Sustainable Coastlines invites all Aucklanders to form part of something epic and volunteer for the Waitematā Harbour clean-up on Saturday 13 March, in celebration of Seaweek!
Seaweek is New Zealand’s week-long celebration of the sea and aims to inspire all New Zealanders to connect with the great big blue. Heeding the Seaweek call, the award-winning charity will be hosting a major clean up in the Waitematā Harbour as part of the Epic Seaweek Series - a national beach clean-up series across Aotearoa that will focus on Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
With New Zealanders having been lucky enough to enjoy a beautiful summer so far, the Epic Seaweek Series (which will cover the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch regions) aims to give volunteers the prime opportunity to give back to Papatūānuku, connect with nature, and celebrate our oceans.
At a local level in Auckland, Sustainable Coastlines has teamed up with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s Summernova Festival Series to deliver a Waitematā Harbour clean-up with a multi-station approach to cover a greater area and achieve maximum impact. Sign-in locations include Bayswater Park in North Shore/Shoal Bay Harbourview Beach Reserve in Te Atatu and Point England Reserve on the Tamaki Estuary. Volunteers will sign-in at one of these locations and then be assigned a local beach to clean-up. This is a family friendly event and all ages are encouraged to attend. Sustainable Coastlines will provide all equipment necessary, a health and safety briefing, Phoenix Organic drinks and light catering for all volunteers on the day.
Sustainable Coastlines’ Litter Intelligence programme (NZ’s first national litter database) shows that plastic is still having a major impact on our coastlines and oceans. Of litter audited as part of beach surveys, over 73% is plastic or foamed plastic. These plastic items include cigarette butts and filters, food wrappers, polystyrene, bottle caps and lids, food containers, lollipop sticks, straws, fishing line, and recreational items. Understandably, it’s a concern for Kiwis. The Colmar Brunton Better Futures Report 2020 states that 69% of New Zealand adults are highly concerned about the build-up of plastic in the environment. The Epic Seaweek Series gives volunteers the opportunity to lend a hand for our oceans.
As Steve Armitage, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited General Manager Destination, explains, the Summernova Sustainable Coastlines partnership will ensure the festival series, which includes more than 20 events Auckland-wide, draws attention to the serious issues facing our Tikapa Moana / Hauraki Gulf.
“With Summernova and the 36th America’s Cup, we understand the unique opportunity we have to create a legacy for our region, and that legacy includes improving the health of our waters and coastlines,” says Steve Armitage.
“The Waitematā Harbour clean-up is the perfect opportunity to bring our communities together and celebrate our oceans as part of the Summernova festival series”, says Sustainable Coastline’s Programmes Manager, Dan Downing.
“Being part of Summernova gives us an awesome opportunity to educate Aucklanders on the nature, extent, and causes of litter on our coastlines. These are family-friendly events that make for a perfect Saturday dedicated to connecting with nature, so let’s show the Waitematā Harbour some love. Please join us for a fun Saturday and be part of something epic for Seaweek!”
Want to get involved?
The Summernova Waitematā Harbour clean-up will take place on Saturday 13 March at three locations around Auckland:
- Bayswater Park in Shoal Bay / North Shore
- Harbourview Beach Reserve in Te Atatu
- Point England Reserve on the Tamaki Estuary
Register your interest here!