Coast and Countryside
All of us enjoy a day out but we
must remember to respect what makes our day out so enjoyable - the beautiful
scenery, clean water and fresh air. Those special places won't be special
in the future unless we take measures now to ensure our actions are responsible.
- Leisure pursuits:
- Boats and jet-skis create noise
and chemical pollution which is disturbing to wildlife - don't keep the
engine running unnecessarily
- If you are sailing, surfing
or windsurfing keep a distance of at least 100m from seal resting and bird
nesting sites to avoid disturbing them
- Only participate in hunting
or fishing when it can be shown to be part of an effective management plan
- When rock pooling, don't disturb
animals especially limpets as they can die if dislodged from the rock
- Don't use lead weights for angling,
this is now illegal as lead is a toxic metal
- Discard hooks, nets, lines and
weights responsibly as they are a potential threat to wildlife
- Don't damage or collect marine
life when diving. A carelessly kicked fin can easily break coral that has
taken 50 years to grow
- Keep it beautiful. Take all
rubbish home from the beach and countryside - many items take years to degrade
and are dangerous to wildlife
- Find out about places before
you visit. You may be visiting a Site of Special Scientific Importance (SSSI)
or other environmentally sensitive area, in which case you must take extra
care to stay on footpaths and follow signs
- Don't let your dog disturb wildlife
or foul the beach.
- If there are no disposal bins
ask the local council to provide some dispose of sanitary waste properly,
not down the toilet - or you might just find it on the beach next time you
visit
- Report anything unusual such
as pollution or animal strandings to the local authority, coastguard or
environment agency
- Voice concerns about planned
development of environmentally sensitive areas to your MP or council
- Never pick wild flowers, dig
up wild plants or break tree branches
