10 ways to celebrate National Marine Week
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National Marine Week takes place from 25 July to 9 August – join in and celebrate everything marine! Of course, it’s an unusual event this year but there’s lots to do and see. It’s organised by the Wildlife Trusts, of which there are 46 around the UK including Alderney in the Channel Islands. Find your local Wildlife Trust here
1.Be a citizen scientist! Report your shoreline sightings. There’s an image below to help you work out what you’re looking at, if you’re not sure.
The Wildlife Trusts are telling the Government that we need Highly Protected Marine Areas FAST! These areas will ban damaging activities including fishing, so that wildlife could recover and thrive. Swimming, kayaking and scuba diving would be okay. And the sites would spread over nearshore, inshore and offshore waters and different regional areas. Please dive in and sign the letter to DEFRA here.
Some of these will take place face-to-face in accordance with Government guidance, ensuring social distancing at all times. Others take place digitally or they are self-led by those taking part.
There are a whole range of videos (thank you, You Tube) from kayaking in Alderney, to meeting the dolphins of Wales. Rockpool species, sharks, turtles, seals – just drink in the marine videos.
The Wildlife Trusts’ website enable you to put the name of a species into a search box and you can learn all about it!
Send your pictures, videos or stories of your all-time favourite UK marine wildlife experience to [email protected] You could win a pair of Opticron binoculars and a copy of the brilliant ‘The Essential Guide to Rockpooling’ book, by Julie Hatcher and Steve Trewhella. The competition closes at 11.59pm on 9th August. The winner will be chosen at random shortly afterwards.
This is a great opportunity to find out all about habitats – marine habitats, seagrass, biogenic reefs, deep-water corals, mud, sand and graves, kept beds and forests and rocky reefs. Float away to them here. 9. Adopt an animal! Why not adopt an animal and give a Wildlife Trust your support? There are a number of animals to choose from – seahorse, dolphin, seal, otters, beavers and more! Funds raised from the adoption schemes goes towards helping local wildlife conservation work – managing nature reserves or creating new habitats. It all helps, plus adoptions make a great gift for nature lovers!
You could become a member of a Wildlife Trust. Find your local Wildlife Trust here.
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