Fig 1: 25 bags collected and some of the volunteers with the Fleet Warden. © Angela Thomas
The Abbotsbury Beach litter pick, organised by the Reserve Team, took place on Saturday morning (3rd Sept). The blustery winds and occasional downpours didn’t deter the dedicated volunteers in achieving an amazing haul of litter off of the beach.
After a very busy and hot summer, there was plenty of litter to collect both from the beach and within the vegetation, with additional rubbish being washed up from the sea.
A total of 25 bags of litter was collected by 10 volunteers over a 2 hour period. This was a fantastic achievement making the beach a much cleaner and safer place for wildlife and future visitors.
Visitors and users of the beach are reminded to please take any litter home or place it in the large waste bins provided.
Fig 2: An ironic find on the litter pick. Why catch mackerel when you can have it for lunch from a tin! © Angela Thomas.
Some Safety Advice
Camping is not permitted on Abbotsbury Beach due to the site being a highly protected area, as part of the World Heritage Site and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Open fires on the beach are not permitted this is for both safety and environmental reasons. Shingle when heated shatters sending out hot shards which may be dangerous to those around, multiple fires will reduce pebble structure causing damage to the beach. See Fig 3 and 4. You may use raised BBQs.
Fig 3: Shattered pebbles and whole pebble on Chesil. © Angela Thomas
Fig 4: Shattered pebbles Chesil after a fire. © Angela Thomas