Wayfinder watchers (Environmental Steward)

The Regional District of Central Okanagan is home to over 86km of designated trails! Each trail is marked with trail markers (blazes) which are fixed to stand along posts or trees along the pathway. Well-marked trails provide defined trails that create opportunities to relax and enjoy the park rather than needing to constantly look for the trail. Clear indicators build confidence in trail wayfinding and add the sense that the trail is cared for, inspected, and maintained which may reduce unwanted behavior such as illegal trail building. Indirectly, checking on the trail signage also allows opportunities to passively review trail health and maintenance.
Trail signs reassure park visitors they are safe, on the right path and headed where they want to be. These signs are typically made for durability. However, overtime the elements will take their toll, especially for signs fixed to trees. As trees grow, they expand outwards and they can grow around materials, it’s called “Edaphoecotropism”: the incorporation of inanimate foreign objects into a living structure. 
Preventing the trial signs from being “swallowed” by the trees means signs that need repair, replacement or new placement are best tracked and monitored for a quick solution. Here’s where our volunteers come in! This ongoing process of cataloging and reporting damaged signage needs volunteer support!