Four community, conservation and recreation groups gave ‘their’ patch of the Dee estuary a once over this Spring, clearing tons of fly tipped waste, marine litter and old boats. Supported by Flintshire County Council’s Coastal Unit, The Dee Wildfowlers, The New Quay Watermans and Recreation Association, Greenfield Dock fishermen and Sustrans Wardens all pitched in to help with Flintshire’s biggest spring clean yet.
At Greenfield Dock with the extra help of the Environment Agency, several dangerous boats were removed and two skips of rubbish taken to landfill. Dee estuary fishermen gave the Coastal Rangers a helping hand to clean up before a major new landscaping project this month.
In Connah’s Quay, Dock Road got a spring clean as an old river access ramp was cleared of scrub and a mountain of litter from years of neglect was disposed of as volunteers from Quay Watermans and Recreation Association held their first clean up of Connah’s Quay Riverside. Over 4 trailer loads of tyres, litter and scrub were cleared.
“Our aim is to work with Flintshire County Council to prepare this section of the Dee estuary for the opening of the All Wales Coastal Path and to help provide safe recreational and commercial access to the river “said Keith Marland of the Association “We had 20 volunteers and made a real impact.”
Sustrans rangers with Coastal ranger support collected 82 bin bags of litter washed up along the strandline on the Connah’s Quay to Saltney Ferry riverside section. Twenty volunteer rangers cleared the cyclepath making a massive impact on marine litter. Coastal rangers used the Airbus sponsored landrover to collect and dispose of litter once bagged by sustrans rangers.
Further out to sea another 2km of riverbank was cleared between Flintshire’s new bridge and Oakenholt by 30 volunteers from the Dee Wildfowlers Association in four hours of hard work on difficult terrain. “We are committed to the long term care of the Dee estuary” said Chris Anyon, warden and spokesman for the Dee Wildfowlers. “This is just one of the activities we hold each year to clear marine litter”.
As a gesture of support members from the Dee Wildfowlers took a brief journey to the opposite bank to support the Quay Watermans and Recreation Association.
“Slowly but surely the communities and conservation groups are networking and recognising the importance and benefits of a safe, clean river” said Mike Taylor, senior coastal Ranger with Flintshire County Council’s Coastal Unit. “On a local level we are having an impact on the global problem of marine litter and its effects on marine animals off the coast of Wales.”
