This week is Coastcare Week.
Coastcare week is an annual celebration held in the first week of December, when our thoughts are turning to a summer of saltwater swimming, surfing, beach picnics and fishing.
This year’s campaign theme is be inspired, be empowered, be a Coastcarer and is all about showcasing activities across our community, to inspire others to feel empowered to join us in making a difference no matter how big or small that may be.
As our Umwelt team gets through the end of year rush and looks forward to a summer break, we acknowledge the efforts of the many people across the community who volunteer their time and skills to care for our beaches, rock platforms, coastal lagoons and dunes. Their efforts help keep our coast healthy and protect its biodiversity for us all to enjoy.
While the coast has some dedicated friends in Coastcare volunteers, there are things we can all do to be a friend to our coast when we are out enjoying our summer at the beach.
Do you enjoy a walk on the beach? Take a bag with you and collect any rubbish, which may have blown or floated onto the sand, or been left behind by other people. Make sure you take all your rubbish home with you, or that it’s sealed in a bin with a well-fitting lid – so birds can’t get in and spread food and plastic waste around. Plastic waste is a huge threat to our marine environment.
Many people, including our Umwelt team members, love to take their dogs to the beach with their family. Some things for us all to think about – use fenced off-leash areas and keep dogs on the lead everywhere else, to minimize disturbance of nesting and roosting shorebirds. If you are at a dog walking beach, make sure you have a bag to clean up after your dog.
Leave your 4WD vehicle at home and enjoy the open space and peaceful sounds of the seaside, on foot. If you are in a vehicle on beaches, you could damage fragile coastal dunes, and miss the beauty of tiny nesting shorebirds, that have travelled thousands of kilometres to enjoy summer on our beaches and estuaries. Just like some of us.
This Coastcare week, share the coast with nature and take action to protect and restore the values that we all enjoy. A huge thank you to everyone who helps make an ongoing difference to our coastlines and waterways.
