Partnering and volunteering with Recreation Sites and Trails BC

Make British Columbia a better place to recreate by partnering or volunteering with Recreation Sites and Trails BC (RSTBC).

Partnership Agreements

RSTBC manages many recreation sites and trails through service contracts. However, approximately 400 sites and 200 trails are managed and maintained under partnership agreements. Local recreation groups, forest companies, First Nations, regional districts, private contractors and a range of other parties manage sites and trails on a cost-recovery, non-profit basis.

Requests for Proposal (RFP) to manage sites and trails under partnership agreements are often advertised in local newspapers. Interested parties are invited to respond by submitting proposals. After evaluating bids, RSTBC awards partnership agreements to successful proponents.

Agreement holders are responsible for managing sites and trails to specified standards. RSTBC supervises and monitors agreements to ensure responsibilities are carried out. In most instances, infrastructure replacement, toilet pumping and removal of hazardous trees is the responsibility of RSTBC.

Volunteering and hosting

As a volunteer you can learn new skills, meet new people and learn more about the Recreation Sites and Trails program. The Volunteer Handbook provides guidelines for volunteering and may answer many of your questions. It addresses the general responsibilities and objectives of volunteering and will supplement the orientation and training provided by your RSTBC coordinator. Use it as a reference during your volunteer placement and to record additional information as needed.

Individual volunteers and service groups are essential in making many outdoor recreation opportunities available to the public. Trails and recreation facilities managed by RSTBC require regular maintenance, and it is largely due to volunteers’ hard work that they continue to exist.