From rocky and rugged shores to coastal dune habitat, the diverse West Coast affords opportunities for a multitude of recreational activities. Balancing recreation and the protection of these sensitive habitats is key to preserving our shorelines and beaches.

The shores of California, Oregon, and Washington are managed by many different agencies and each beach has different rules and regulations. These recreation maps show what activities are allowed on certain beaches. You can use them to find out which beaches are friendly to dogs, which allow off-road recreation, etc.

Please follow the rules posted when visiting these beaches. Thank you for respecting your local beaches and the habitats and species who call the coast their home.

Clearly, maps like this don’t exist for every shoreline that hosts Western Snowy Plovers, and thus these maps are good examples of outreach materials that you can produce for your beaches to encourage visitors to be responsible.

Maps:

• San Luis Obispo Coast Recreation Map
• Santa Barbara dog beach guide
• Morro Coast - dog on leash guide
• Ventura Dogs on Beach brochure
• Friends of the Dunes Resources

Other links:

Great series of blog posts created by the Santa Monica Bay Audubon Society about Snowy Plovers in Los Angeles County (but provides useful information for all areas):

• #1 The Snowy Plovers 
• #2 History and Problems
• #3 Nesting and Wintering
• #4 Population Fluctuations
• #5 Back on the Beach
• #6 The Plover Watchers
• #7 The Future

California State Parks Sharing the Beach downloadable brochure (http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/23071/files/ploverpdf.pdf)

Point Blue Conservation Science’s Western Snowy Plover page (http://www.pointblue.org/our-science-and-services/conservation-science/oceans-and-coasts/snowy-plover)