Get Involved! Conduct your own Big Up Wi Beach Survey

WELCOME TO OUR BEACH SURVEY! JET and our local survey partners spent months exploring Jamaica’s coast, looking for beaches and assessing their facilities, environmental health and management arrangements.

But…we might have missed a few. That’s why we need YOU! Help us add to our Jamaican beach database by completing a simple BIG UP WI BEACH JA survey and sending us photos of your local beach.

Once we verify your survey, the results will be uploaded and made accessible to the public via this website.

Here are a few important things to consider when conducting your beach survey:

  1. Become familiar with the survey questions before heading out to the beach

    If you are familiar with the beach, you may be able to tentatively fill in some answers before conducting the survey. Other questions may require you to conduct some research before heading to the beach. Make note of the survey questions which require an answer.

  2. How will you gain access to the beach?

    There may be an admission fee for the beach, so be sure you are able to gain access. The beach may also have different opening hours on different days, so find out what time/days they are open before heading to the site.

  3. What will I need to conduct the survey?

    Be sure to wear appropriate clothing to conduct the survey. Loose fitting cool clothing, a cap, drinking water, and sunscreen are essential. Comfortable shoes for all types of terrain are best but be sure to have a pair of rubber slippers, shoes or boots on hand, in case you have to get your feet wet. Our survey does not require that you to go in the water at the beach.

  4. How far should I walk along the beach to conduct the survey?

    Some survey questions can be answered by standing in one spot, or by speaking with people on the beach; other questions will require you to take a walk along the beach. It is important that you walk up and down the beach as far as possible, in order to get a good look at the site.

  5. Taking photos

    Be sure to take wide shots of the beach, which can give a good idea of what the beach looks like and what type of environment a beach user can expect. Also take photos of anything which you think may be of particular interest or unique to the beach, e.g. a river or gully on or beside the beach, a watersports facility or popular restaurant. If you are using a smart phone to conduct the survey, you can upload photos from your phone immediately.

Thanks for participating. See you at the beach!