Welcome to the contents page for Caring for Our Shores: A Handbook for Coastal Landowners in the Strait of Georgia. The handbook provides information for waterfront landowners in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, including: stewardship tips and property enhancement activities, maps of lower Vancouver Island's east coast, an introduction to intertidal ecology, and illustrations. The following sites are summaries of some of the book's chapters.

I. Welcome to the Seashore

Chapter 1: Water, Shores, and Intertidal Ties

...some different shore types and how to identify them
...an introduction to our tides, and marine food webs

Chapter 2: Special Places

...some unique marine places in the Cowichan Region

II. Living on the Ocean

Chapter 3: Let Nature Do the Work

...how to minimize harm through careful building and landscaping

Chapter 4: Down the Drain

...exercising our power to preserve through smart household choices

Chapter 5: Sewage and the Seashore

...some facts on sewage and septic systems

Chapter 6: Greening Your Land

...important things to consider on your farm or in your garden

Chapter 7: Out to Sea

...ideas for boaters

Chapter 8: A Visit to the Beach

...ideas to consider when using your beach for recreation or harvesting

Chapter 9: Commercial Uses of the Shore

...monitoring the impacts of commerce and industry

III. Mapping and Monitoring the Shore

Chapter 10: Where to Start

...steps for recording the diversity of your shore

IV. The Law and the Shore

Chapter 11: Public and Private Rights

...your rights as a marine waterfront landowner

Chapter 12: Legal Tools for Marine Protection

...important legislation for the protection of waterfront habitat

Chapter 13: Making a Case

...some illegal uses of the shore and how to report them

Appendices

Appendix 1: Where to Get Help

...numbers, information hotlines, and organizations related to the marine environment

Appendix 2: Latin Names for Wildlife

...scientific names for wildlife named in this book

Appendix 3: References and Resources

...helpful and interesting publications

Appendix 4: Identification Key

...a visual guide to some seashore creatures

Images used with special permission from Kerry L. Werry. To view more pictures of ocean creatures found in B.C waters, visit the B.C Diving and Marine Life I.D Page.