Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NATIONAL TRUST: DON’T CARRY ON FLY CAMPING
Rubbish piles ‘put wildlife at risk’
STAYCATION litter bugs are trashing our coast and holding up conservation work, the National Trust has warned.
The organisation said the “vast quantities” of rubbish left behind by a spike in fly camping and caravans is taking up a fifth of rangers’ time.
It added that daily patrols have turned into litter picks at beauty spots such as Co Down’s Mourne Mountains and Murlough Nature Reserve as well as parts of the Causeway Coast and Glens.
Mourne ranger Clare O’reilly said: “The rubbish left behind is usually substantial. We routinely clear up to four bin liners from each camp, and deal with the aftermath of damaged habitats from fires, broken glass and disposable BBQS.
“Some of this litter can be buried into the 6,000-year-old sand dunes, which then slowly release shards of glass and sharpened metal, creating a serious hazard risk for children, adults, dogs and our wildlife.”
Rangers have also been verbally attacked for asking campers to move on and their illegal stays are delaying work put on hold during the pandemic.
Head of rangers Rob Rhodes added: “Due to lockdown we haven’t been able to get on with conservation work and many of our rangers who have returned to their posts over the past few weeks are champing at the bit to clear the backlog.
Ben Mccarthy, head of Nature, Conservation and Restoration, said staff were seeing a “disposable festival mentality”, where campers leave behind their gear as well as trash.
He added: “Some are lighting campfires which can cause big problems.”