A big 'Thank You' to the local RSPB Woodbridge local group who spent a good morning litter picking in the rain on Havergate. You can never really appreciate how much rubbish ends up in the sea and river until you have it all packaged up in front of you. For a small island of only 100ha this was only 1 hour in, and just half of the island covered!
The local RSPB Woodbridge group after only an hour of collecting rubbish
The rubbish collected on Havergate mainly consists of plastic bottles and containers, fishing net, fishing line and helium balloons! (every visit I make to the island I seem to collect more balloons!). As well as making the island and anywhere else look, well, rubbish, it has a major impact on the habitat and wildlife. Havergate is home to many birds and I have seen in the few years I have been here, entangled gulls that have got into trouble with line and nets. It isn't very nice to see and should not be happening. It's not just the creatures on land – we have recently had reports of a seal in the area that has netting around its neck. Unless this seal is helped, its future will not look bright.
Please think about where your rubbish ends up, and of the consequences of not disposing of it properly.