BLUE FLAG FLIES AGAIN

Auckland’s Outboard Boating Club (OBC) has retained its Blue Flag accreditation – attesting to the success of its environmental and safety programme.

Copenhagen-based Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators. To qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.

OBC first received accreditation in 2017. Renewal for the 2018–19 year followed a recent inspection by Malcolm Powell, a representative from the Foundation for Environmental Education, a Blue Flag agency. In New Zealand the Blue Flag programme is managed by Keep New Zealand Beautiful.

The programme aims to connect the public with its surroundings and encouraging people to learn more about their environment. As such, environmental education activities must be offered and promoted in addition to a permanent display of information relevant to the site in terms of biodiversity, ecosystems and environmental phenomena.

OBC is one of three New Zealand marinas with Blue Flag accreditation – Westhaven and The Landing are the other two.

Malcolm Powell (left) discusses the Blue Flag programme with Christine White (Keep New Zealand Beautiful’s education manager) and Mike Ragg, operations manager at OBC.