I would like to introduce you to my neighbor, Bob. Bob is a retired gentleman in his 80′s who appears to be extremely fit. In fact, up until the past few years, Bob was an avid runner. Well, hip problems have slowed him down some so now he does a daily beach walk of at least 5 miles per day regardless of weather. During his walk he travels from Theil Creek, about 4 miles South of Newport, to Seal Rock. He carries a plastic bag which he fills with all sorts of debris like plastic bottles, cans, bags and broken fishing floats. These items go to either the recycling bin or trash — at home.
It’s not all about clean up, as Bob is a trained observer for Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (read more about Bob’s work). One of the things he does is to report any dead sea birds and mammals on the beach. ODF&W uses this information to help track the well being of birds. In the case of marine mammals like seals, ODF&W works with The Hatfield Marine Science Center to determine cause of death and uses this to expand their knowledge base. This is an example of how citizen volunteers can make a difference and enjoy the beach at the same time.
Whether you’re able to attend one of this year’s Fall or Spring beach cleanups sponsored by SOLV, take a hint from Bob, and bring one of those dreaded plastic grocery sacks with you every time you walk an Oregon Beach! If we all do our part, the Oregon Coast will be an even more spectacular place to live.
