Wednesday 15 April 2015
This year's 2015 Coastal Clean Up campaign organised by the Environment Department will be held over two weekends - 4/5 July and 18/19 July.
The first Guernsey Coastal Clean Up took place in 2010 as part of global celebrations for the International Year of Biodiversity.
Families, companies, schools and voluntary organisations are being invited to get involved by helping to clean up litter from their favourite piece of coastline. People can choose to clean beaches or coastal grasslands - all that's needed are sturdy gloves and plastic sacks.
The two week-end clean up events will get the coastline in good condition just before the school summer holidays. This will benefit many families and visitors who enjoy a day at the beach but will also help provide a better habitat for Guernsey's sea birds, particularly waders such Oyster Catchers, Dunlin, Turnstones, and Curlew. Local ornithologists who ring sea birds regularly come across nests which include fishing net and plastic cord. Bird pellets also show evidence that plastic items such as pieces of pen and plastic bag have been picked up and eaten by sea birds.
Deputy Yvonne Burford, Minister for the Environment, said "In the past the Coastal Clean Up campaign has proved very successful and we have been very pleased by the number of people who have shown support. Each tide brings in litter consisting of plastic, polystyrene and fishing litter, and we hope that many people will want to get involved again this year to keep Guernsey's beautiful beaches at their best. It would also be of great benefit if everyone going to the beach remembered to take a bag with them to take away their own litter - they could also pick up some that has been washed up and put it in the coastal bins too."
If you would like to get involved in this year's Coastal Clean Up please email the Environment Services Unit (env@gov.gg) or telephone 717200, with which beach you would like to clean and the date.
