy savings tips and charts displaying your neighbour’s energy usage in comparison to yours into the report design.

Think about our ‘future selves’

One way to combat hyperbolic discounting, and our tendencies to choose convenient options over the more responsible ones is to think about long-term gain. Research suggests that the more we think about our future selves, the more likely we will make more considered decisions (Sheffer 2016).

Invest in the future -This could look like planting trees on your property now so you can enjoy shade and cooler temperatures in 10 years, whilst also helping to sequester carbon. Or purchasing more expensive but efficient appliances or installing solar energy for your home, knowing that the investment will be seen in 5-10 years, with a reduction in environmentally intensive resources and lower energy bills.

Think of what you value - Another angle to motivate yourself is to consider the activities you can enjoy today that will be lost in the future if high carbon emissions continue. Would you like to take your grandchildren fishing or skiing on your local hill? Do you love eating wild salmon or is seeing glaciers in the national parks on your bucket list? Use those thoughts to inspire yourself into action.

Setting Defaults

Set yourself up with sustainable default options - While they may take a bit of effort initially, default options are helpful because they reduce future effort and help ensure you make environmentally friendly decisions.

For example, create a bookmark on your computer that can provide easy access for ordering your groceries from a local farm each week or set up automatic order renewals. This small step of setting up an account, will help you streamline your grocery shopping process and stock your pantry and fridge at home with foods that have a lower carbon footprint. You can feel good knowing your food is coming from family-owned farms nearby, instead of being shipped from countries far away. Farms also have delivery services with their Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) boxes, set yourself up with a subscription for local seasonal produce delivered to your door!

Another example would be to install a programmable thermostat – once it’s set up, it will be easy to enact energy saving strategies. You can program your thermostat to a lower temperature while you are sleeping or at work. Having a schedule for your thermostat will minimize your need to tinker with it and, by default, reduce your energy usage.

Consider the Financial Benefits

Money is a great motivator - there are a number of actions that are better for the environment that are actually more cost effective than the traditional option. Here is a list, and I bet you can think of more!

Turning off the lights and devices when they are not in use.
Lowering your thermostat when you are sleeping and out of the house.
Eating less meat.
Being careful to reduce food waste.
Buying less, shopping at second hand stores, and repairing what you have.
Walking and riding your bike rather than relying on your car – cheaper and better for your health.
Washing your clothes on cold and hanging them to dry rather than the using the dryer.

Vote with the environment in mind!

While the focus of this post is on individual action, we do recognize that governments and industries have a crucial role in establishing policies to curb emissions. Long-term policies with teeth are needed to withstand an election cycle. Unfortunately, in many cases, political will suffers the same behavioural pit falls – favouring short-term gain (immediate boosts to the economy) at the expense of long-term goals (investing in expensive upfront costs for adaptation and mitigation) even though early action would come at less net cost. Therefore, as an individual, an important step is voting for candidates that support climate action. And it’s not just at the ballot box, vote with your dollar and support companies taking steps to reduce emissions.

By creating individual change we can empower others to do the same! You can set the stage with climate-positive behaviours that can rub off on others in your community.

Additional Resources

Center for Advanced Hindsight

Check out David Suzuki’s Top 10 ways to stop climate change.

Sheffer, C. E., Mackillop, J., Fernandez, A., Christensen, D., Bickel, W. K., Johnson, M. W., … & Mathew, M. (2016). Initial examination of priming tasks to decrease delay discounting. Behavioural Processes, 128, 144-152.

Williamson, K., Satre-Meloy, A., Velasco, K., & Green, K., 2018. Climate Change Needs Behavior Change: Making the Case For Behavioral Solutions to Reduce Global Warming. Arlington, VA: Rare.

Photo credit: Li An Lin Unsplash; Markus Spiske, Unsplash; Maria Catanzaro, Nicole Christiansen, Markus Spiske, Unsplash; Anete Lusina, Pexels; Nextbike, Unsplash.

Green Gardening - Supporting Biodiversity and Conserving Water

More tips to make your green thumb a little greener!

There are so many conscious choices you can make in your garden to have a positive impact that we've made multiple Tool Kit posts on the subject of eco-friendly gardening! In this one we focus on how you can support pollinators, water efficiently, and embrace our local conditions for less net impact.

How does conserving water and supporting biodiversity benefit salmon?

Conserving water in the garden keeps more water in streams, which is particularly important during late summer and fall when Pacific salmon are returning to their natal rivers to spawn.

Land and water are connected. Diverse native plants and critters are what Pacific salmon have evolved with and rely on. Supporting biodiversity in your garden keeps that connection.

Here are some suggestions:

Opt for Native Plants

Choosing plants that are native to your region can help reduce your need for fertilizers, pesticides, and watering. Native plants are adapted for our climate and soil, and therefore require less input of nutrients and are suited for our wet winters and dry summers. They also support our local biodiversity by ensuring critters, including native birds and insect pollinators, have access to the plants they have evolved with and depend on.

When planning where and what native species to plant in your garden, consider the light and water conditions of the spot and select accordingly for the best chance for successful establishment and long-term low maintenance. Experts at nurseries can help you identify the perfect plant and how to care for it as it becomes established. Our Planting a Native Garden Tool Kit has a map of nurseries that specialize in native species.

Water Efficiently

When it comes to watering your garden, it is important to be mindful of water usage, while maintaining plant health. Here are some ways to improve the efficiency of your watering routine.

Timing is everything. When the sun is out, water will evaporate quickly. Water your garden in the early morning or later in the evening to minimize evaporation.
Mulching also helps prevent evaporation, instead retaining moisture where it is easily available to your plants.
Harvest rainwater and use it to water your garden. This also reduces stormwater runoff, win-win!
Plan the layout of your garden. Be mindful of what sections of the garden are shady/sunny, and plant appropriately. Some plants love direct sunlight, whereas others prefer partial sun.
Plant drought tolerant natives or ornamental plants like Rocky Mountain juniper, Euphorbia, Echinacea, and Yarrow.

Water the roots, not the leaves. Drip irrigation systems can help you deliver the water exactly where you want it to go, and in the right amount in comparison to a traditional sprinkler system. Not only does this provide hydration efficiently, but by not soaking the entire plant, it causes less disease. A slow release of water also allows the soil to soak up water better, preventing runoff from the soil surface.

Check you this video from the Capital Regional District on how to install different irrigation systems:

Go for Summer Gold!

If you have a lawn, let it go gold in the summer! In our climate of warm dry summers, maintaining a green summer lawn requires a huge input of water, just when we should be adhering to watering restrictions. With climate change and increasing demands on our water supply - it is ever more important to conserve. Letting your lawn dry out is a great way to cut back on water usage.

Did you know that grass naturally hibernates during the summer? There is no harm in letting your lawn turn golden for the summer months, you are working with the natural cycle of your lawn, and you will see it bounce back with the fall rains! So, let your grass have a rest over the summer and save water and you'll also save your self mowing in the summer heat! Check out this info sheet from the Capital Regional District for more Water Wise Lawn Care.

Support Pollinators with a Meadow Lawn

You may have heard of the slogan 'No-Mow May', but this pledge to stop mowing your lawn for the summer is an oversimplified solution and may cause more harm than good, as this article from Rewilding explains. In BC, non-native plant species are abundant, and the chances are that if you leave your lawn to grow over a few weeks, all that will come up will be non-native weedy species like dandelions and white clover. While you may notice that some bees do visit these flowers, they are not the best food sources for native pollinators. Did you know that dandelion pollen is actually a protein deficient food source, and can lead colonies of bees to feed on their own eggs to supplement their diets? Native flower pollen, on the other hand, offers balanced nutrients to sustain native pollinators, since the plants and pollinators would have evolved in the local ecosystem together. While the No-Mow May movement encourages the notion that messy lawns, rather than curated golf greens, are beautiful, we need to take this a step further to ensure that we are supporting our native pollinators. Rather, consider converting your lawn to a meadow!

Instead of a stark golf course lawn, why not use the space to support pollinators, fix nitrogen, manage runoff, and maintain diversity? West Coast Seeds offers different seed blends that you can try as a lawn alternative, including clovers, tall fescue, and even beautiful wildflowers. Watch your lawn space come alive with colour, texture and native bees and butterflies! Check out our Native Plants Tool Kit to learn more, and visit Sati n flower Nurseries for more info about meadow-making.

Bonus Fun Tip!

Solar lights

Your green garden can be bright and event-worthy, without adding to your energy bill! There are lots of options for solar powered lights to brighten up your patio space in the evening.

Photo credits: Mina-Marie Michell on Pexels; .Daniel Johnson on Pexels; Devolk on Pixabay.

Green Gardening - Managing Pests and Soil

If we treat our gardens as a natural, functioning system, we can avoid the use of harmful chemicals and still have healthy, thriving plants. Here are some tips on how to make your green thumb greener!

In this Tool Kit we offer suggestions that will help you avoid unnecessary pesticides and fertilizers, along with natural ways to maintain healthy soils.

How does managing garden pests and soil naturally benefit salmon?

Pesticides are often made up of toxic chemicals that can make their way to aquatic environments and directly affect the health of salmon. Avoiding them makes streams and salmon healthier.

Pesticides can indiscriminately kill insects that are not harmful garden pests but are an important part of the ecosystem and a vital food source for salmon.

Maintaining healthy soils without the use of excessive fertilizers helps keep waterways clean and healthy for salmon. Fertilizers contribute to eutrophication and algal blooms which can rob the water of oxygen and lead to fish kills.

Natural Pest Management

Insects are part of a healthy ecosystem – but in our gardens, we would prefer that some insects don’t snack on the broccoli and kale that we have grown for our dinner!

Integrated Pest Management is a holistic approach to pest management that focuses on pest prevention and treating the garden as a system. Remember that insects are a part of this system, so some level of pest damage should be acceptable. Crop rotation is an important principle of pest management, as it helps prevent pests from building up in the soil. Monitoring for pests is crucial. Notice where and how the pest is attacking the plant early on, then correctly identify the culprit. This will help pair the most appropriate treatment for the pest. For example, if you have a group of aphids on the leaves of a plant, a simple spray of the hose can wash them away. Biological controls are a good option before turning to chemical treatments. Biological control can involve the introduction of other insects or even animals! Chickens, for instance, can make quick work of a soil bed with wire worm. You can also include specific plants in your garden to attract beneficial insects. More on this below!

Companion Planting for Pest Control

Include plants that encourage helpful critters like lady bugs. Beneficial insects can be predatory – like green lacewings, ladybugs and hover flies, parasitoid – like certain kinds of wasps, or pollinating – like bees! And don’t forget spiders! Arachnids are especially helpful to have around in the summer time to keep your garden party mosquito-free!

There are many plants that can help attract these critters to your garden community. Nasturtiums, for example, are easy to grow, and produce brightly coloured edible flowers that attract pollinators. If you are having an issue with aphids, beetles or weevils in your veggie garden, consider planting nasturtiums as a companion plant – they attract those pest insects, distracting them and saving your precious kale and broccoli! Other plants that attract beneficial insects include: clover, chamomile, and sunflowers. Read more about supporting and attracting beneficial insects in your garden in this publication from Oregon State University, and check out West Coast Seeds’ Guide to Companion Planting.

Allelopathy is the phenomenon where naturally occurring chemicals in one plant prevent the growth of other particular plants nearby, and/or deter certain insects from coming near it. By planting potent herbs like catmint, chives or dill nearby your garden plots, you can deter many insect pests from coming anywhere near your crops! Borage specifically repels cabbageworm and tomato hornworm, so plant these brilliant purple flowers near your tomatoes and brassicas (cabbage, kale, broccoli, etc.) to add a natural layer of protection from these pests – not to mention, the bees will love it!

Opt for Natural Pesticides

Pesticides can be incredibly harmful. They can harm beneficial insects or wash off your property and impact insect life in streams which is a critical food source for salmon and other aquatic species. You can try these alternative solutions for managing common garden pests:

Diatomaceous earth, made of fossilized phytoplankton, is another measure way to protect your crops, and can be found at your local gardening shop. Diatoms are tiny creatures with shells made of silica – when dried and ground, this powder is like a layer of glass – which will keep away any soft-bodied pests such as slugs! If you can’t find diatomaceous earth, try sprinkling coffee grounds on the soil for a similar slug-repelling effect.
Try making your own beer slug trap! A simple DIY project using a can of cheap beer can be super effective at ridding slugs from your garden.
Neem oil is a great natural alternative to chemical pesticides. It is biodegradable, and safe for use around pets and animal wildlife in your garden, yet effective at deterring insect pests at each stage of their life cycle. To create a spray solution, mix 2 teaspoons of neem oil with one teaspoon of a mild soap such as Castile, with about one litre of water.
Other at-home concoctions use the principle of allelopathy. One effective plant spray, for example, is a blend of fresh garlic bulbs with water and a few drops of mild soap. Sprayed onto the leaves of your kale, for example, this mixture will deter any flea beetles from nibbling on your crops.
Make a insecticidal soap spray: Mix one and a half teaspoons of a gentle soap such as Castile soap with one liter of water, mix it up and spray onto the leaves of your crops for a safe and simple option that had broad usage.

Be sure to apply this concoction in the evening, rather than during the day so your soap spray does not evaporate in the sun. Applying the spray in the evening also helps to avoid impacting beneficial insects like pollinators, since they will be less active in the evening. Soap sprays effectively suffocate insect pests, working by coating their bodies, blocking the pores through which they breathe.

Visit this article by TreeHugger.com for more ideas of natural concoctions you can make at home to help deter unwanted insects in your garden. Plus, steer clear of chemical pesticides! Check out our Pesticides to Avoid Tool Kit article to learn more about which chemical pesticides should be avoided at all costs due to their impacts on salmon and other aquatic life.

Keeping out Larger Pests

Sometimes the pests are bigger and require other strategies for protection.

You can make your garden deer proof by surrounding individual shrubs and young trees with deer fencing, or install an angled (45 degrees) fence at least 6 feet high around your entire garden to keep deer out. A simple, inexpensive option is to string up deer netting around your yard, making sure to add flagging on the netting to prevent deer from walking into the nets and becoming entangled. Check out this article from the BC SPCA to learn more about fencing options to keep deer out of your garden. You can also choose garden plants with strong scents or fuzzy or prickly foliage that are naturally not as tasty to deer!

Fencing can also be effective for rabbits and rodents if the mesh is small enough. Another option is a deterrent spray to keep them off of the tender shoots in your garden. You can use cayenne pepper spray on the plants rabbit seem to enjoy most to help keep them away. Thankfully, this method also works at preventing deer from munching on your plants as well.

Deterrent cayenne Pepper Spray: Mix 2 tsps of cayenne powder or other hot pepper and combine that with 6-8oz of water. You can also add garlic powder in there for added benefit. Spray this around your garden on the plants you want to keep rabbits away from.

Check out this article from Seeds and Grains for more clever tricks to deter rabbits, including setting up motion activated sprinklers to spook them out of your garden.

Optimize Soil Health, the Natural Way

Use Crop Rotation to Manage Pests and Balance Soil Nutrients

Crop rotation, or the practice of changing the plant family growing in your garden plot each season, is a natural method to reduce issues with pests and balance the nutrient budget of your soil. Many veggie garden plants come from a few ‘families’ (e.g. closely related) and share common characteristics like rooting depth, soil pH preference, nutrient requirements, and specific pest and disease susceptibility. When a given family is planted in the same plot year after year, it depletes the soil of the nutrients it needs, leading to an imbalance in soil nutrients that would need to be remedied by the application of fertilizers. Switching up plant families allows the soil to recover and stay balanced in its nutrient composition. Some of the most common plant families in gardening and agriculture can be found in the pictures below.

Common veggie garden families:

**Brassicas**
(e.g. broccoli, cabbage, kale, mustard)

One common plant family is the Brassicas – or 'the cabbage family', which includes kale, broccoli, kohlrabi, cauliflower and cabbage. This family is a heavy feeder (requires lots of nutrients) and susceptible to cabbage root maggot, so after planting a bed of Brassicas one year, rotate to Legumes, which are not susceptible to the pest and have a symbiotic bacteria that fixes nitrogen around the roots to replenish the soil, then plant Alliums (onions and garlic) and Solunums (peppers, tomatoes) in that plot, then Umbellifers (carrots, parsley) and squash the next year. This is just one example of a four year crop rotation, but there are many other families to play around with to suit the size of your garden and tastes. The important factor is to make sure the same family of plants does not occupy the same space more than once every three or four years. Learn more about how to plan your garden with crop rotation in the Old Farmer’s Almanac Guide to Crop Rotation. To learn more about the different plant families and organic gardening, check out this book: Backyard Bounty: The Complete Guide to Year-Round Organic Gardening in the Pacific Northwest by Linda Gilkeson.

Protect Your Soil All Seasons

Looking after your soil will help you reduce the need for fertilizers and help your plants reach their full potential.

Use Cover Crops in the Off-Season

Don’t forget to plant a cover crop to protect your soil over the winter time! Cover crops are plants that are grown in the off seasons of agricultural crops, and are often hardy plants throughout the winter.

Try out red clover or fall rhye in your garden! Many cover crops like fava beans (a legume) and hairy vetch have the added benefit of fixing nitrogen into the soil, so come spring, you can turn that cover crop into the soil and plant your seeds directly in the nourished soil. Not only do cover crops prevent weeds from taking over your garden box in the absence of crops over winter, they are a key element in maintaining soil health over time. Cover crops can also attract pollinators and provide excellent habitat for beneficial insects like ground beetles.

Mulching

Another option to protect your soil over winter is to cover it with mulch. Mulch adds good organic material without much hassle. You can even use your plants as mulch! Once they are done for the season, pull them out of the soil and leave them on top – this provides nice cover to the soil, but only do so if the plants are not diseased! If there are deciduous trees on your property, consider making use of the leaves that fall from those trees in autumn by either leaving them on top of the grass, or using them as mulch in your garden beds to cover the soil over winter.

The benefits of mulching your garden beds with leaves:

protects the soil from the heavy rains throughout the winter
provides insect habitat and food source
helps suppress weedy species
improves soil fertility by decomposing on site
prevents compaction
helps regulate soil temperature (and warmer soil leads to increased microbial activity)

Fertilizers to Use

Natural sources of nutrients, like compost and manure are your safest bet, environmentally-speaking. They not only add nutrients, but your plants will also benefit from the organic material that comes with compost and is important for rich healthy soil. In most municipalities, you can pick up inexpensive compost or manure from a Public Works Yard, or from your local garden store.
You can create your own compost, letting your kitchen scraps nourish your garden, and reducing waste! Learn more about composting in our Tool Kit article here, and find the method that works best for you and your garden.
You can even add some things like egg shells directly into the soil – crush them up and sprinkle around your plants to give them a rich source of calcium. Banana peels and coffee ground are also fabulous additions!
Learn more about alternative fertilizers – from fish to woodchips – in this Rootsy article.

Avoid runoff of fertilizers

While agricultural crops often benefit from soil nourishment, chemical fertilizers are not ideal, as they are often applied in excess, and can easily leach out of the soil and into nearby waterways. Eutrophication occurs when excess nutrients enter a waterbody – often through runoff of fertilizers – fueling an overgrowth of algae. That algal growth takes over the habitat, then when it completes its life cycle, the dead algae decomposes within that water body – a process which uses up oxygen in the water, making the environment inhospitable for fish and other aquatic life. Don’t contribute to eutrophication in your community, be smart about fertilizer application!

Only apply the amount of nutrients that your garden will use - in small doses at the base of the plant. If you are worried about certain deficiencies, you could get your soil tested. Generally, though, in a home garden setting, ensuring you are adding organic materials such as compost and rotating your crops each year should create a healthy growing environment for your plants.
Check the weather, and your local restrictions. Plan to apply your fertilizer outside of the rainy season, or when the weather calls for clear skies for a few days in a row. Some regions even ban fertilizer application during the rainy season!
Use natural fertilizers like compost and manure. In these natural application types, the nutrients are slowly released, so even if it rains, less nutrients will leach out of the soil.

Bonus Fun Tip!

Saving Seeds

Did you have an excellent crop of tomatoes this year? Consider saving the seeds to grow the same variety next year. Seed saving is an age old process. It helps us be more self sufficient and develop seed sovereignty where we are less reliant on commercial seeds. Not to mentioned, saving seeds from your garden can help with maintenance of diversity.

When choosing your plants, consider buying heirloom and open-pollinated varieties. Buy your starts or seeds from local farmers and nurseries that carry varieties that are open-pollinated and adapted to your local environment. Some of the larger commercial seed producers only offer patented seeds where you must repurchase them each year. Many communities have Seedy Saturday events where you can purchase local, open-pollinated varieties. Find an event in your area, and stop by to start your seed saving practice today!

Not sure where to start? Many organizations like the Organic Seed Alliance have made seed saving guides like this one freely available and ready for download.

Photo Credits: Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash; Eiko Jones; Erik Kartis on Pexels; Maylee on Unsplash; Flash Dantz on Unsplash; Trung Thanh on Unsplash; Sam Forson on Pexels; Greta Hoffman on Pexels; Arnaldo Aldana on Unsplash; Mick Haupt on Unsplash; Marina Yalanska on Unsplash; Steffi Pereira on Unsplash; Jeffrey Hamilton on Unsplash., Eco Warrior Princess on Unsplash.

Using Green Shores Nature-based Solutions

As a homeowner, you have an opportunity to enroll your site in Green Shores^® for Homes and work with qualified professionals (biologists, coastal engineers, and environmental specialists) to develop and apply a nature-based shoreline design on your property.

Green Shores^® is a program of the non-profit Stewardship Centre for British Columbia (SCBC) that offers a framework of best practices, training, and technical support to property owners interested in applying nature-based solutions on their property.

How does using Green Shores benefit salmon?

Green Shores guides users to nature-based solutions that encourage healthy land-sea habitat connectivity, which provides quality shoreline habitat for salmon.

Applying nature-based solutions along shoreline properties comes with a number of environmental, social and economic benefits. For example, nature-based solutions, such as beach nourishment and native plantings, improves resiliency to sea level rise and climate change by allowing for dynamically coastal processes adjust to changing levels whilst also providing habitat complexity for the ecosystem. Implementing upland solutions, such as rain gardens or rainwater harvesting, can reduce runoff and contaminated water flowing to the shore, thereby minimizing erosion and harmful toxins entering the environment. Truly a 'win-win', nature-based solutions are also typically lower cost than static engineered shoreline property protection measures such as seawalls and they create a naturally beautiful shoreline for everyone to enjoy.

Learn more about Green Shores and continue reading below to learn how to enroll, and about the benefits and assistance you can receive.

A Green Shores for Homes - certified project site in Parksville, Vancouver Island. The shoreline project included a hybrid design and extensive planting of native vegetation with retention of large woody debris, providing resiliency to erosion, and enhanced aesthetics and access to the shoreline. Photo credit: Kelly Loch

Getting started with Green Shores for Homes

As one Green Shores for Homes homeowner said:

'Becoming involved, reading and learning about the benefits of Green Shores through this project has been enlightening….and fun. Thank you to the Green Shores team for sharing your knowledge and passion for the program. We look forward to enjoying the garden maturing and evolving with the hope of it being an inspiration for neighbouring waterfront owners. Best of all the birds love it!’ – Green Shores for Homes Gold Project Homeowner, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island.

Follow the steps below to get started:

Visit the Green Shores website, review the resources available, and explore existing Green Shores Case Studies on completed projects to learn more about how the Green Shores process was applied and see the results. If you have any questions, contact the Stewardship Centre for BC at info@stewardshipcentrebc.ca.

Decided to enroll your project in Green Shores? Visit the Green Shores Enrollment page to fill out the form and get access to additional information, project assistance and a third-party verification that provides credibility to your project outcomes. Of course, you may use Green Shores guidance without enrolling your project but then you will not receive assistance in steps 3-5 below.

Once your application is received, the Green Shores Project Coordinator will work with you to help assemble a team of qualified shoreline professionals, including Green Shores Approved Professionals, discuss options for Green Shores on your property and help you to find out what training options are available to you.

Work with your Green Shores team to design and implement the Green Shores nature-based project. This will involve collecting background information and completing the required project pre-requisites such as an Environmental Management Plan and Existing Conditions Plan, listed in the Green Shores for Homes Credits and Ratings Guide. Options for the design might include re-sloping your shoreline, planting native vegetation, removal of existing hard armour, sediment enhancement and more.

When the work is complete, the Green Shores Projects Coordinator will assign a Green Shores verifier who will review your documentation and the completed shoreline design to assign points to your project. Points are awarded under different credits, outlined in the Green Shores for Homes Credits and Ratings Guide. Depending on the number of points achieved, your project can receive Silver (GSH Level 1) or Gold (GSH Level 2) certification!

Currently, there is no cost to the homeowner for Green Shores for Homes as grant funding covers the cost of project enrollment, support and verification. Larger scale projects, for example a park or commercial site, follow a similar process to the above but use the Green Shores for Shoreline Development guide. There are fees associated with enrollment and verification of Green Shores for Shoreline Development projects. Contact the Stewardship Centre for more information.

Why get Green Shores certified?

By enrolling in Green Shores for Homes, homeowners benefit from project assistance, training and verification at no cost. As well, Green Shores projects located on Vancouver Island can potentially use the Expedited Permit Checklist for nature-based projects to expedite provincial permitting in the foreshore. This process provides the homeowner with time and cost savings. By using Green Shores guidance, homeowners are able to design a successful custom nature-based approach that works for the site and their needs.

In addition, once the Green Shores project is certified, the property value might be enhanced, and maintenance costs reduced, making it a valuable investment for homeowners. Green Shores certified sites are also a source of pride to the homeowner, and a great inspiration to neighbouring shoreline owners. In this way, shoreline owners work together to support the environment and promote nature-based solutions in their communities.

“We are proud recipients of Green Shores certification for keeping the shoreline natural at our new home in Bowser, BC! “ – 2019 Green Shores for Homes homeowner, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Photo by the Stewardship Centre for BC.

Additional resources

Green Shores Website

Green Shores Downloadable Guides and Resources

Green Shores Approved Professionals

Green Shores Training

Green Shores Webinars