Clear the Coast 2024

Ten years and over 70 tonnes in to our project to remove plastic marine debris from North Island shores, you wouldn’t expect there to be much new to say about it. We’ve got the process down pat, the volunteers are trained and eager, the contractors are all lined up. But every year presents something a little different and this year, it’s a partnership with local First Nations.

We’ve reached out many times and tried to get Quatsino and Tlatlasikwala First Nations involved in the project and this year, with the help of Christine Rock at Environment and Climate Change Canada, we succeeded! I am looking forward to attending a job fair on the North Island to meet with young people who want to take an active role in the stewardship of their territories, recruiting and training them. And hopefully, if our application to the Clean Coast, Clean Waters Initiative fund meets with approval, we’ll hire them for the summer of their lives! Imagine being 15-30 years old and landing a job that requires you to spend time on remote west coast beaches, camping, cleaning, swimming, fishing and watching the incredible diversity of marine and terrestrial wildlife.

In the meantime, our June expedition filled up with volunteers before I even had the chance to plan it! We’re going to Cox Island in the Scott Islands group this first trip out, courtesy of our sponsors at BlueFriday. We’ve never tried to camp on Cox before, so this will be another new experience. The Island is densely forested, steep and impassible, so we’ll need to scout out beaches that are deep and high enough to remain dry at high tide.

There will likely be several additional expeditions this year, should the CCCWI fund approve our application.

If you want to volunteer visit our website at www.livingoceans.org/initiatives/clear-the-coast for updates and information.