On Saturday, May 16, to kickstart National Biodiversity week, and Fingal’s Climate Action Week, the Clean Coasts Roadshow hit Donabate Beach for an afternoon of coastal action.
Meeting at the Martello Tower on a wet and windy Saturday, ten enthusiastic citizen scientists joined Aisling Kennedy, Clean Coasts Development Officer for Dublin and Niamh Moran, a Climate Action Officer for Fingal to discover and identify local flora and fauna, and care for their habitats by carrying out a short beach clean-up.
Starting off the event, Aisling Kennedy provided a short introduction on the Explore Your Shore! and #2MinuteBeachClean initiatives for attendees.
Explore Your Shore! is a National Biodiversity Data Centre and EPA initiative which aims to encourage and engage the public in Marine Biodiversity Citizen Science recordings, and the #2MinuteBeachClean campaign was first developed by the 2 Minute Foundation in the UK, and is operated by Clean Coasts in Ireland to encourage small actions toward keeping our coasts clean.
After hearing about the importance of citizen science to identify patterns in flora and fauna, attendees were provided with identification swatches created by the National Biodiversity Data Centre, which Niamh had acquired funding to provide.
The weather began to dry up and the group then hit the beach for an explore and clean up and identified beadlet anemones, blue mussels, dog whelks, Oystercatchers, sea pinks, and sea beet, amongst other coastal biodiversity.
They also collected a moderate amount of litter including some of the dirty dozen such as cotton bud sticks and tampon applicators, prompting an impromptu discussion around the Think Before You Flush campaign.
Members of Donabate Clean Coasts also joined on the day, with member Catherine sharing a little information about the group, what they do, and how others can get involved.
Aisling Kennedy, Clean Coasts Regional Officer for Dublin said “We were delighted to explore the wonderful biodiversity of Donabate Beach, and discuss the impacts climate change may have on our marine life, whilst carrying out a 2 Minute Beach Clean.
The amazing Donabate Clean Coasts joined us for this outing which was really appreciated and we were so happy to be hosted by Fingal County Council for Climate Action Week.”
The Clean Coasts Roadshow is a series of informative talks and workshops tailored for coastal communities across Ireland, taking place between January and May each year.
This initiative brings together individuals interested in protecting their local beaches, seas, and marine environments.
The Roadshow events cover a range of topics, including biodiversity, dune systems, marine litter, wildlife, sustainable developments, and the work of local groups and organizations.
These events also serve as a platform for community groups to discuss practical matters, such as building volunteer capacity, attracting new members, and sharing responsibilities.