ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENT
Less litter on our beaches, engaging children with environmental topics and how to protect ground-nesting birds: Jo Tinsley reports on the things that matter to us as swimmers
HELP PROTECT GROUND-NESTING BIRDS
Whether lying on your back listening to noisy oystercatchers “peep-ing” as they fly low over a lake or watching skylarks parachuting over coastal grasslands, being in the water gives us an opportunity to experience wildlife from a unique perspective, but as we go into breeding season for ground-nesting birds, this also means we have a responsibility to not disturb vulnerable species that call these landscapes home.
“Our waterways are lifelines for many species, so it’s important to think about how our presence might affect them,” says Dr Conor Pharaoh-John, RSPB’s Recreational Disturbance Programme Manager. “By keeping a steady, predictable course, and limiting viewing to just a few minutes, swimmers and paddlers can help ensure birds and wildlife aren’t disturbed or disrupted from feeding, breeding or caring for their young.”