Helping keep the Seven Sisters coast clean!
Here at Seven Sisters Country Park, we’re determined to make this special landscape the very best it can be for both nature and people.
Part of this ongoing work is doing what we can to clean up our coastline.
We’ve been working with ReAP, a charity dedicated to reducing the devastating impact of plastic waste on the planet’s aquatic life and ecosystems, as well as the Anglers National Line Recycling Scheme (ANLRS) which recycles lost or littered material.
Park rangers and volunteers regularly scour the shoreline and Cuckmere Haven for rubbish that often comes in with the tide, including discarded fishing gear, plastics and general litter.
The amount of waste being collected makes for sobering reading and shows just how important it is to not drop litter!
In just one year of collections:
- Well over 1 tonne of rubbish has been collected.
- Forty per cent of this could be described as litter – including fast food wrappers, sandwich boxes, clothing, nappies and dog poo bags. Over half of all this litter was recyclable.
- Just over 600kg of the waste was related to commercial fishing and removing it from the local environment is helping to protect wildlife from harm or injury.
We’d love to not have to collect any litter, but we’re pleased that it’s being put to good use. ReAP takes the litter to its Sussex-based hub and, working with UK recycling partner MyRefactory, it’s recycled into products that can be used elsewhere, including to make recycling bins, seating, display boards and outdoor tables.
While the National Park Authority has no formal remit around litter collection or flytipping (this sits with Wealden Council), we’re pleased to be reducing the impact of litter on this wonderful haven for nature.
What can I do to help?
Litter coming in through the tide is largely out of our control, but what we can all do is make an extra effort to not drop litter in the country park itself. You can help by:
- Leaving no trace – Apart from ruining the experience for others, a scrap of litter enters a sensitive ecosystem and can seriously harm wildlife as it takes years, or even decades, to degrade. Keep nature happy by disposing of litter in the appropriate bins in the country park. If you can’t find a bin, please take the litter home with you!
- Microvolunteer – Organised litter picks take place in the country park from time to time. Check out our what’s on page or email Sevensisters@southdowns.gov.uk
Remember that by giving back to nature, nature will give back to you and we can have an even more beautiful country park that’s teeming with even more wildlife.
