5 Island Clean Up Challenge:
Fall 2020 we will be continuing restoration efforts along our coast by cleaning 5 islands, with 2 clean ups per island, for a total of 10 areas being cleaned.
- Sept. 11-14/2020 Successfully removed 11 super sacks of smaller debris and massive amounts of large debris from Yellow Bluff Beach, Peculiar Point and Catala Island, north of Nootka Island. (2 Islands Down!)
- Oct. 2-4/2020 Headed to The Deer Group Archipelago near Bamfield BC to clean Fleming, Diana and Helby Islands.
- BONUS ISLAND Heading to Gabriola Island in the Gulf Islands Chain to clean some areas with more challenging access.
Brooks Peninsula:
In the summer of 2019 RCRS, BC Marine Trails and Seize Change conducted a marine debris (fishing gear, plastic, styrofoam etc) removal project along the southern shores of Brooks Peninsula ecological reserve resulting in the removal of 25 Super Sacs (1 sac =5 Meters Cubed) of plastic and foam. Unfortunately, time and funds were not available to clean all of the beaches on South Brooks Peninsula and additional cleaning will occur in June of 2020.
Vargas Island:
In October 2019 Rugged Coast partnered with Parley for the Ocean and local Tofino surf athletes to clean Vargas Island and bring awareness to plastics in our ocean and environmental impacts it presents.
Departure Bay/ New Castle Island:
In May 2019 Rugged Coast partnered with Seize Change and Drip Coffee Social to remove marine debris from New Castle Island and Departure Bay in Nanaimo BC.