Help Protect Our Coast
Keeping our fragile coastal ecosystems healthy and vibrant preserves the unique natural beauty of Holdfast Bay. Find out what you can do to help!
Since the 1970’s the entire coast of Holdfast Bay has been regenerated from bare rock walls and flat sand to the diverse sand dunes and functioning ecosystems of today. Healthy meadows of sea grass reach out from the coast supporting further vibrant ecosystems under the water.
These natural assets and features of our local environment make Holdfast Bay a great place to live, work and play. However, being at the end of the cities drainage systems (that flow into the ocean) means that litter, cigarette butts and chemicals that people dispose of incorrectly will end up in our coastal ecosystems, beaches, dunes and ocean.
How to do it now!
There are many ways in which you can act to minimise our impact and help protect our coast:
- Dispose of litter correctly (such as cigarette butts which contain chemicals that don’t break down).
- Observe the signs that signify conservation areas
- Where possible observe the vegetated dunes from the beach (as they are very fragile)
- Refrain from using chemicals, cleaners, fertilisers in a such a way that they can easily enter the storm water system when it rains.
- Pick up after your dog as animal droppings are rich in nutrients that can pollute sensitive environments.
In addition, there are numerous ways you can contribute to the growing ecological health of our local coastal areas, beaches and ocean.
Plant coastal natives in your garden - the AMLRNRM Coastal Planting guide is a great resource of local plants that thrive and add biodiversity to our local ecosystems.
Join the Holdfast Bay Dunecare Team - this committed group of residents conducts regular events to protect native vegetation and stop the spread of weeds such as gazania and sea spurge in the reserves, dunes and parks in Holdfast Bay. To become a volunteer see the Holdfast Bay Volunteers page
Join a Coastcare group - Along the coast there are several coastcare groups that may be within walking distance or accessible via public transport. To find a Landcare group in your area see Landcares website
For more information see Adelaide’s Living Beaches Project (DEH)
Why this action is important?
The ecosystems and environments that support our life are under stress from the cumulative pressure of thousands of small impacts, a chemical here a cigarette butt there. This action highlights how those small day to day decisions that we make can do one of two things, either contribute to polluting our oceans, or contribute to conserving our oceans.