The Sefton Coast Message is: keep clear and carry on
APPEALS for folk not to drive to sites like the Sefton coast have been well publicised during the current crisis – please respect them.
But if you have walked to the coast for your exercise you will notice a number of new temporary signs on bins and entrances, explaining how you can help during these difficult times.
Firstly Green Sefton would ask you to take all your litter home with you – do not use bins.
The reason for this is simple – the team are working hard with the rest of Sefton’s public servants to deliver other key services at the moment, for example delivering food parcels to the vulnerable who cannot leave their homes.
Obviously this is vital work, but it does mean there is less time to check and empty bins as often as we have in the past. Overflowing bins can be hazardous to health and wildlife.
Like every other walk of life at the moment, staff sickness means our resources are much reduced too.
The council is prioritising collecting domestic rubbish from homes during the current crisis, so there is no reason why you can’t take rubbish home after a visit for it to be collected there.
By staying local for exercise there’s also no real reason to take so much stuff out with you either, so creating litter should simply not be happening.
Just by taking litter home it means staff can concentrate on other tasks like getting food out to people who need it.
We would also ask dogs owners to keep their pets under control and on a lead when visiting the coast.
This will help with social distancing and reduce disturbance to wildlife – the Sefton coast is largely made up of nature reserves after all, and we all have a responsibility to treat them with respect.
Please clean up dog fouling and dispose of it at home.
Remember it is an offence to leave a bag of dog poo by a path – just take it with you.
Green Sefton also need to reduce maintenance activities as staff are needed to support other services, but if you see anything that needs attention don’t hesitate to contact us by emailing greensefton@sefton.gov.uk.
Watch out for updates at sefton. gov.uk; facebook.com/ greensefton and on twitter @ GreenSefton_
Finally on the upside (literally) this is the best time of year to see one of the borough’s most spectacular visitors.
Many folk are surprised to learn that Ospreys are a regular passage migrant here now as they head north to breeding grounds.
Scottish birds are already at nest sites but those that nest in continental Europe are still winging their way north, and you can spot them just about anywhere.
If you hear gulls causing a commotion look up – they maybe mobbing an Osprey overhead!
These beautiful birds of prey are as likely to be seen passing over our towns and streets as over the coast, as they migrate on distinctive angled, bowed wings pretty much throughout April.
That said, Crosby Coastal Park has always been something of a hot-spot.
A treat to brighten any day.
John works for Green Sefton, the Sefton Council service that brings together the coast & countryside, parks & green spaces, flooding & coastal erosion, risk management and grounds maintenance teams for a joined-up approach to the vital management, development and oversight of Sefton’s beautiful coastline, parks and green spaces. This column looks at the flora, fauna and history of the coastline, and the work carried out to protect it.