Make a difference when at the coast or in the 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 marine mammal 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
• 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 local officials
• Never pick wild flowers, dig up wild plants or break tree branches