Spring Beach Clean at Cramond 18th April
Spring Beach Clean at Cramond
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) will be holding an Adopt-a-Beach event at Cramond on Saturday 18th April from 10am-12 noon and all are welcome. Meet at the start of the Cramond Island causeway at 10am. Please wear suitable outdoor clothing and footwear. For further information please contact the MCS Scottish office on 0131 226 2391 or e-mail anne.saunders@mcsuk.org.
Volunteers and local residents will pick up and record litter from a 100m stretch of Cramond beach, and MCS are looking for more members of the public to get involved. Beach litter is more then just unsightly: it poses a major threat to wildlife and the environment. Taking part in the MCS Adopt-a-Beach project is easy, and hundreds of volunteers are already involved all round the country. Children, families and dogs are welcome and what nicer way to spend the morning than at the beach? If you were inspired by our recent Beachwatch 2008 results launch, then get involved and make a difference by joining the beach clean.
The last Adopt-a-Beach event at Cramond, held in January, was a tremendous success, where 46 enthusiastic volunteers collected a terrific 60kg of rubbish.
The litter survey along the 100m stretch usually takes 1 hour, with up to another hour to pick up litter on the remainder of the beach. MCS provides protective gloves and litter-pickers for those taking part. Refreshments will be provided at the end. Children under 16 are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult. The information collected from this survey will add to the ongoing monitoring of marine litter around our coasts, to help MCS turn the tide on litter.
After this weekend, the next Adopt-a-Beach event at Cramond beach will take place on 27th June. If you do not live near Cramond, there are adopted beaches all round Scotland. You can find your nearest adopted beach and next event at www.adoptabeach.org.uk.
ENDS
Press contact:
Anne Saunders (MCS Scottish Projects Officer)
Telephone: 0131 226 2391 or 07894 566624
E-mail: anne.saunders@mcsuk.org
Register online at: www.adoptabeach.org.uk
(1) The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK charity dedicated to the protection of our seas, shores and wildlife. MCS campaigns for clean seas and beaches, sustainable fisheries, protection of marine life and their habitats, and the sensitive use of our marine resources. Through education, community involvement and collaboration, MCS raises awareness of the many threats that face our seas and promotes individual, industry and government action to protect the marine environment. MCS provides information and guidance on many aspects of marine conservation and produces the annual Good Beach Guide (www.goodbeachguide.co.uk), the Good Fish Guide and www.fishonline.org on sustainable seafood, as well as promoting public participation in volunteer projects and surveys such as Beachwatch, Adopt-a-Beach, Basking Shark and Turtle Watch and Seasearch. MCS is lobbying for a UK Marine Bill to deliver proper management of UK seas and proper protection for marine wildlife within a network of Marine Conservation Zones. Since the Scottish Government is responsible for most matters within 12 nautical miles (including marine conservation, fisheries, aquaculture and renewable energy) and some matters out to 200nm (including fisheries and aspects of renewable energy), MCS (along with other members of the Scottish Environment LINK Marine Task Force) is also campaigning for a Scottish Marine Bill to dovetail with the UK Bill.
(2) Adopt-a-Beach and Beachwatch are coastal environmental initiatives organised by MCS, involving local individuals, groups and communities in caring for their coastal environment. Anyone in the UK can adopt their favourite stretch of coast and take part in annual (Beachwatch) or quarterly (Adopt-a-Beach) beach cleans and surveys to monitor litter throughout the year and help us campaign for cleaner seas. MCS in Scotland collaborates with all the Firth Partnerships to help inspire as many groups as possible to take part and help turn the tide on litter. See www.adoptabeach.org.uk for more information and a list of Scottish adopted beaches.
