Tasman Bay Beaches got a spruce up last Saturday (Nov 20) as around 800 volunteers took part in what is set to become an annual event.
The Tasman Bay Big Beach Clean-up, organised by DOC, Tasman District Council, Nelson City Council and NELMAC Ltd, covered 291 kilometres of coast line and collected around 10.46 tonnes of rubbish.
Department of Conservation Community Relations Programme Manager Rudy Tetteroo expressed a big thank you to the volunteers:
“It’s been a tremendous achievement by everyone involved and fantastic to see such enthusiasm from so many in the community for looking after our beaches. Participants told us it felt good to be helping to clear litter from the coast and some beach-cleaning teams were shocked at how much rubbish they had picked up. A number were thanked by passers-by for doing it.”
“Locals and the thousands of holidaymakers who will visit our region this summer can gain more pleasure from our beautiful beaches with less unsightly rubbish around.
“It also helps to make our coasts safer for wildlife for which our litter can be lethal.”
A similar initiative, spearheaded by Sustainable Coastlines plans a series of ambitious coastal clean-ups around New Zealand beginning early December.
