Visitors to national parks can now take ‘coasties’ to track coastal erosion

The Coastie Initiative to encourage visitors to five national parks to take a photo of the coast using their smartphones

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Visitors to some Parks Canada locations can now be a part of the organization’s research into coastal erosion by taking a so-called coastie.

The agency recently launched a citizen science program called the Coastie Initiative to encourage visitors to five national parks to take a photo of the coast using their smartphones.

Parks Canada is teaming up with the University of Windsor to use the submitted photos to help monitor coastal changes over time.

The initiative was pitched by to Parks Canada climate change specialist Garrett Mombourquette, who says the pictures will be used to track coastal erosion, dune crest movement, ice presence near shore and vegetation after extreme weather.

Phone cradle stations have been set up at Fundy National Park and Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick, Sable Island National Park Reserve in Nova Scotia, Point Pelee National Park in Ontario and Prince Edward Island National Park.

Mombourquette says more coastie stations will be added to national parks across the country in 2022.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2021.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

The Canadian Press