Wanted: Volunteer beach cleaners!

THE UK’s leading marine charity – the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) – is looking for volunteers to register for a citizen science project that involves a trip to the beach.

The Great British Beach Clean (September 16-19) is the only UK-wide beach clean that not only spruces up hundreds of beaches around the coast but also records the litter finds.

Plastic bottles and carrier bags, nappies, balloons, and tiny plastic pieces can be found on almost every beach in Britain – either washed up, blown there or dropped. Most of the litter found can be traced back to us – the general public.

Says Angela Suter who attended last years event in Dorset with her husband and 7 year old daughter, "Its a great way to get all the family involved and teaching our children the importance of caring for their environment."

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Picture Credit: Sophie Suter taken by Suzanne Mattock

National Park volunteers … they’re winners

NATIONAL PARKS UK has announced the names of the winners of its 2015 Volunteer Awards, reflecting the very best of the hundreds who work to protect and improve Britain’s breathing spaces. 

The annual awards are a way of saying thank you for the thousands of volunteer hours put into the UK’s 15 National Parks. The awards are presented in four categories: Individual, Young Person (under 25 years), Group, and Project. Winners of the individual categories receive their choice of kit from outdoor specialist and National Parks UK brand partner Merrell, while winners in the group and project categories get a £1,000 bursary toward future volunteering efforts.

Including highly commended nominees, the awards acknowledge efforts from volunteers spanning the British landscape, with the Brecon Beacons, Exmoor, Lake District, New Forest, Peak District, Pembrokeshire Coast, and Yorkshire Dales all represented.

Frances Bland, a volunteer in Yorkshire Dales National Park, was named as the winner in the Individual category. A strong advocate of volunteering, she walked more than 170 miles of Yorkshire Dales footpath as part of her work.

All three nominees in the Young Person category impressed the judges, with New Forest’s Karl Epps being named winner. A wheelchair user, Mr Epps has worked with the New Forest National Park to ensure inclusiveness at national park events.
In the Group category, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Youth Rangers were named as winners.

The winning Project in 2015 was the Fit for Work scheme taking place within the boundaries of Peak District National Park. Targeted at individuals from outside the traditional national parks audience, the project helps participants earn qualifications in countryside management. 

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/46943749@N06/14954433549">Nidderdale Portrait</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license), http://www.flickr.com/photos/21081514@N08/5386749097">The Green Bridge of Wales - Pembrokeshire</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license), Beech woodland in Bignell Wood, Wittensford, New Forest by Jim Champion. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Visitors volunteer to help Aruba charities

AS MORE British travellers discover the Dutch Caribbean island of #Aruba, they are also being lured by a growing phenomenon on the island – voluntourism. 

The island has a high repeat visit factor, particularly among American travellers who make the island a regular winter haunt. Community service abounds on Aruba, with locals volunteering their time, energy, and skills to help many charities. Growing numbers of visitors are now also joining in, spending some of their holiday time helping worthwhile causes.

For those who want to take a break from the sun lounger, here are some of the opportunities to put something back into the life of Aruba.

The Aruba Reef Care Project is the best-known and largest volunteer environmental initiative on the island. Launched in 1994, it attracts more than 1,000 participants who every September scour the beaches and dive and snorkel various sites in a massive clean-up effort. Supported by public and private sector businesses, the Reef Care Project raises awareness of the importance of preserving the marine environment. For information, contact Castro Perez by e-mail: castroperez@gmail.com

Fundashon Turtugaruba was established in 2003 and is a member of the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network. Turtugaruba volunteers know where to patrol to spot, monitor, and protect turtle nests, primarily at Eagle Beach, Boca Grandi, and Arikok National Park. Volunteers comb the beach during the season looking for nesting turtles so the area can be cordoned off and protected.  E-mail enquiries to info@turtgaruba.org

Sponsor a Mile is a monthly initiative held during the third and fourth weeks of every month.  Spearheaded by the Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association (AHATA), its members, including island hotels and activity companies, adopt a designated mile of beach, roadsides, and countryside to scour for debris. Staff volunteer their time to keep their island clean, and are often joined by eco-minded tourists.

Visitors can contact their hotel directly for information and dates, or contact Vanessa Rasmussen at AHATA by e-mail: at Vanessa@ahata.com

Donations and the work of volunteers are vital to the Aruba Animal Shelter, which aims to improve the lives of dogs and cats. Go to www.arubaanimalshelter.com for more information.

The Aruba Donkey Sanctuary is supported entirely by donations and volunteer workers. Donkeys were first brought to Aruba by the Spanish 500 years ago, and there are still some 200 on the island today. Volunteers are welcome to help with the daily chores of feeding and cleaning or assisting with general maintenance and repairs. http://main.arubadonkey.org/portal/index.php/volunteers

FAVI offers a variety of services with the purpose of contributing to the wellbeing of the visually impaired and blind. It welcomes volunteers to help with craft classes and the outings.  Contact Cetty Baarah on +297-582-5222 for more information.

www.aruba.com

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Picture Credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/51065161@N00/13069956024">Aruba</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">(license)

Wanted: Volunteer beach cleaners!

THE UK’s leading marine charity – the #MarineConservationSociety (MCS) – is looking for volunteers to register for a citizen science project that involves a trip to the #beach.

The #GreatBritishBeachClean (September 18-21) is the only UK-wide beach clean that not only spruces up hundreds of beaches around the coast but also records the litter finds.

Plastic bottles and carrier bags, nappies, balloons, and tiny plastic pieces can be found on almost every beach in Britain – either washed up, blown there or dropped. Most of the litter found can be traced back to us – the general public.

‘Beach litter has steadily risen over the two decades we’ve been recording it on UK beaches,’ says MCS Beachwatch Officer, Charlotte Coombes.  ‘Last year’s Great British Beach Clean attracted almost 5,500 volunteers to over 300 beaches. It’s a citizen science project that has become the most respected and long-standing beach litter survey in the UK.’

In 2014, tiny bits of plastic were the most frequently found litter items on UK beaches. There was a 6.4% rise in beach litter between 2013 and 2014 with wet wipes having the biggest increase at almost 50%.

‘Taking part in the Great British Beach Clean,’ says Ms Coombes. ‘really can make a difference. In previous years when we’ve highlighted increases in dog poo bags and sewage related debris found on beaches, we have seen drops in numbers subsequently. We hope we’ll see fewer wet wipes in 2015 following our mini-campaign showing why these material squares should go in the bin, not the loo.’  

MCS says cleaning and surveying a beach takes only a couple of hours. Each beach has a co-ordinator who explains how to fill in a simple data form … then it’s just a case of taking a litter picker and a bin bag and filling it up with rubbish.
    
Volunteers are also asked to record any branded items they find, to enable MCS to approach specific manufacturers and retailers and look at ways they can work with them to reduce the amount of rubbish from their products reaching beaches.

‘Beach litter is a serious environmental problem,’ says Ms Coombes. ‘But the solution is in our hands. The first step is to register as a volunteer. We want the Great British Beach Clean weekend to offer a snapshot of what the future could look like for the British seaside by reducing the amount of litter that reaches our shores”.

Find out more at http://www.mcsuk.org/greatbritishbeachclean or telephone 01989 566017.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/94418464@N08/9442799744">Rear of National Express liveried LSK 510.</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">(license)