A new era of beach cleaning action has begun at one of South Cumbria's favourite beaches, as environmental crusaders fight to make a better habitat for seaside wildlife.
Natural England have teamed up with LOVEmyBEACH Co-ordinator Emma McColm and the Evening Mail's Big Clean 2016 campaign to tidy up the Walney beaches.
The team from North Walney Nature Reserve have now been out on two litter picks during the month of August and have another planned for Sunday September 11.
Steve Benn, senior reserve manager at Natural England's North Walney National Nature Reserve, said:"We picked up 136kg of rubbish on our first August litter pick and another 108kg just two weeks later.
"We have a few regulars who are dedicated to cleaning up the nature reserve but obviously we would love to get more people interested.
"Ideally we want to get to a stage where we are all disappointed after a litter pick because there just isn't enough rubbish to collect - that would be great!"
The beach at North Walney suffers especially badly during the summer months because it gets so many visitors.
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Although our summer weather this year has been nothing if not a little unpredictable, the sunny days have had both tourists and locals flocking the the sandy spot.
The most damaging effect of the summer month is that of the campers as many forget to tidy up when they leave and therefore leave lasting damage on the beach environment and its eco-systems. Mr Benn said: “The beaches around the Furness coastline are used by holidaymakers during the summer months. The same beaches are also utilised by our resident and migratory wader-birds for breeding purposes.
"Our familiar oystercatchers and ringed plovers breed at North Walney National Nature Reserve during the summer months. The wader-birds have now raised their chicks on shingle nests located just above the high tide mark. It is important therefore, that for the sake of all visitors we keep our beaches clean and free from litter. We implore all visitors to remember to take their litter home with you to dispose of appropriately."
The staff at North Walney Nature Reserve are imploring more people to get out and help clean up the beach and take more pride in their local beauty spot. Mr Benn said: "We would love to be named as the best beaches in England. I think that would make people so proud. That is our goal."
To get involved in the beach cleans please contact: gabrielle.rowley@nwemail.co.uk or check the dates for the upcoming beach cleans at www.lovemybeach.org.
READ MORE:
Barrow community garden is spruced up as part of Big Clean 2016
Councillors on Big Clean duty take their mission a step further on Walney
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