Environmental Policy

We love the canyons we work and play in, that's why we want to protect them. The UKCA are committed to minimising any negative impacts of outdoor activities and promote sustainable activity tourism.  Ensuring that future generations can experience the same adventures we can today requires careful planning. During everyday operations and outings, it can be easy to lose track of our long-term goals. But we’re confident that the target that we’ve set for ourselves is realistic, achievable, and efficient.

ADAPTION

We’re constantly monitoring and re-thinking how we can adapt to changes, both environmentally and culturally, to ensure the balance between limits and usage.

RESPECT

As well as respecting the environment we must respect our members and other canyoneers. We aim to maintain a high standard and provide recreational, professional and company members with a quality service and share our knowledge to celebrate and conserve the UK’s nature, heritage, and culture. We also respect and support our locals by creating economic benefits for their businesses.

COOPERATION

We aim to work closely with relevant UK associations, participating in research and undertaking voluntary work with local communities and landowners in the areas where canyoning takes place. We liaise with these organisations (or via a representative) and work with them to uphold their rules and regulations.

UKCA’s main environmental goals:

  • Cutting down on carbon emission through car sharing and limiting journeys.
  • Recycling all waste.
  • Choosing venues to take into account erosion, other users and wildlife.
  • Cleaning up the environment we work in through litter picks where possible.
  • Educating our trainees how to treat the environment when on activity.
  • Educating our professional trainees how to pass on our environmental views to their customers.

The UKCA’s principles, working towards sustainability:

  • Minimising any negative impacts on local nature and culture.
  • Promoting knowledge and respect for nature and communities and supporting local economies.
  • Investing in enhancing Scotland’s natural heritage and improving environmental performance.

PRACTICE AND PROMOTE A LEAVE NO TRACE ATTITUDE

“Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints. Kill nothing but time.” Our shortened principle that we follow and promote. Every member of UKCA is committed to sharing their love for nature and promoting environmental awareness in each of our volunteers, trainees and customers.

PRACTICE

Our members are dedicated nature lovers and they’re naturally committed to protecting it. True passion led them to choose the UK as their daily workplace or canyoning destination. Our members are advised to share their outstanding knowledge with each other, volunteers, their customers or other canyoneers. We suggest that this should be carried out in an entertaining way and to encourage them to behave responsibly so that they leave no trace in the UK’s fragile environment.

PRACTICAL STEPS WE ARE TAKING TO BECOME MORE SUSTAINABLE

Our plan to become more sustainable is future-oriented but also based on real, everyday actions. Here are some of the practical steps we are taking to support our sustainability policy.
  • We carry out what we carry in. As much as possible we request that our members remove all waste from their canyoning trip areas, dispose of any waste found in the area, even when that waste isn’t connected to them.
  • We endeavor to organise clean-up projects in multiple locations around the UK and participate in such projects organized by others.
  • We recycle all waste in and out of the office, including paper, plastic, cans, bottles, and compostable waste. We encourage our members to do so too.
  • We’ve eliminated the use of disposable or individually-packaged products where possible.
  • We inform members of our “Leave No Trace” policy and explain how it applies to them.
  • We ensure no contaminants enter water sources or systems.

TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES

  • On our training courses, AGMs, meets and CPD days, we regularly visit local businesses and small communities where our guests can purchase handmade souvenirs and try authentic local food.
  • We do not use products made by companies who fail to recognize environmental guidelines or their workers’ rights.

TO REDUCE PAPER USE

  • We no longer mass print leaflets or brochures. 
  • All UKCA resources are only available online.  
  • We use online documents for all contracts and file keeping.
  • If any, we recycle all paper at our offices.