Article by Larry Jock
Maryland Coast Day and Coastal Clean-Up Set for September 18th
Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) announced that it is time to plan for the annual MARYLAND COAST DAY and COASTAL CLEAN-UP on Assateague Island, scheduled for Saturday, September 18.
The day begins at the Assateague National Seashore north parking lot at 8:30 a.m. where volunteers will register, pick up a data card, and then head out along the beach and dune lines to collect trash. Each volunteer gets a free Coastal Clean-Up t-shirt.
Staff and a truck will be available to pick up large items like tires, lumber or even car parts. Kim Fehrer, Event Coordinator, explained, “One year we actually found a Volkswagen engine block and in subsequent years volunteers found a VW wheel and other parts. We hope to eventually retrieve the entire car!”
In last year’s Regional Coastal Clean-Up, 2,500 volunteers collected approximately 35,000 pounds of trash from shorelines in Delaware and Maryland’s lower Eastern Shore, including the Coastal Bays watershed.
Clean-up starts on the Assateague Island National Seashore where the entrance fee will be waived for the event. Volunteers need to tell the Ranger at the booth that they will be helping with the cleanup efforts. Trash bags and data cards will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to bring water, hat, gloves, insect repellent and sunscreen.
Also on September 18th, the 14th Annual “Maryland Coast Day”, hosted by Assateague Coastal Trust, Assateague State Park, Friends of Assateague State Park and the Maryland Coastal Bays Program, takes place in the Assateague State Park parking lot from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. It is free to the public and offers visitors to Assateague Island a fun day listening to local entertainment, eating BBQ and checking out the many educational displays as well as arts and crafts booths.
This event attracts more than 3,000 visitors for exhibits, local food, music and children's activities.
Fehrer added, “Maryland Coast Day is fun-filled with something for everyone, like the hands-on educational activities for kids at ACT’s Coast Kids activity booth and DNR’s Scales and Tails interactive displays. Assateague Coastal Trust will be joined by other environmental organizations and agencies demonstrating what they do and what YOU can do to protect our coastal bays and beaches.”
If you have questions about either of these events, please call Kim Fehrer, at Assateague Coastal Trust, 410-629-1538.
