Holiday snaps sought to teach students about shifting sands

PEOPLE are being asked to share their photographs and memories of Welsh holiday spots to help students learn about the changing coastline.

Shifting sands due to coastal erosion, climate change and tourism mean the dunes and beaches of north-east Wales are always changing, impacting the landscape, community and economy, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said.

NRW is asking holidaymakers and local people to share pictures and memories of Talacre in Flintshire and Gronant in Denbighshire, the last intact dune system on the north Wales coast. The area is important for wildlife, including natterjack toads and little terns, as well as for the local community and economy.

The materials will help NRW develop education resources for GCSE and A-level geography students to learn about how the environment has changed, and how it could be protected in the future.

Ffion Hughes, education coordinator at NRW, said: “Our coastline in Wales is spectacular, it is home to a variety of wildlife and it provides us with special places to visit and enjoy. But, like all coastlines, it is constantly changing, and it’s important that we understand how these changes happen and their effect. We’re asking holidaymakers and local people to send us their pictures and memories of Talacre and Gronant so learners can investigate how the area has changed over time.

“Studying the area, looking at pictures and listening to stories, will provide learners with valuable, real-life examples of the pressures facing our coastline which could even help protect it for the future.”

People can send their photos and stories about the area to education@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk or post them to Freepost RSAYKLUZ-HJBC, Natural Resources Wales, Clawddnewydd, Ruthin, LL15 2NL by Monday, May 7.