Why have a strong visual presence on the land and waters?

One of the most important roles guardians play is being an on-the-ground presence and acting as the eyes and ears of the lands and waters.

For many programs, guardians participate in patrols on a daily or weekly basis. As a result, guardians are the people most often interacting with community members, visitors, recreational users, and other resource users.

Even if patrols are not a primary part of your program’s activities, monitoring and other activities will mean guardians are active and visible on your lands and waters. The power of this consistent presence cannot be underestimated. If people think there might be someone watching them, they are less likely to bend or break the rules. This consistent presence, by its very nature, encourages voluntary compliance and decreases the number of people breaking the rules.